April 2011

Welcome to Colorado ESGR. Our purpose is to have an informative newsletter that will
educate, inform, and promote service by and to ESGR while fulfilling our mission of
supporting Employers, Guard/Reserve members, and COESGR Volunteers.
Inside this Issue 2011 Colorado Employer Freedom Award Nominations
Freedom Award Nominations . 1
sector, who have demonstrated
National Survey of Employers . 2 support of their service through
initiatives such as continued
USERRA Brief ......................... 3 benefits, differential pay and fam-
Grand Valley Employers ......... 4
ily assistance.

Colorado NG Unit Highlight….5 “Colorado ESGR

About Employer Outreach ...... 7
Colorado ESGR Contacts - submits 3 employer
Calendar of Events, Links ....... 8
Employer Partnership…...……9
Click on the Icons throughout to
view websites, Facebook and
Twitter.
National Site News and
Information
Join Facebook and Twitter and
become a friend of Colorado
ESGR
The Freedom Award is the
Department of Defense’s highest
recognition f or em ployers
showing exceptional support to
their Guard and Reserve employ-
ees. This year ESGR received
4,049 nominations from Guard
and Reserve members across the
nation, a 64 percent increase
over last year’s total.
The Department of Defense
honors the employers of Guard
and Reserve members as they
are critical to our country’s
national security. Guard and
Reserve members nominated
employers, ranging from small to
large businesses and the public
Awards Committee
nominees to
Washington, D.C. for
2011 Secretary of
Defense Employer
Support Freedom
Award .”
The 2011 recipients will be
announced this summer and
honored in Washington, D.C. at
the 16th annual Secretary of
Defense Employer Support
Freedom Award ceremony on
September 22, 2011.
See page 6 for the Large
Business, Public Sector, and
Sm all B us ines s C ol or ado
Employer nominees selected by
the Colorado ESGR Awards
Committee.
A national selection board
comprised of senior Defense
officials and business leaders
selects the award recipients.

Growing circulation—Currently this Newsletter reaches more than 5600 National Guardsmen and 1000 employ-
ers from our supporters list, 140 volunteers of Colorado1ESGR, and our social network websites like Facebook.
 April 2011

When:

February 28th,
2011 – April 22,
2011
(end date could
shift later if
needed based on
response rate) Click on this graphic to visit the survey website

DoD National Survey of Employers Talking Points

Core Message: The Department of Defense National Survey of Employers is the employer’s chance to
have a voice in DoD decision-making and help shape policies impacting employers.
 The Department knows the benefits of employing a Guard or Reserve service member can
come with challenges.
 Employers of the Guard and Reserve are full partners in the national security equation.
 The Department aims to measure the affects of employing Guard and Reserve service
members on organizations of every size and industry, in every state and territory.
Key Points:
About the Survey
The Department of Defense National Survey of Employers is designed to determine best practices for
supporting employers of Guard and Reserve service members and evaluate the Department’s
effectiveness of programs assisting America’s workforce.
The Department of Defense sent the survey to employers of every size, every industry, and from all
states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. The
Department’s goal is to receive a significant number of responses from employers in each category
so it can accurately measure the Guard and Reserve’s impact on the American workforce.
The Department of Defense National Survey of Employers marks a major undertaking for the
Department since entering sustained military operations in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The
results are expected to give the Department its most accurate and current measurement of the
impact from increased Guard and Reserve deployments over the last 10 years on our nation’s
employers.

For this survey, a random sample of employers across the United States from public and private sectors were
selected and received ticket numbers to participate. Therefore, not all employers will be able to access the sur-
vey. If you did not receive a ticket number, your input is still important to the DoD.
Email DoD-EmployerSurvey@osd.mil and you will be contacted about future opportunities in the DoD regarding
Guard and Reserve service and its impact on your organization.

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 April 2011

Uniformed Services and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)

The mission of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is to “…develop and promote employer support
for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing
awareness of applicable laws, and resolving conflict between employers and service members.”
With the mission of educating employers and service members in the forefront as our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines
and Airmen continue to deploy, each month the newsletter will explore a different aspect of the Uniformed Ser-
vices and Reemployment Rights Act.

“Court rules Army reservist was wrongfully fired “

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer, Navy Times
Posted : Thursday Mar 3, 2011 14:48:12 EST
In a decision that could cost the U.S. Postal Service
more than $1 million, a federal appeals court has
ruled in favor of an Army Reserve sergeant major
who alleges he was fired from his job as a postal
worker because of his military career.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on
Monday reversed the Merit Systems Protection
Board’s earlier ruling that Army Sgt. Maj. Richard
Erickson of Fort Myers, Fla., had waived his rights
under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-
employment Rights Act to serve his country.
Erickson, who was in the Army National Guard for
15 years before transferring to the Army Reserve in
2006, said he hopes his case helps other Guard and
Reserve members who have lost or could lose their
jobs because of their military service.
“This is not just for me, but for every citizen soldier
who has been treated like this,” he said. “They
fought the Taliban, then came home and had to fight
their employers who were supposed to be suppor-
tive.”
The Postal Service fired Erickson in 2000 for
“excessive use of military leave” in his duties in the
Florida National Guard.
“I went from being the best employee in the world to
the lowest rated,” Erickson said. “The only thing that
changed was my dual status as a citizen soldier.”
The board previously ruled that Erickson had
“abandoned” his career as a postal worker. The ap-
peals court disagreed, saying that Erickson’s state-
ment that he liked the military and did not like the
way employees were treated in the Postal Service
“cannot be regarded as equivalent to an expression
of intention to resign from his civilian position.”
The Postal Service had said Erickson’s absences for
military duty exceeded the five-year cumulative
time limit in USERRA for being away from a civilian
job. But Erickson’s time spent in training required for
promotion and special skills met the law’s require-
ments to temporarily halt the five-year-clock, the ap-
peals court found.
According to Erickson’s attorney, Mathew B. Tully,
who also writes a legal column for the Military Times
papers, that included attending the Sergeants Major
Academy, and language and scuba training.
The decision further clarifies the abandonment prin-
ciple under USERRA, Tully said, and will help other
military members by making it more difficult for pub-
lic and private employers to use this in firing military
members from their civilian jobs.
Erickson has been awarded multiple medals for
combat distinguished valor, including two Bronze
Stars, and also has a Purple Heart.
He filed a complaint with MSPB after leaving active
duty in 2006. The appeals court noted that there is
no statute of limitations on filing a USERRA com-
plaint or claim.
Tully said Erickson should be entitled to 11 years of
back pay, plus two years of vacation and sick time.
The amount will depend on a judge’s determination
of the seniority Erickson would have achieved after
those 11 years.
Erickson said he is still unemployed, although is
currently working part-time for a contractor.

Story from Navy Times online...

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/03/military-userra-reservist-wrongly-fired-by-postal-service-030311w/

3
 April 2011

ESGR thanks
these employers
in the Grand
Valley for their
support of ESGR
and their
employees in
Uniform.

L-r: Lou Brackett, ESGR Coordinator &

L-r: Lou Brackett, ESGR Coordinator, Mark Williams,
Branch Mgr, Alpine Bank and Tom Oliver, Loan Officer,
Alpine Bank.
Alpine Bank of Fruita was recognized for their
support by Mark Williams signing a Statement of
Support for our Reserve Component members.
Ryan Elmore, Manager.
The Outback
Steakhouse Restaurant in Grand Junction was
recognized for their support as Ryan Elmore signed a
Statement of Support for our Reserve Component
members as well as the Outback’s Restaurant’s long
standing commitment to our Troops with their
“Operation Home Front” & “Operation Feeding
Freedom” Programs.

L-r: Lou Brackett, ESGR Coordinator and Dennis

Your Way Safety and Sign Supply, Inc. in Grand
Junction was recognized for their support by signing
a Statement of Support for our Reserve Component
members as well as receiving a Patriot Award after
being nominated by one of their employees in
uniform.
Ficklin, CEO, Family Health West
Family Health West in Fruita was recognized
for their support to our Reserve Component
members with Dennis Ficklin, CEO, signing a
Statement of Support.

4
 April 2011
BUTLERVILLE, Ind., March 14, 2010 -With the Colo National Guard CERFP Decontamination Response
Unit

Muscatatuck Urban Training Center was filled with fire

and smoke for the Army North Homeland Emergency
Response exercise Vibrant Response 11.1, that took
place at the southern Indiana facility March 14-20.
Walking around the col- Controlled fire and
lapsed parking garage smoke, strategically
built specifically for train- placed throughout the
ing, the voices of the role facility, add to the illusion
-players grabbed the of the aftermath of a nu-
attention of their rescu- clear explosion. But what
ers. The role players did does an emergency re-
their job well, begging for
sponse look like after
medical attention, food
and water from the such a catastrophe?
Soldiers and Airmen That's what this exercise
dressed in their chemical was created to find out
Members of the Colorado National Guard’s retardant suits. Some and coordinate.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear role players begged the
Enhanced Response Force Package Decontamina- military contingent to rescue their friends and family.
tion Team practice decontamination following a
mock nuclear blast during Vibrant Response 11.1. The Soldiers and Airmen were part of the Colorado
National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological and
Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package, or CERFP, Decontamination Unit. It 's a mixed Air and Army
Guard unit in charge of the medical well-being of victims pulled from the rubble of the collapsed parking garage.
"This training is always worthwhile," said Maj. Holger Peters, a biological-environmental engineer with the unit.
"We are put through different scenarios as we train. Even if we have done this kind of training before, the
different role-players and training sites create an entirely different feel to what we do."
The CERFP is responsible for caring for the victims from beginning to end. First, the unit performs a search and
recovery in order to find victims and get them to the treatment site. This task is carried out by personnel whose
entire job relies on knowing how to find people who may be trapped and the tools needed to get them out.
The victims are then walked or transported to a row of medical tents which are placed end to end and tied
together to create one long medical station. After being quickly
signed in and accounted for, the victims are decontaminated.
This step is very important because no matter what they may be
suffering from physically, the chances of survival decrease with
every minute lost or waiting.
The next stop is triage where medical professionals categorize
the victims by medical need. Finally, they are taken to the
medical section for treatment of their wounds.
An entire trip through the tent takes no more than five minutes
as quick response can save lives. It's a task that Peters takes
very seriously.
"We are always further refining our process in order to get better
at what we do," Peters explained. "Muscatatuck has provided an A mannequin representing a victim of a nuclear blast
rests against the remains of an over-turned vehicle
incredibly realistic training environment and we are taking
as the 85th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Sup-
advantage of that all we can to help get better with what we do."
port Team based in Wyoming checks air quality
during Vibrant Response 11.1
(Click on the picture to the right for the story and more
photos.)

5
 April 2011

―Colorado’s Freedom Award Nominees Selected‖

The Freedom Award is the highest award an employer can receive from the
Department of Defense. Each state and territory submits three nominees to the
national ESGR who then conducts the final selection. Employers are selected by
category; large business, small business and public sector.

This year 101 Colorado Reserve Component Service Members nominated their
employers. Nominees are interviewed and ranked based on the level of support
given to the military, the service member and their family.

The Award period is from Mid November through the final selection and award
presentation in Washington DC in September of each year. 15 awards are pre-
sented each year to employers in three categories, big business, small business
and the public sector.
The Colorado Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)
is proud to congratulate these employers as Colorado’s Freedom Award Nominees.

Large Business (500+ employees)

Qwest Communications
Denver

Small Business (under 500 employees)

Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers
Lakewood

Public Sector
The United States Veterans Health Administration Center
Denver

Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the Guard and Reserve. The Department of Defense
shares these citizen warriors with their civilian employers, many of whom provide them outstanding
support. Past recipients of the Freedom Award have been recognized for a broad range of initiatives,
including maintaining Guard and Reserve employees’ full salary, continuing their benefits, and sending
care packages and providing assistance to their families while they are deployed.

6
April 2011 STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Pat O’Flaherty – Staff Director
patrick.oflaherty2@us.army.mil
720.250.1176
Kathleen Dorram – Program Support Manager
Kathleen.dorram@us.army.mil
About Colorado ESGR 720.250.1195 FAX: 720.250.1199

(In this section is a brief summary of the responsi- Chandra Hance – Program Support Specialist
bilities of the different directories within Colorado chandra.hance@us.army.mil
ESGR) 720.250.1189 FAX: 720.250.1199
COESGR Business Office
Employer Outreach Directorate 12200 East Briarwood Avenue, Suite 160
Centennial, Co 80112

Outreach Strategic Partnership Program ESGR National Office

1555 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200
Fulfill the ESGR mission through relationships Arlington, VA 22209
with industry, civic associations and 1-800-336-4590 www.ESGR.com
government agencies that act as force
multipliers in spreading the ESGR Message. State ESGR Chair State ESGR Vice Chair
Richard E. Young, RADM, USN Tom Mills, Brigadier General,
Employer Outreach Objectives
(Ret) CONG (Ret).
 Obtain Statements of Support (SoS) a dickyoung123@gmail.com meels52@msn.com
signed commitment to support the COLORADO ESGR EMPLOYER OUTREACH
Reserve Components. DIRECTORS AREA CHAIRS
 Inform and Educate employers about the Military Outreach Colorado Springs
Uniformed Services Employment And Mark Craig Ron Carlisle
Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and mcraig8080@mac.com roncarlisle@q.com
ESGR. Joe Ely
Douglas County Area
elytj@aol.com
Lorin Ricker
Employer Outreach Services
dixie@rickernet.us
Employer Outreach
Proactive:
Tom Ivory Fort Collins
- Employer Outreach - Visits and Tivory@aol.com Robert Fryer
identifying employers (Trade Shows, Jack Beattie robert.fryer@ocio.usda.gov
etc.), beattiejd@gmail.com Grand Junction
- Statements of Support, Employer Ombudsmen Lou Brackett
Bill Belz patriot08@bresnan.net
Awards, Briefings with the Boss,
Boss Lifts. ewbii@msn.com Pueblo
Harry Vogel
- Building Relationships Training
hotspot58@cs.com
Lynn Albi
Reactive: lynnalbi@aol.com
- Ombudsman Services Special Programs MILITARY OUTREACH
Training for - Executives, Managers and First Kip Cheroutes AREA CHAIR
line Supervisors kcheroutes@ Emgacommuni- Colorado Springs
cations.com Vacant
Recognition through- Statements of Sup-
port, News Releases, Letters, and Awards. Speakers Bureau
NEWSLETTER EDITORS
Martin Cobb
Human Resource Consulting Services - James Garrett
emarcobb@msn.com
esgrcolorado@yahoo.com
Education, Mediation, Consultation, Public Affairs Carolyn Gunther
Ombudsman Services, Military Leave Policy Iris Fontera
Advice IFontera@aol.com carolyn.gunther@comcast.net

Colorado’s ESGR Electronic Newsletter is published not only for the information and benefit of the members of the Colorado
ESGR but most importantly to our Guard and Reserve members and their employers.
The contents of this newsletter highlight activities and events conducted by Colorado ESGR.
Send comments regarding this publication to the Newsletter Editor: James Garrett at esgrcolorado@yahoo.com

7
 April 2011

EVENTS CALENDAR NEW VOLUNTEERS

APRIL
Brian Bartony - Littleton
01 Bosslift, Keesler AFB. Biloxi, MS
02 140th TFW Newcomer’s Brief
Jack Beattie - Denver
16-17 88 RSC Yellow Ribbon, Denver Hyatt Robert Brazell - Boulder
Regency Jerry Bryant - Colorado Springs
27-28 Bosslift, Ft Carson, CO Ron Carlisle - Colorado Springs
30 135th AV Bn, Pre-Mobilization Timothy DeRamus - Castle Rock
Elaine Edon - Denver
MAY
Sherma Erholm - Denver
12-15 HQ ESGR Advanced Ombudsman
Robert Fryer - Ft Collins
Course, Chicago, IL
15 USMC Family Day, Buckley AFB
Lawrence Gabel - Denver
21 COESGR Volunteer Conference, Bill Holen - Aurora
APAC, Denver Brian Ivers - Ft Collins
23-25 Military Veterans Employment Darrell Kinchelow - Denver
Initiative, Jefferson County Fair Wes Love - Lakewood
grounds (Tentative) Scott Mace - Castle Rock
Kelly Mazezka - Littleton
JUNE
Harry Owens -
11 Employer Awards Banquet
Barbara Panagulis - Aurora
JULY David Popham - Grand Junction
21-24 Basic Ombudsman Training Course, Ann Rennie - Denver
Seattle, WA Bob Rotruck - Castle Rock
Bev Skinner - Golden
AV Bn = Aviation Battalion
RC= Reserve Component
Tom Slusarchyk - Ft Collins
RSC= Regional Support Command (USAR) Armando Telles - Denver
TFW = Tactical Fighter Wing

National Colorado ESGR

Reserve Components Committee Points

88,995 On active duty as of 8 Mar 11

3,415 Colorado Employers of RC
800,844 Mobilized since 01 Sept 2001
members
1,318,648 Total Reserve as of 31 Dec 10
13,423 Total Reserve Component
24% US forces deployed outside members in Colorado
the US and territories for 1,654 SoS Signed To date (Since
contingency operations were
3/2009)
Reserve Component as of 31
Dec 2010 2,472 Volunteer Hours FY11

Click On These Important Links

Tips for Employers- http://www.esgr.org/site/Resources/TipsforEmployers.aspx
Employer Resource Guide— http://www.esgr.org/site/Resources/EmployerResourceGuide.aspx
Employer FAQ - http://www.esgr.org/site/Resources/FAQforEmployers.aspx
Employer Factsheet - http://www.esgr.org/site/Resources/EmployerFactsheet.aspx
USERRA Training 101 - http://www.nvti.ucdenver.edu/Userra101/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/userra101/default.aspx
USERRA Training 102 - http://www.nvti.ucdenver.edu/Userra102/login.aspx?
USERRA Assistance Request Online - http://www.esgr.org/site/Contact/CustomerServiceCenter.aspx
DOL/VETS - http://www.dol.gov/vets/

8
 April 2011

The Employment Initiative Program (EIP)

Click link for more information on the program

Click this link NOW to Find a Job, Find an Employee

Hiring a service member makes good business sense. These are disciplined and skilled workers
who display pride, leadership and professionalism in what they do. They understand the mission
of their civilian jobs and make it a priority to get results, all while displaying a strong work ethic.