ESGR Lunch with the Boss at Fort Buchanan

Photo By Spc. Anthony Martinez | Mr. Agustin Rivera, Program Support Specialist for ESGR in Puerto Rico, delivers a presentation on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) to over 45 employers in attendance of the Employers Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) "Lunch with the Boss" event held at the Community Club on Fort Buchanan, July 14.  

GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO

07.14.2017

Story by Spc. Anthony Martinez 

1st Mission Support Command

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico - Over 45 employers from Puerto Rico gathered at the Community Club on Fort Buchanan to be part of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) "Lunch with the Boss." The Lunch with the Boss is an event for the civilian employers of Soldiers that offers them an opportunity to see what their service members do in preparation for mobilizations and other duties like annual training and monthly drills.

Brig. Gen. Alberto C. Rosende, commanding general for the 1st MSC and guest speaker for the event, offered a lot of meaningful insight about what it is like being a Citizen Soldier.

“The reintegration of a Soldier back to his or her community is challenging for all members that participate in that relationship,” said Rosende. ”It’s challenging for them… for us… for me to get back into that rhythm after going 16 or 18 hours a day in a different environment with different stresses. Once I return, I’m back with my family, which has learned to absorb my responsibilities among themselves. It seems like they no longer have space for you, because you are used to a different routine and they change their law without you being there. Now you have to play catch up.”

Agustin Rivera is the Program Support Specialist for ESGR in Puerto Rico under the Department of Defense. Mr. Rivera has been the voice between the employers and the Reserve component and National Guard for 6 years, building a network to help the service members with any problems they have labor related within the USERRA law.

“We want to have a bond with the employers and the service components,” said Rivera. “This link between the employers and 1st Mission Support Command will help the employers and employees to better understand the USERRA law.”

ESGR is a Department of Defense program established to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,000 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands),
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education, and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, Service members, and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve.

• Date Taken: 07.14.2017
• Date Posted: 07.17.2017 14:28
• Story ID: 241454
• Location: GUAYNABO, PR