General Electric employee performs his military duties to support Operation Enduring Freedom

Courtesy Photo | Chief Warrant Officer Karl Darr, who is a Navy Reservist on his seventh deployment overseas, is a Replacement Operator with General Electric in Louisville, Ky.  

BAHRAIN

07.19.2006

Courtesy Story

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

by Lt. Col. Martin Moerschell
ESGR Forward Team

BAHRAIN - U.S. Navy reservist Chief Warrant Officer Karl Darr is currently deployed to Navy Central Command in Bahrain in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the official name given to military operations from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa in support of the Global War on Terror.

"While I have been deployed, I have missed my youngest daughter's graduation from high school and my oldest daughter's graduation from college," Darr said. In spite of these challenges of being away from home, Darr expressed that being part of Operation Enduring Freedom makes up for any hardships that he encounters.

Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are deployed under the U.S. Central Command to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States.

U.S. Central Command is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests and assets in 27 nations stretching from the Horn of Africa, through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia.

At Navy Central Command, Darr serves as the Individual Augmentee Director for positions located throughout Iraq. He manages the overseas tours of all sailors deployed to Iraq as well as those assigned to Army units within the theater. The chief warrant officer has served in the military for 28 years and this is his seventh deployment in his career.

In his civilian occupation, Darr is a Replacement Operator at General Electric in Louisville, Ky. He has been employed with General Electric for 14 years. "I can not express enough the gratitude I have for what General Electric has done for me. They saved my position for when I come back and allowed me to keep my medical insurance going while I am away which is important to my family. I know my employer has my back while I am away", said Darr.

Today, more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Darr and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees.

The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

"My children have always been supportive of my military commitments that take me away from home. They are the sole reason I have been so successful in my career. They carried the load when I am away and I am able to focus on my mission", Darr said with pride.

Darr, who calls Prospect Ky. his home, is the proud son of Marie Darr from Louisville, Ky. Darr is the father of four children: Lisa, Rebecca, Laura and Aaron.

• Date Taken: 07.19.2006
• Date Posted: 07.19.2006 09:09
• Story ID: 7246
• Location: BH