Colo. Reserve soldier, Fairfield Inn front desk clerk deploys to Southwest Asia

Courtesy Photo | Army Reserve Spc. Amber Adams, a front desk clerk at the Fairfield Inn's 1680 South Colorado Blvd. location in Denver, is currently deployed to Southwest Asia as a finance specialist with the Wis.-based 376th Finance Battalion, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

05.24.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David McCrary, ESGR FWD Team
Story by Spc. Jennifer Sardam, ESGR FWD Team

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Army Reserve Spc. Amber Adams is currently deployed to Southwest Asia as a finance specialist with the Wis.-based 376th Finance Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). OIF is the official name given to military operations assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq's sovereignty and independence as a democracy.

Despite the challenges of being far from home, Adams said the support she gets from her parents Vickie and Jim Healy helps to bridge the distance.

Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are deployed under the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States. USCENTCOM is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests and assets in 27 nations stretching from the Horn of Africa, through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia.

When she isn't mobilized overseas, Adams is also a finance specialist in her home unit, the 5025th Garrison Support Unit at Fort Carson, Colo. With three years in the military, this is her first deployment as a reservist. In her civilian occupation, Adams is a front desk clerk for the Fairfield Inn in Denver, where she has worked for two years.

Today, more than 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. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Adams and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. 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. 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].

Adams said she notified her boss Peter Stephenson about the deployment, and he was immediately supportive and gave her time off to get her affairs in order. "He told me my job would be waiting for me when I got back," she added.

Adams, who calls Denver home, said she looks forward to attending Broncos games when she returns stateside.

ESGR, USAR

• Date Taken: 05.24.2006
• Date Posted: 05.24.2006 10:28
• Story ID: 6507
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)