An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 24, 2018

Freedom Award finalists named for 2018

By Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

WASHINGTON ­ - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has announced the 30 finalists for the 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists represent large and small employers, as well as government organizations.

ESGR received nominations for employers in all 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

The ESGR National Selection Board will select and announce the 15 recipients of the 2018 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award by mid-June.

The Freedom Award began in 1996 by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to draw attention to support from the employer community.

To date, only 250 employers have received the award.

Here are this year's Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award finalists:


Employer Name

State

Nominator’s Service

Amazon

Wash.

Army Reserve

AME Swiss Machining LLC

Ind.

Air National Guard

ArgenTech Solutions, Inc.

Wash.

Army Reserve

Barclays

N.Y.

Army National Guard

Big Sky Advisors

Mo.

Air National Guard

Central Washington University

Wash.

Army National Guard

Crystal Group Inc.

Iowa

Army National Guard

CUNA Mutual Group

Wis.

Army Reserve

Duke Energy

N.C.

Marine Corps Reserve

Dunlap Police Department

Tenn.

Army National Guard

Ecolab, Inc.

Minn.

Army National Guard

Ellsworth Correctional Facility.

Kan.

Army Reserve

FMI Corporation

N.C.

Air Force Reserve

Greencastle Associates Consulting Company

Pa.

Army National Guard

LG&E and KU Energy

Ky.

Army National Guard

Michigan Department of Corrections

Mich.

Army Reserve

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Minn.

Army National Guard

National Grid

R.I.

Army National Guard

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections

Ohio

Army National Guard

Prudential Financial Inc.

N.J.

Air National Guard

Sacramento Municipal Utility District

Calif.

Navy Reserve

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Pa.

Army Reserve

South Charleston Police Department

W.V.

Army Reserve

State of Nevada

Nev.

Air National Guard

Stokes County Schools

N.C.

Army Reserve

Texas Department of Insurance

Texas

Army Reserve

Werner Enterprises, Inc.

Neb.

Air National Guard

West Valley City

Utah

Air Force Reserve

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Md.

Army National Guard

Worcester Police Department

Mass.

Army National Guard

 

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the New York National Guard Honor Guard carry the remains of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John Pagliuso during Pagliuso's funeral service in Lyons, N.Y. Nov. 7, 2025. Pagliuso was a WWII veterans and U.S. Army Air Corps aerial photographer whose plane was shot down over Papua New Guinea. Photo by Tech Sgt. Alexander Rector.
New York National Guard Conducted 6,166 Military Funeral Honors in 2025
By Eric Durr, | Jan. 5, 2026
LATHAM, N.Y. – New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen provided military funeral honors at 6,166 graveside services in 2025.The 69 Soldiers who serve in the New York Army National Guard Honor Guard conducted 5,051...

From left, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brett Fries, U.S. Army Pfc. Tyler E. Farley and Sgt. Devin Cantwell, members of the West Virginia National Guard, pose for a photo before their patrols in Washington, D.C., Dec. 31, 2025. On Dec. 15, 2025, they helped extinguish a dryer fire in an apartment building on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest. About 2,500 National Guard members are supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, providing critical support to the Metropolitan Police Department to help ensure the safety of those who live, work in and visit the District. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Renee Crugnale.
National Guard Stops Apartment Fire in the District
By Tech. Sgt. Renee Crugnale, | Jan. 5, 2026
WASHINGTON – Three West Virginia National Guard members on a routine presence patrol along Massachusetts Avenue Northwest recently stopped a dryer fire in an apartment building after detecting the faint smell of smoke.U.S...

U.S. Army Spc. Sanaa Drinks, a Soldier with the New Jersey Army National Guard, poses for a picture during a ruck march at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Photo by Sgt. Seth Cohen.
New Jersey Guard Soldier Saves Her Own Life Using Lessons From U.S. Army Training
By Sgt. Seth Cohen, | Jan. 2, 2026
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – New Jersey Army National Guard Spc. Sanaa Drinks survived a drive-by shooting and credits her survival to the skills she learned while in U.S. Army Basic Combat Training.Three years later, Drinks looks...