ESGR Week starts Friday

Celebration of the 2018 Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week in the CNMI is set to start tomorrow, with several activities lined up.

ESGR Week recognizes the commitment of employers and communities in the CNMI who support the citizen soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguardsmen by allowing them to serve while keeping their civilian jobs on hold for them.

ESGR Week would kick off tomorrow, with a 10:30am lunch at the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan. This lunch highlights the importance of ESGR and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, the law that protects the employment rights of service members and their employers.

At 3pm tomorrow, a ribbon cutting ceremony would be held at the Saipan Mayor’s Office in Oleai to officially open an ESGR office there. ESGR state chair Donald Clark would be leading the ceremony with ESGR chairman emeritus Maj. Gen. Benny Paulino (ret.) and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, who was recently the recipient of ESGR’s Seven Seals Award, which is awarded to individuals and organizations that help ensure the success and continued growth of ESGR.

On Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is scheduled to sign the proclamation officially declaring Aug. 20 to Aug. 24, 2018 as ESGR Week. The signing will take place at 10am in the Office of the Governor’s Office conference room on Capital Hill.

At 11am Monday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be adopting separate resolutions recognizing ESGR Week. Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan) and Senate President Arnold I. Palacios (R-Saipan) sponsored the House and Senate versions of the resolutions. At 2pm, the attendees would be visiting Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP).

The coveted Patriot Award would be awarded at a later date to two local CNMI employers to recognize their support to their service member employee and their families.

ESGR is a U.S. Department of Defense program established in 1972. The aim of the program is to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts possibly arising from an employee’s military commitment.

For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, contact the ESGR Area committee chair Rose Igitol at 287-1129 or visit www.ESGR.mil.