U.S. Representative Larry Kissell (NC-08) urged North Carolina Guard and Reserve members to nominate their employers for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s (ESGR) 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award before the Jan. 16 deadline. The Freedom Award is the Defense Department’s highest recognition for civilian employers that go out of their way to support Guard and Reserve members.

“Our Guardsmen and Reservists sacrifice so much for our national security, and the businesses that employ and continue to support them understand this sacrifice and should be recognized,” Kissell said. “Each year, ESGR recognizes the civilian employers who work tirelessly to support the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. This is an excellent opportunity for Guard and Reserve members to recognize the employers who support them and their families throughout the year, without hesitation.”

Kissell served as guest speaker and presenter during the North Carolina ESGR Awards ceremony in 2011, where local soldiers honored area businesses, including Vulcan Materials of Rockingham and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office. This year’s recipients will be announced in the early summer and will be recognized along with the nominating Guard and Reserve members during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., this fall.

“North Carolina Guardsmen and Reservists have proudly nominated 80 civilians for this honorable award in the past,” Kissell said. “I look forward to seeing more deserving North Carolinians added to this prestigious list.”

The deadline for submissions is Jan. 16. Guard and Reserve members, or a family member acting on their behalf, may nominate their employers at www.FreedomAward.mil<http://www.freedomaward.mil/>.