SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (March 13, 2018) – On March 1st the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve state committees named Angel MedFlight Worldwide Ambulance Services among a select group of businesses nominated for the 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.
Employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve, and their family members, can nominate employers for supporting their military service. Semifinalists include 149 businesses of all sizes from across the nation and were vetted by the committees from a list of over 2,330 nominations submitted by Guardsmen and Reservists. Only 250 employers have received the award to date.
Finalists for the award will be announced on Friday, March 30th. Recipients are honored at a ceremony typically held at the Pentagon, with the awards being presented by either the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense.
ABOUT ESGR
ESGR, a Department of Defense program, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,500 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education, and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, Service members, and their families.
Our Nation has relied heavily on Guard and Reserve Service members since entering continuous operations more than 15 years ago. Employer support enhances retention rates in the Armed Forces and, in the end, strengthens our national security. To recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees, ESGR grants a series of Department of Defense awards.
The first in ESGR’s series of awards is the Patriot Award. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.
ESGR has served our country for more than 40 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. Find more information at http://www.esgr.mil
About the Freedom Award
The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 by then-Secretary of Defense William Perry under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972 whose mission is to “gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law, and resolving conflicts through mediation. “The award was created to recognize the ways the nation’s employers support their Guard and Reserve employees and is the highest in a series of ESGR awards that include the Patriot Award, the Above and Beyond Award, and the Pro Patria Award.
About Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance
Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance Services partners with healthcare providers to safely transport patients from anywhere in the world for the life-changing care they need. Our in-house patient advocates manage the complete insurance preauthorization process, and our team of flight coordinators are available 24/7 so patients can reach the highest quality of care as soon as possible. Angel MedFlight and their aviation Part 135 partners use a Learjet fleet of medically-configured aircraft for critical care and smoother, faster travel.
Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance was also awarded the Patriot Award in 2017.
