Photo By Master Sgt. Theanne Tangen | South Dakota Army National Guard Capt. Edward Cromwell, 196th Regiment, Regional...... read more read more
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Army National Guard awarded the Rapid City Fire Department the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award, Monday, Dec. 3, during the City Council meeting.
The ESGR Patriot Award recognizes supervisors and bosses nominated by a Guardsman or Reservist employee for support provided directly to the nominator.
Capt. Edward Cromwell has worked full-time at the Rapid City Fire Department since November 2005. He nominated his boss, Chief Mike Maltaverne, for support during Cromwell’s 19-month deployment overseas from October 2008-April 2010.
“Chief Maltaverne and the fire department were super supportive,” said Cromwell. “Some of the guys at the department sent care packages and communicated with me on a regular basis. Being a deployed Soldier can be tough and it’s nice to know that I was guaranteed a job once I came home.”
The mission of the ESGR is to increase awareness of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act among service members and employers, said Scott Amos, ESGR Black Hills area chair.
The award reflects the efforts made to support service members 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.
“We do anything we can within our power, policies and procedures to support these men and women who serve in the military and work in the fire department,” said Maltaverne. “We know that when they are deployed it often times leaves their family in some type of hardship, so we do what we can to support them and their families while they are gone. When they come back we welcome them with open arms.”
Chief Maltaverne has gone above and beyond supporting not only his service members but also the National Guard, said Amos.
The fire department and Chief Maltaverne support the South Dakota National Guard’s annual Golden Coyote Training Exercise by facilitating training and providing equipment every year for hundreds of firefighters, said Cromwell.
“It’s like paying it forward,” said Maltaverne. “If we can support the National Guard by facilitating training, then I know if we are having a natural disaster in our community the National Guard will be there to help.”
| Date Taken: | 12.03.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2012 09:40 |
| Story ID: | 98763 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SD, US |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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