Dr. Jill Biden and Department of Defense to Honor 15 Employers for Support of National Guard and Reserve

ARLINGTON, Va.-(Business Wire)-September 3, 2009 - The Department of Defense, Dr. Jill Biden and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Dennis McCarthy will honor 15 employers from across the nation with the presentation of the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award on September 17, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve, the Freedom Award is given to employers in three categories, large business, small business and the public sector. A record 3,202 nominations for the award were submitted by National Guard and Reserve members or their families from across the nation.

Almost one-half of the total U.S. military strength 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. This year’s honorees range from a small race car wind tunnel business in North Carolina, to major technology and pharmaceutical corporations, to a local police department.

The ceremony will also be attended by members of Congress, senior military officials and the National Guard and Reserve members who nominated the recipients for the award. In conjunction with the ceremony, the Freedom Award honorees will meet privately with President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates.

WHAT:		2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award

WHEN:		Sept. 17, 2009
		Reception: 6:30 p.m.; Ceremony & Dinner: 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:		The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
		1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

This year’s recipients are:

	AeroDyn Wind Tunnel LLC – Mooresville, N.C.
	AstraZeneca International – Wilmington, Del.
	Cambridge, MA Fire Department – Cambridge, Mass.
	Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc. – North Charleston, S.C.
	First Data Corporation – Atlanta, Ga.
	FMC Technologies – Houston, Texas
	Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Department – Jonesboro, La.
	Marks, O’Neill, O’Brien & Courtney, P.C. – Wilmington, Del.
	Microsoft Corporation – Redmond, Wash.
	Mid America Kidney Stone Association, LLC – Kansas City, Mo.
	NetJets – Columbus, Ohio
	Ohio Department of Public Safety – Columbus, Ohio
	Perpetual Technologies, Inc. – Indianapolis, Ind.
	Santa Ana Police Department – Santa Ana, Calif.
	TriWest Healthcare Alliance – Phoenix, Ariz.

Media Notes: To attend the event or coordinate interviews with recipients and nominators please contact Maj. Melissa Phillips at 703-380-9262 or by email at Melissa.Phillips@osd.mil.

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