Rogue Valley Transportation District was presented with two Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s awards. The first award was ESGR’s Above and Beyond award. It was accepted by Tonia Moro, Board Chair for RVTD. The second award was ESGR’s Seven Seals award which was presented to Julie Brown, RVTD’s General Manager. The awards were presented by Rick McReynolds, a local volunteer for the Oregon Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Prior to his deployment to Africa in September of 2019, Staff Sergeant Bryan Simpson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry nominated his supervisor, Paige West for ESGR’s Patriotic Employer award. The award was presented, recognizing her and RVTD’s outstanding support for their employee’s service in the Oregon Army National Guard. On his return from the deployment, SSG Simpson told local ESGR volunteers many things that RVTD had done to support him, his fellow soldiers, and his family while he was gone. RVTD employees reached out to him, shipped care packages to him and his fellow soldiers, and stayed in touch with his wife, including her in organizational activities. In addition, RVTD had continued his health coverage while he was gone, continued his family gym membership, and allowed him to accrue vacation while he was deployed. This information was forwarded to the Oregon ESGR State Committee which approved the two awards presented today.
The Above and Beyond award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals and businesses who provide support to their employees who serves in an armed services reserve component that exceeds that which is required by law. The policies that allowed accrual of vacation time, the payment of gym fees, and the continuing health coverage are examples of this kind of support. Rogue Valley Transportation District was recognized for implementing these policies.
The Seven Seals award is the broadest and most inclusive award given by ESGR. It is given at the discretion of the State Chair or ESGR senior leadership. It is presented in recognition of significant individual or organizational initiative or achievement that promotes and supports the ESGR mission. This mission is to promote a culture in which the military service of employees is supported and valued by employers. The award was presented to Julie Brown for establishing the policies that so strongly support their employees who serve.
“ESGR is proud to recognize an employer who provided such fantastic support to its employee who was deployed”, said McReynolds. “Supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s National Guard and Reserve units”.
ESGR is a volunteer agency of the Department of Defense. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, call 503-584-3443 or visit www.esgr.mil