Award Recognizes Outstanding Support to Employees Serving in National Guard and Reserves

SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/31/2013)(readMedia)-- The Illinois Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, presented AT&T with the ESGR Above and Beyond Award May 30 in recognition of outstanding support to its employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve.

The Above and Beyond Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize employers providing extraordinary support and cooperation to their employees who have answered the call to serve. The award is given in limited numbers by ESGR state committees to employers who go well above the basic requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, in supporting their Guard and Reserve employees and have had at least one of their supervisors or managers recognized with a Patriot Award. It is the second highest ESGR award given at the state level.

"Supportive civilian employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's National Guard and Reserve," said Lt. Col. Tim Franklin, Illinois ESGR Program Director. "A Guardsman or Reservist has to maintain a balance between their military obligations, family life and civilian career. The things AT&T is doing to support your citizen warriors helps make it easier for them to maintain that balance and continue to serve in uniform. This Above and Beyond Award recognizes that support."

Illinois ESGR Central West Area Chair, Stan Zielinski and volunteer, Allan Woodson, presented AT&T managers Steve Cacciatore and Cararrus Baltimore with the Above and Beyond Award at the company's south Springfield facility. Illinois ESGR selected AT&T to receive the award based on the Patriot Award presented to Baltimore in 2012. Baltimore was nominated for the Patriot Award by AT&T employee and Illinois Army National Guardsman, Chief Warrant Officer David Rogers, to show his appreciation for the support of his service in the Illinois National Guard.

"Mr. Baltimore is highly supportive of my military service and training schedule," said Rodgers in his Patriot Award nomination. "He went to great lengths to help with payroll issues while I was attending training with the Illinois National Guard in Minnesota. He is a great supporter of the military and is always there to assist myself or my family."

"On behalf of Illinois ESGR and our State Chair, Dr. Michael Ayers, I am honored to present you with this Above and Beyond Award," said Zielinski. "I would like to thank AT&T for the outstanding support you have shown Chief Rogers in his service with the military. This award recognizes that AT&T is among those employers across the country that go well 'above and beyond' the basic requirements of USERRA in supporting service in the National Guard and Reserve."

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in resolving issues arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,900 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nearly 140 Illinois ESGR volunteers across the state work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve.

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