Subscribe
For many of the East Tennessee employers, who hail from Chattanooga to Johnson City, it was their first opportunity to realize the impact they have on Citizen Soldiers and Airmen.
“Most of these employers have no military experience whatsoever, they may be aware that their employees are Guardsmen and Reservists but they’re not sure what they do,” said retired Maj. Gen. Jack D’Aranjo, area chair for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. “This kind of event helps expose them to what their military duties and responsibilities are.”
Several military leaders were present at the ESGR-hosted event and expressed their gratitude to the employers.
“We are citizens first, then Soldiers,” said Army Reserve Brig. Gen. John Caldwell, deputy commander for the 75th Training Command’s Troop Program Unit. “On behalf of 250,000 Army Reservists, thank you to the employers and thank you to the ESGR.”
Col. Thomas Cauthen, 134th Air Refueling Wing commander, was not shy in boasting about the exceptional support National Guardsmen who split their time between civilian and military duties receive in the region.
“Not everyone enjoys the relationships we do [with employers] in East Tennessee – so thank you for all you do,” Cauthen said.
D’Aranjo said the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994 lists rules and regulations related to military service but that is only part of the equation.
“An employer can make it easy or they can make it hard for a Guardsman or Reservist to fulfill their military duties,” D’Aranjo said. “It’s a constant educational issue for us.”
One employer is already one step ahead of that education. Joe Thompson accepted ESGR’s “Seven Seals” award on behalf of Raymond James’s financial office in Knoxville. The award, named after the seven branch and components of the U.S. military, is presented to organizations that demonstrate meritorious leadership and initiative in support of National Guard and Reserve troops. Raymond James voluntarily matches any difference in pay and benefits when one of its National Guard employees is activated.
“We appreciate this award,” Thompson said. “I think companies should do more like our company and other companies do.”
More than 150,000 are expected for the Smoky Mountain Air Show. For any employees in the audience who may be looking for some sharp employees, D’Aranjo says take a look.
“If you hire a Guardsmen or a reservists, you can be sure of their work ethic, their commitment, their training, that their military skills they bring to the civilian job you can get nowhere else,” he said. “They’re drug free and healthy … it doesn’t get any better than that.”
| Date Taken: | 04.15.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2016 11:19 |
| Story ID: | 195577 |
| Location: | TN, US |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, East Tennessee Employers gain Guard, Reserve perspective ahead of Smoky Mountain Air Show, by Capt. Jon LaDue, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT