Wells Fargo Roswell location supports deployed manager, Guardsman during OIF

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Miguel A. Valdez, a U.S. Army Guardsman employed with Wells Fargo Bank's south branch in Roswell, N.M., mans his guard point. Valdez is a combat medic in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Regiment, 200th ADA Battalion, 111th ADA Brigade, out of Rio Rancho, N.M., deployed to Qatar in the Global War on Terror.  

QATAR

03.27.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

by Spc. Jennifer Sardam
USCENTCOM Public Affairs/ESGR Forward Team

QATAR - If you walk into the Wells Fargo Bank's south branch at 1401 South Main Street in Roswell, N.M., you can see for yourself what this Army Guardsman's employer thinks of his service.

"They have my picture on the wall for our customers to see," said Sgt. Miguel A. Valdez, who is the service manager in charge of the bank teller line at this Wells Fargo location. He added that since the deployment began, he's been told his regular customers ask about him.

"My duty is to make sure that everything runs smoothly," explained Valdez of his civilian role. Since November 2005, his days have been filled with more urgent responsibilities as a security forces noncommissioned officer providing security for U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in this small Middle Eastern peninsula country in the Persian Gulf.

USCENTCOM, which is located at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla., is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests in 27 nations that stretch from the Horn of Africa (HOA) through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia. USCENTCOM is one of nine unified commands in the Department of Defense (DOD).

CENTCOM's mission includes enhancing regional stability and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to regional security. CENTCOM is also responsible for executing the Global War on Terror in its assigned area of responsibility (AOR), which includes Iraq, Afghanistan and HOA. Other important USCENTCOM activities include humanitarian and security assistance programs, as well as combined training and education opportunities for military members in AOR nations.

When he is at home in New Mexico, Valdez is a combat medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Regiment, 200th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Battalion, 111th ADA Brigade, in Rio Rancho, N.M. His main responsibilities there are to ensure personnel remain updated on vaccinations and to plan training for the unit's soldiers.

This is his first deployment during his eight years in the military, as well as the first ever to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

OIF, which began with the liberation of Iraq in 2003, has resulted in two democratic elections, a constitutional referendum and the development of a professional Iraqi security force. In partnership with the Iraqi government, the coalition forces are helping the Iraqi people defeat terrorists and build an inclusive democratic state. The coalition forces, to include the Iraqi army, are conducting full-spectrum counter-insurgency operations to isolate and neutralize the former regime extremists and foreign terrorists. Coalition forces organize, train and equip Iraqi security forces, in order to create a secure environment that allows the reconstruction process to continue.

Valdez said he initially joined the Army to mature and earn the G.I. Bill benefits that later paid for his degree from Eastern New Mexico University in Roswell. What he's learned in the military benefits him at home just as much as it does on deployment. "It has helped me to be more organized in my civilian job," remarked Valdez, "[and] to get things done instead of procrastinating."

One important issue Valdez didn't wait on was communicating the news of his military mobilization to the Wells Fargo branch. He said he was unable to give as much notice as he would have liked due to the delayed arrival of his official mobilization orders. However, Valdez spoke to his local human resources representative soon after and was told "no problem."

The company has remained supportive. "They're holding my job," he continued, "[and] they always want to see how I'm doing and make sure I'm safe." According to Valdez, coworkers like his supervisor, Mary Baros, and the H.R. representative periodically contact him by email.

Still, this Guardsman cannot wait to return to 'the camaraderie and the friendships" of his civilian job in person. "I'm excited and anxious to get back. I have some great people working for me," he commented. "We see each other day in and day out, so it's like a family there at Wells Fargo."

Valdez's own family, including mother Vicky Valdez, and his fiancée, Silvia Acosta, are proudly waiting for him to return home in the fall. "They're pretty supportive of my deployment," he said, 'so it's kind of hard to leave them back. It's nice to have their full support."

Valdez also mentioned that Wells Fargo has made it a policy to support its militarily deployed employees by offering differential pay to those who make less on active duty than they do at their civilian positions with the company.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA, allows Valdez and other mobilized military members to retain their rights to return to their civilian jobs following a deployment. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. ESGR volunteers provide free education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees.

As the 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens, ESGR will continue to be the information agency for the employers of America's new Minutemen. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

• Date Taken: 03.27.2006
• Date Posted: 03.27.2006 16:31
• Story ID: 5883
• Location: QA