Courtesy Photo | Mr. Rick McReynolds, Southern Oregon Employment Outreach Coordinator (left), along...... read more read more
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SALEM, Ore. – Following their selection as 2024 regional Volunteers of the Year representatives for the Western district, two Oregonians were named recipients of the national-level Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) award for their areas of expertise.
Mr. Greg Malkasian, an Oregon ESGR Volunteer Coordinator, was selected as the Military Outreach award winner, and Mr. Richard Thibodo was chosen for the ESGR Training award.
The Volunteer of the Year (VOTY) Award is a prestigious national recognition from ESGR that acknowledges the outstanding contributions of volunteers in their primary functional areas during the past calendar year. This award highlights the significant impact that dedicated individuals make within ESGR, serving as a benchmark for excellence.
Each of the 54 committee State Chairs nominates volunteers from their respective Committee annually for one of the six functional area awards. Those functional areas are Military Outreach, Employer Outreach, Public Affairs, Training, Ombudsman, and Operational.
Greg Malkasian is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Army Reserve and also serves as the Area 2 Chair for ESGR. His nomination summary stated that his “contributions are extensive as he coordinated all Unit, Soldier Readiness Check (SRC), Yellow Ribbon events for all seven of our components, which resulted in 109% Military Operation (MO) engagements.”
Through his efforts in this role, he has been responsible for briefing over 2,700 Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers who were deploying, while also including more than 1,500 family members. He also played a crucial role in ensuring that volunteers were present at all 50-plus military operations events and multiple Change of Command ceremonies. This demonstrates an excellent initiative in Public Affairs military operations.
Malkasian’s national-level award, signed by John Sampa, ESGR’s National Chair, stated that, “The functional area volunteers for the State Committees are essential to accomplishing our mission by providing critical support to our Reserve Component members, their families, and employers. Your active participation in this vital program has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of ESGR.”
Richard Thibodo is a retired Chief Warrant Officer 2 from the Oregon Army National Guard and has been instrumental in developing a training hybrid program for volunteers. His nomination summary stated that his “dedication to improving and sustaining training for state committees and Service Members is exceptional. He always considers audience and intent, which ensures the focus of the training he prepares and presents is on target.”
Through his dedicated efforts in training, he has spent considerable time mastering MMS and Zoom. This commitment has led to the development of effective monthly reporting tools and targeted training programs for both individuals and groups of volunteers. As a direct result of his initiatives, volunteer training compliance skyrocketed by 49% in fiscal year 2024, achieving an impressive overall compliance rate of 95%.
He proactively collaborates with the State Chair and Area Chairs to foresee and mitigate any potential issues, ensuring seamless training for the committee. His steadfast dedication is also evident in his training sessions for service members and employers on the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). He is an active participant in numerous Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Programs and Service Members Support events, further demonstrating his commitment to serving the Soldiers and families of the Oregon National Guard.
Thibodo’s national-level award, signed by John Sampa, ESGR’s National Chair, stated that, “We recognize the significance of your valued service and dedication of personal time to ESGR. We look forward to honoring you by highlighting your accomplishments in the future.”
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a Department of Defense office established in 1972. It is dedicated to fostering strong cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 2,750 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 come from various backgrounds—including small businesses, industry, government, education, and prior military service—and bring a wealth of experience to support employers, service members, and their families. Alongside the Headquarters ESGR staff and a small team of support staff for each state committee, these volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for the military service of Guard and Reserve members.
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2025 17:41 |
| Story ID: | 542849 |
| Location: | SALEM, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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