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2016 #SecDefFreedomAward recipients named!

Say congrats to these 15 awesome employers!

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2,424 nominations ...

Being nominated for the #SecDefFreedomAward really says something wonderful about a company.

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Nomination season opens Oct. 1 and closes Dec. 31 of each year.

Freedom Award recipients named!

I Understand and Accept I Do Not Accept

About the Freedom Award

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their support of their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

Nominations must come from a Guard or Reserve member who is employed by the organization they are nominating, or from a family member.

The award was created to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and Reserve employees. It is the highest in a series of employer recognition awards given by the Department of Defense.

Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the Guard and Reserve. The Department of Defense shares these citizen warriors with their civilian employers, many of whom provide significant support to their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve. This award recognizes employers who provide the most outstanding support for their Guard and Reserve employees and is presented annually by the Secretary of Defense.

History of the Freedom Award

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR is a Department of Defense office established in 1972 whose mission is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and resolving conflict between employers and service members.

Secretary of Defense William Perry authorized the first award in 1996 and presented it to Schneider National, McDonnell Douglas, United Parcel Service Central Florida District, Tektronix, Inc. and National Life of Vermont. In the years since, a total of 205 employers have received this prestigious award. Today, up to 15 awards are presented each year to employers in three categories, large business, small business and the public sector.

The nomination process is open to all Guard and Reserve personnel or a family member acting on their behalf and applications are submitted online to ESGR. A national selection board comprised of senior Defense officials and business leaders select the award recipients.

Company Highlight

2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Recipient

Mooresville, North Carolina

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

WASHINGTON – Shortly after the end of WWII, two returning Army decorated veterans opened the first Lowe’s in the small western North Carolina mountain town of North Wilkesboro. Lowe’s is ranked by G.I. Magazine as one of the nation’s Top 100 Military Friendly Employers. It currently employs over 14,000 self-identified Reserve Component Service members and veterans.

Lowe’s reaffirmed a Statement of Support in 2014 and distributed to all business locations.

Between 2005 -2015 Lowe’s donated and shipped over 4,500 lbs. of tools to different deployed military units and Lowe’s employees have sent thousands of care packages across the nation to deployed troops.

Lowe’s contributed $25,000 to help bring more than 100 members of the 1222nd Engineer Company, South Carolina National Guard home for the holidays prior to their deployment

The thread of patriotism runs through the entire organization. One example occurred when a customer entered a Lowe’s store and requested to buy the American and Marine flags on display honoring the military. The customer was the mother of fallen Marine Sgt. Eugene C. Mills, III and she wanted the flags to display at their home as friends and family came there to pay their last respects to the fallen warrior. The store manager stated he could not sell the flags but would give them to her along with flagpoles and red, white and blue flower baskets. The flags were ceremonially folded by other Marines/employees and presented to the grieving mother on behalf of Lowe’s and a grateful nation.