coesgr newsletter may 2012
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7/31/2019 COESGR Newsletter May 2012
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MAY 2012
Welcome to Colorado ESGR. Our purpose is to have an informative newsletter that Welcome to Colorado ESGR. Our purpose is to have an informative newsletter that Welcome to Colorado ESGR. Our purpose is to have an informative newsletter that will educate, inform, and promote service by and to ESGR while fulfilling our missionwill educate, inform, and promote service by and to ESGR while fulfilling our missionwill educate, inform, and promote service by and to ESGR while fulfilling our missionof supporting Employers, Guard/Reserve members, and COESGR Volunteers.of supporting Employers, Guard/Reserve members, and COESGR Volunteers.of supporting Employers, Guard/Reserve members, and COESGR Volunteers.
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Colorado’s ESGR Electronic Newsletter is published not only for the information and benefit of the members of the ColoradoESGR but most importantly to our Guard and Reserve members and their employers.
The contents of this newsletter highlight activities and events conducted by Colorado ESGR.Send comments regarding this publication to the Newsletter Editor: James Garrett at [email protected]
The Colorado employers named semifinalists are:Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Broomfield;Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Springs;Infinity Systems Engineering, Colorado Springs.
The Freedom Award provides service members with an opportunity to recognize employers for going
above and beyond what is required by law. Employers chosen as semifinalists support their Guard and Reserve employees through a variety of formal and informal initiatives, including developing internal military support networks, providing full benefits to employees fulfilling their military obligations, caring for the families of deployed employees, and granting additional leave to Guard and Reserve employeespreparing to leave for or return from deployments.
"The employers selected as Freedom Award semifinalists have distinguished themselves for their support of their National Guard and Reserve employees, and are truly serving our Nationwith their extraordinary commitment to these special employees," said ESGR National Chair James G. Rebholz. "Their efforts are to be applauded, and ESGR salutes these patriotic employers for their special care of their Guard and Reserve employees and their families whilethey serve our Nation in times of war and peace."
ESGR will announce the 2012 Freedom Award finalists next month after a review board comprised of military and civilian leaders selects the 30 most supportive employers from among the 133 semifinalists.The 15 award recipients will be announced early this summer and honored in Washington, D.C. at the17th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Ceremony on September 20,2012.
“Colorado Employers Move One Step Closer to Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award”
Thursday, April 19, 2012 Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, announced today that three Colorado employers have been
selected as semifinalists for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer SupportFreedom Award. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by theDoD to employers for exceptional support of their Guard and Reserveemployees. This year, 133 semifinalists nationwide stood out among animpressive pool of 3,236 nominees.
Freedom Award nominations come Freedom Award nominations come directly from Guard and Reserve directly from Guard and Reserve members, or family members acting members, or family members acting on their behalf.on their behalf.
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Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Nominator - Keli Jones, TSgt, Colorado Air National Guard
“This Colorado corporation of 3,500 employees has built one of the most supportivecorporate cultures I have ever witnessed. Their efforts are truly exceptional andcomprehensive. “In addition to supporting myself and other National Guard andReserve members during times of deployment or military duty, BATC also has aVeterans Resource Group which continues to recognize and support our military.Some of the activities the VERG supported this year are: 1. 4/02/2011, Volunteers
for Outdoor Colorado – re -seed Four Mile Canyon 2. 10/23/2011, Volunteer worked ColoradoVeterans Administration Wounded Warrior 5k run, City Park Denver 3. 11/11/2011, Veterans Day FlagRising ceremony – BCH, Broomfield Colorado 4. 12/3/2011, “Adopt a soldier” Holiday packagespackaging - Sacred Heart Church Boulder 5. Orchestrated raising $3,900 for Michael Dinsmore’s familyas his son was critically injured in an IED incident. Also – we sent items overseas to the troops andcards to members who serve or have family who are currently serving.”
Ball Aerospace and Technologies supported the mission of ESGR through their attendance at theMilitary and Veterans Employment Expo, in May 2011. The company operated a booth at the event,seeking to hire Guardsmen and Reservists for roles in the company.Ball Aerospace also completed six Statements of SupportSupervisors earned three Patriot Awards.Pro Patria Award in 2011.
Colorado Springs Utilities
Nominator - Christopher Ortiz, Chief Petty Officer, Navy Reserve
“Colorado Springs Utilities has always supported me and my reservecareer. I have completed 12 years of annual training with additionaltraining days here and there with no lack of support from my company.
In addition to my annual training I have been deployed once for a full year. While on deployment, thecompany matched whatever the pay difference was going to be between my active duty pay and what Imake as a civilian. They also paid me my 15 military leave days a year. The constant contact mycompany kept with my wife and I reassured us that they were there for us if we needed them for anyreason. This re -enforced my belief that I would have my job when I returned. All of these factors helpme be able to stay more focused on my deployment mission and not have to worry about the homefront so much. It was reassuring knowing that if for some reason my military pay was less then mycivilian pay, my employer would make up the difference. Knowing this meant our mortgage was goingto get paid no matter what. Upon returning from my deployment, I was told a supervisor position cameopen while I was gone and they filled it in term until my return. They now will post the position so I mayapply for the position as well. This position was held for 8 months just so I would have a fair chance atapplying. The great support my employer has shown me and my family over the years has been atremendous factor in me being able to complete 24 years of Naval service. There are no words thatcan express mine and my families thanks and appreciation for their support through the good andrough times. This nomination for the Freedom Award is just a small token of thanks for everything myemployer has done for my family, fellow guardsmen, reservists and myself! I am proud to say I am aNavy veteran and a employee of Colorado Springs Utilities!!”
Colorado Springs Utilities has been recognized with two Patriot Awards and earned the ColoradoCommittee Award in 2011.CSU was nominated for the Freedom Award in 2010 Completed nine Statements of Support.
Nominators of the three Colorado Semifinalists wrote about why theirEmployers are deserving of the Freedom Award.
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Infinity Systems Inc.
Nominator Scott Hollister - 2nd Lt, Air Force Reserve
“Infinity Systems Engineering continues to show why they are the best company towork for as a reservist. They exceed the standards in benefits, military support and community involvement.The company provides the flexibility necessary to succeed in both the corporate realm and Reserve/Guardduty. Infinity takes pride in the knowledge and skills their Reserve/Guard employees bring to the table andactively supports those employees in making military duty a priority. Infinity constantly ensures employeesare satisfied with the time allotted to fulfill their obligations to our country, and does an outstanding job of recognizing the efforts and sacrifices of those individuals and their families. Infinity continues to go aboveand beyond by supporting reservists and their families during extended periods of duty in ways unparalleledwithin the community. The generosity of Infinity always shocks those who hear of the unrivaled benefits andtreatment given to military members. It is truly moving to see an American business come together tosupport their military members by making people the priority ahead of profits. Infinity truly makes itsemployees feel like a family and is beyond deserving of this honorable award and recognition.”
Infinity has also been an active AFA community partner 5 of the last 6 years and sponsors members inthe military affairs council and chamber of commerce who protect military priorities in Colorado Springs. Infinity has been the recipient of both the Above and Beyond award and Pro -Patria.Infinity was also nominated for the Patriot Award in 2010, and continues to receive recognition for their support and active role within the military community.
A complete list of Freedom Award semifinalists from each state is available at www.FreedomAward.mil under the Media Tab in the Press Releases section.
About ESGR and the Freedom Award:
The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize exceptional supportfrom the employer community. In the years since, 160 employers have been honoured with the award.Established as a DoD agency 40 years ago, ESGR develops and maintains employer support for Guardand Reserve service. ESGR advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increasesawareness of applicable laws, and resolves conflict between service members and employers. Paramountto ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, globalperspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.For questions or interviews regarding the Freedom Award, please contact Mandi Rumble, ESGR Public
Affairs, at 571 -372 -0704 or by email at ESGR [email protected] .
Colorado Employers that hosted Guard and Reserve members to our Employer AwardsBanquet who have served in Iraq/Afghanistan
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Meet Sandra Shreve, one of our most active Senior Advisory Council members and a major contributor to our ESGR Statewide efforts.The Council members are top Colorado leaders who help, advise and counsel us in our efforts. The Council is crucial to our efforts to reach more employers, to get their supportfor our Guard and Reserve members , and to lead the way for all our employers, public andprivate, to recognize, value and support the military service of their employees. Sandra,retired after a 33 year career in education, has been an extraordinary member of thecommunity serving on many boards, in leadership roles, and has been recognized with
numerous awards. Her community service included President of the League of WomenVoters of Denver, Chair of the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame, President of SchoolPersonnel Administrators, board member of the Spirituals Project, and a Trustee of theDenver Foundation.
Note: We featured all members of the Senior Advisory Council in the March newsletter issue but Ms Shreve’s picture wasnot available at that time.
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MAY 2012 Walking for the Troops
Walking for the troopsBy Ryan Boldrey | Posted: Sunday, March 25, 2012 10:00 amLongtime Highlands Ranch resident Mike Mobley, a self -described young 58,
is not the first person to decide to hike across America to raise awareness for a cause. Yet when the man who signs his emails as Forrest — in honor of Tom Hanks’ recognizable character who ranfrom coast to coast during one stretch of “Forrest Gump” — embarked on a 2,000 -mile, three -month quest onfoot March 24, he did it in honor of raising awareness for the United States military and military families all over. “I feel very fortunate to be able to do this,” said Mobley, who is carrying an iPod, his cell phone with a GPS,a laptop, bedroll and some food and clothes with him. “I want people to realize that there are still peopleoverseas fighting for our freedoms and sacrificing everything.” Mobley, who has lived in Highlands Ranch since 1989, has twin sons who graduated Highlands Ranch HighSchool in 2004 and enlisted in the Marines and Army immediately thereafter. With his sights set on seeing America from a new and different perspective, Mobley said he hopes toaccomplish a lot more than just making it to his final destination of Camp Lejeune, N.C., before his son Ryan, aMarine, returns to the camp from his fourth deployment this June. He hopes to raise awareness to four nonprofit organizations that benefit veterans and he is accepting donationson his website, 100 percent of which will go directly to those organizations. Those nonprofits are Adaptive Adventures, The Fisher House Foundation, The Greatest GenerationsFoundation and the Wounded Warriors Project. Both Ryan, and his brother, Matthew, who has served two tours in the U.S. Army, have Post Traumatic StressDisorder and have experienced Traumatic Brain Injuries while serving over the past eight years. Both have alsobeen deployed multiple times and received clearance to return to action following their experiences with TBI. “As identical twins they were never apart until they went into the military and enlisted in separatebranches,” Mobley said of his boys. “But the military has made them closer than they have ever been.Both were injured in 2007 within a couple months of one another and both returned to action.”
As mentioned, Mobley is not just doing this for his sons, but for all military service members and families. “It’s because of those who have fought for our country in the past that I’m even able to take this walk,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine doing this in a foreign country. We are pretty fortunate here.” The Herald will be keeping tabs on Mobley’s trek over the next three months and following him on his journeywith a series of features on him, his sons, his wife, and the organizations he is raising awareness for.
One can also track Mobley’s progress by visiting his blog on his website,www.operationherotrek.com
Ryan BoldreyStaff Reporter Highlands Ranch Herald Phone: (303) 566 -4104 www.ourhighlandsranchnews.com
Mike Mobley, right, embarked March24 from Highlands Ranch on a 2,000mile, three -month journey to raiseawareness to U.S military service andmilitary families. Mobley has twinsons who are both enlisted. His sonMatthew, who has served two tours inthe U.S. Army is pictured at left, whilehis son Ryan, a marine, is currentlydeployed to Afghanistan on his fourthtour. Photo by Ryan Boldrey
Mike Mobley is a volunteer with the Colorado Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
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Article used by permission of Ryan Boldrey.
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Video: Helping our heroes get hired
KUSA - The overall unemployment rate for veterans is, on average, about 0.8 percent lower than the rate for non -veterans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but there have been some reports that this figureis much higher. Regardless, those who have served in the military often have a unique set of challenges.It's sometimes difficult for them to relate the skills they've developed in their military service to civilian life,and they may not have been in the job search mode in years, perhaps never.
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a local nonprofit organization that helps connectemployers with veterans. Over 200 volunteers work all over the state visiting companies, getting their commitment to hire veterans and visit with veterans to be sure they know the laws governing their employment.(Written by Gregg Moss, KUSA -TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
Thursday morning, April 19, 2012, Gregg Moss,
9NEWS, spoke with Rear Admiral Dick Youngwho heads up the program in Colorado. He
talked further about the mission of theorganization and upcoming employmentexpos.
Vernon K. Crow, is an Ombudsman volunteer with the Colorado ESGRCommittee. He shared an ESGR informational brief as well as his experi-ences with his Lions Club members.
I shared with them what I do as a volunteer for Service Members and Employers.
Eventhough I have worked all volunteer areas of the Colorado ESGR, I mainly discussed myOmbudsman role. I shared a few stories with them, failures and successes. I alsoshared with them how I got started. When I was the Colorado Army National Guard'sState Retention NCOIC (Non Commissioned Officer In Charge), I was told to getinvolved with ESGR. I knew who they were, what they did and I got involved. When Iretired from the Army, I tried to leave the ESGR but the State Chairman would notaccept that. About 10 years ago, I tried to drop out again and they placed me in an
Alumni status. I asked what that meant and they said that they could still call on me at any time. They did,and now I have over 20 years with ESGR. I enjoy helping our Service Members and who knows how muchlonger I will be doing it. Hopefully many more. At 0200 hrs. Iopened an Ombudsman case from the computer and started
working it before this Lions Club meeting.
I shared with themwhat I was needing to do for this case.
Last club meeting, I reported to them that two days later theservice member was receiving his promotion and the back pay hewould have received. They were pleased to hear the successfulconclusion. My pay is having a successful conclusion and bothparties are working together.
Thank you Vern for those 20 plus years of service to ESGR!!
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HELPING OUR HEROES GET HIRED!
Colorado ESGR Notable Events
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MAY 2012
State ESGR Vice Chair
Tom Mills, Brigadier General,CONG (Ret). [email protected]
EMPLOYER OUTREACHAREA CHAIRS
Boulder/Longmont
Vacant
Colorado Springs
Mark Hustedt [email protected]
Mary Miller
Cortez Area
Robert Valencia [email protected]
Denver Area South
Paula Kauffman [email protected]
Denver Area North
Michael Mitchelmichael@oc -consulting.com
Douglas County Area
Lorin Ricker [email protected]
Estes Park Area Chair
Gary Brown [email protected]
Fort Collins
Vacant
Grand Junction
Lou Brackett [email protected]
Pueblo
Harry Vogel [email protected]
STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATIONPat O’Flaherty – Staff [email protected]
720.250.1176
Kathleen Dorram – Program Support [email protected]
720.250.1195 FAX: 720.250.1199
Chandra Hance – Program Support Specialist
[email protected] FAX: 720.250.1199
COESGR Business Office12200 East Briarwood Avenue, Suite 160
Centennial, Co 80112
State ESGR Chair
Richard E. Young, RADM, USN(Ret) dickyoung123@gmail. com
COLORADO ESGRDIRECTORS
Military OutreachMary Rathje [email protected] Joe Ely [email protected]
Employer OutreachBev Skinner
Dave Pruett - Co -Director [email protected]
OmbudsmenBill Belz
[email protected] Gary Brown [email protected]
Training
Lynn Albi [email protected]
Special Programs
Kip Cheroutes kcheroutes@ Emgacommunica-tions.com
National Guard Liaison
Robert Balster, BrigGen,USA [email protected]
Public AffairsIris Fontera [email protected]
Kelly Mazezka - Deputy
Employer Initiative Program Dir ector
Brad GallupBrad@Cable -Safe.com
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National Site News and Information
Join Facebook and Twitter and become afriend of Colorado ESGR
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
James Garrett [email protected]
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2011 Colorado ESGRAccomplishments
164 volunteers and growing
33 volunteers assigned toNational Guard and Reserve Units
13 volunteers serve asOmbudsmen, mediating conflicts
between employers and their employees in the military
Colorado ESGR Volunteers:
Briefed 1,586 employers and 13,476 service members
Mediated 69 cases Completed 12,600 volunteer
hours