Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Godbee | WASHINGTON (Aug. 26, 2016) Secretary of Defense Ash Carter speaks at the 2016 Employer...... read more read more
September 2, 2016 (Updated February 2, 2017) -- This past August, Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas C. Perry and Capt. Sean M. Prosser with the 301st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), traveled to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, to support Idaho State Police (ISP) and the Army Reserve at the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award - the highest award that the Department of Defense gives to employers in recognition for their support of the National Guard and reserve forces.
Established in 1996 by Secretary of Defense William Perry, the Freedom Award is awarded to employers who have demonstrated exceptional support for National Guard and Reserve soldiers serving their country. Of the 2,424 nominations received, only 15 employers were selected to receive the award.
“These 15 employers have distinguished themselves through their outstanding support of our Guard and Reserve members and their families," Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said. "Without the unfaltering support of employers like them, the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve would not be able to fulfill their vital roles in our National Security Strategy. It is a great honor for me to recognize these employers, and I congratulate them on their receipt of the Employer Support Freedom Award.”
Prosser is a military police (MP) operations officer with the 301st MEB, a multifunctional brigade based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He has been with ISP for over 11 years and is a detective based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Prosser has been deployed twice in four years, and the whole time he said, ISP has been very accommodating and understanding while he served his country. Prosser nominated ISP for the Freedom Award because of the extraordinary support they have given him.
“A soldier who deploys has a lot of stuff going on at home,” said Perry, command sergeant major of the 301st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. “There’s children, pets, a house, a business to run and things can slip while they’re away. So some of these employers go out and help with projects around the house and whatever else is needed. They need to be recognized because it’s not a requirement to do that.”
“It was truly an awesome event and a little humbling, and it was great to have Command Sgt. Maj. Perry there to represent the 301st,” Prosser exclaimed.
“Few people get to attend an event at the Pentagon in normal circumstances but to be there as a representative of the Army Reserve and Idaho State Police when ISP received the award was a great experience and means that I will be a small part of ISP’s history,” Prosser added.
“It was very humbling to go to the Pentagon to represent the 301st because we’re representing over 3,000 Soldiers,” said Perry.
“Hearing about some of these programs that these Soldiers have put in place with their employers really sheds a light on how crucial we are and how appreciated we are by the employers.”
Battle Buddies
Also in attendance was two members of the Idaho Army National Guard. 1ST Lt. Travis Hight, an ordinance officer and state trooper based in Lewiston, Idaho, and Sgt. Sara Breckon, a signal non-commissioned officer based in Boise working for ISP Bureau of Criminal Identification, along with Prosser nominated ISP for the award. ISP Col. Ralph Powell, the Meridian based and governor-appointed director of Idaho State Police, accepted the award on its behalf.
“This award more importantly is recognition of my fellow team members who step up and cover the increased workload created by my absence serving our country, and without whom I would not be able to fully perform in the Army,” said Prosser.
Supporting Employers
Perry thinks it’s important that reservists and members of the National Guard support their employers, too.
“Giving our training schedules out to employers ahead of time and making them aware of changes will allow them ample amount of time to hire additional people to fill in their own schedules,” he said.
“Reaching out and partnering with employers to make schedules work is essential to our mission. In my experience, as both an employer who’s had to deal with Reservists as well as being a Reservist myself, having that schedule a year out helps families plan as well as the employers so they can know what to expect throughout the year.”
Assured Passage!
In October, Prosser, Breckon and Hight gathered once again at the Governor’s Ceremonial Office at the Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise, to attend the Governor’s ceremony which honored the Freedom Award that ISP received.
Those in attendance included Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Idaho National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gary L. Sayler, Idaho Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major Steven E. Woodall, and Idaho ESGR State Chair Mr. Bruce Wright.
For more information about the Freedom Award, or Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), visit the ESGR website at: http://esgr.mil
| Date Taken: | 09.02.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2017 02:41 |
| Story ID: | 222394 |
| Location: | SEATTLE, WA, US |
| Hometown: | BOISE, ID, US |
| Hometown: | COEUR D'ALENE, ID, US |
| Hometown: | LAKEWOOD, WA, US |
| Hometown: | LEWISTON, ID, US |
| Hometown: | MERIDIAN, ID, US |
| Web Views: | 385 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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