Nomination Season Opens for 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award

National Guard and Reserve members and families encouraged to nominate
supportive employers
ARLINGTON, Va.--(Business Wire)--
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense
agency, today announced the opening of the nomination season for the 2010
Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. National Guard and Reserve
members and their families are eligible and encouraged to nominate employers who
have provided exceptional support of military employees above the federal law
requirements. Nominations will be accepted at www.FreedomAward.mil from November
2, 2009 to January 18, 2010. The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom
Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for
their outstanding support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and
Reserve.

The 2010 recipients will be announced in the spring and honored in Washington,
D.C. at the 15th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award
ceremony on September 23, 2010. Recipients of the 2009 Freedom Award met
privately with President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Dr.
Jill Biden, Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn and Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Reserve Affairs Dennis McCarthy presented the awards at a ceremony
attended by members of Congress and senior government and military officials.

Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the National 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 National Guard and Reserve. 2009 honorees ranged from AeroDyn
Wind Tunnel, LLC, a small automotive racing wind tunnel testing company in North
Carolina to large businesses including Microsoft and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
to Santa Ana, California Police Department, a public sector employer. Past
recipients of the Freedom Award have provided significant support including full
salary, continuation of benefits, care packages and family assistance to
employees fulfilling their military obligation.

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize
exceptional support from the employer community. "There is much excitement
surrounding the 15th anniversary of the Freedom Award," noted acting ESGR
Executive Director Ms. Polli Brunelli, "and we`re enthusiastic to begin
selection of the 2010 recipients from amongst all of the heartfelt nominations
that will be submitted by thousands of proud Citizen Warriors."

ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. Its mission is to
gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing
outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving conflicts
through mediation.

For questions regarding the Freedom Award nomination process, please visit
www.FreedomAward.mil or contact Maj. Melissa Phillips, ESGR Public Affairs, at
703-380-9262.

ESGR
Maj. Melissa Phillips
703-380-9262

Copyright Business Wire 2009