Guam-CNMI ESGR opens nomination for Freedom Award

The Guam-CNMI Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Guam and the CNMI State Committee announced the 2021 Freedom Award nomination season has opened on Oct. 1 until Dec. 31, 2020. This is the only time during the year that service members from all the Reserve Components are able to nominate their employers. This nomination is not limited to the Guard and Reserve members; their family can also nominate their employer.

Last year, there were 2,623 company nominations from service members in ESGR’s 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The award was created to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and CNMI 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 composed 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.

Who can nominate?

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

What makes a company eligible for the award?

This award recognizes employers who provide the most outstanding support for their Guard and Reserve employees. Employers are recognized for going above and beyond workplace requirements to encourage a culture of support through many kinds of policies and programs, support networks, family outreach, and other investments in the well-being of their Guard and Reserve members.

Who selects the recipients’

The nominations go through a thorough vetting process to select the semifinalists and recipients. A national selection board composed of senior Defense and military officials selects the award finalists. Ultimately, 15 of those finalists are selected to receive the Freedom Award.
For more information about the Freedom Award, log on to www.freedomaward.mil or contact Rise Igitol, ESGR CNMI area chair, at (670) 287-1129 or at rose.igitol@yahoo.com. (PR)