DoD calls on guard, Reserve members to nominate employers Published Dec. 6, 2011 Arlington, Va. -- Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, encourages Guard and Reserve members to nominate their supportive employers for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award as only five weeks remain until the deadline. The Freedom Award is the DoD's highest award for civilian employers supporting Guard and Reserve members. More than 1,700 service members have submitted nominations since November 1; 273 of those nominations came from members of the Air Force Reserve. Service members who have yet to nominate their employers are urged to do so now. Nominations may be submitted by service members, or a family member acting on their behalf, at www.FreedomAward.mil through January 16, 2012. "At a time when news of our economic situation is often told in grim terms and negative numbers, the untold stories highlighting thousands of employers showing extraordinary support to their Guard and Reserve employees and their families are really important," said James Rebholz, ESGR National Chair. "Employers' steadfast commitment deserves our recognition and heartfelt gratitude. We are looking to our individual Guard and Reserve members to nominate their employers who are most deserving of the Department's highest honor -- the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award." The 2012 recipients will be announced in early summer and honored in Washington, DC during a special ceremony next fall. All employers - large, small and public - are eligible for nomination. Recipients for the 2011 Freedom Award included diverse employers such as an automotive industry leader, national financial services company, two sheriff's departments, an Arizona town, and a church.