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 | March 20, 2019

Freedom Award finalists named for 2019

By Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

WASHINGTON – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) has announced the 30 finalists for the 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists represent large and small employers, as well as public sector organizations.

ESGR received 2,415 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

The Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the Department of Defense to employers for their exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve members. On behalf of the Secretary of Defense, ESGR runs the annual award program, which has presented the honor to only 265 employers since 1996.

The 15 employers selected to receive the 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award will be announced by mid-June.

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

Archer Daniels Midland, Chicago, Illinois

Barclays, New York, New York

Battlefield Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

Callison Tighe & Robinson, LLC, Columbia, South Carolina

Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington

Chevron, San Ramon, California

Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland, Ohio

Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Lebanon, Tennessee

Delta Solutions & Strategies, LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Direct Supply, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Eversource Energy, Berlin, Connecticut

Houston Police Department, Houston, Texas

Kauai Auto Repair , Kalaheo, Hawaii

League of Minnesota Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group @ RE/MAX Military City, San Antonio, Texas

LG&E and KU Energy, LLC, Louisville, Kentucky

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio

Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sparta Police Department, Sparta, Wisconsin

State of Nevada , Carson City, Nevada

The Independence Fund, Charlotte, North Carolina

The Steel Network, Durham, North Carolina

Topeka Police Department, Topeka, Kansas

Travis Manion Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania

University Health System, San Antonio, Texas

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trustee, Columbus, Ohio

Village of Ladd, Ladd, Illinois

West Valley City, West Valley City, Utah

Worcester Police Department, Worcester, Massachusetts

Yankton School District 63-3, Yankton, South Dakota

 

 

Related Articles
Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Battalion and paramedics from Old Town Fire Station push an ambulance out of the snow in Baltimore, Jan. 25, 2026. At the direction of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, about 160 personnel of the Maryland National Guard activated to support civil authorities with specialized vehicles across the state to ensure rapid response capabilities for communities that may require assistance during inclement weather conditions. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lindiwe Henry.
National Guard Members Respond to Winter Weather in 15 States
By Sgt. 1st Class Christy Sherman, | Jan. 26, 2026
ARLINGTON, Va. – More than 5,400 National Guard members are on duty in 15 states in the aftermath of winter storms that dropped snow and ice from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic and the South over the weekend.“[I’m] proud of...
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tim Englund, a master spur holder assigned to the 303rd Cavalry Regiment, Washington National Guard, inspects a gold spur during a ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 9, 2026. Englund has earned both silver and gold spurs and has helped facilitate multiple Spur Rides throughout his career. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Tucceri.
Washington, Oregon Guard Soldiers Inducted Into the Order of the Spur
By Sgt. Vivian Ainomugisha, | Jan. 26, 2026
CAMP LEMMONIER, Djibouti – Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard, including those assigned to the 303rd Cavalry Regiment and the 81st Brigade, along with attached Soldiers from the Oregon National Guard, were...
Florida Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Troop A and C Troop, 1st Squadron, 153rd Cavalry Regiment, including liaison monitoring teams and Religious Support Team chaplains, train alongside Tennessee Army National Guard Forward Support Medical Platoon (MEDEVAC), General Support Aviation Battalion aircrews and Florida Army National Guard 715th Military Police Company during civil disturbance response, leader engagements and joint air-ground operations Jan. 16, 2026, during a culminating training exercise at Fort Hood, Texas. The exercise highlighted total force integration as cavalry, medical, military police and religious support elements synchronized mobility, crowd management, escalation control and partner engagement to provide real-time situational awareness and achieve mission success in complex environments. Photo by Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount)
National Guard Multi-State Task Force Completes Training Exercise
By Capt. Balinda ONeal, | Jan. 26, 2026
FORT HOOD, Texas – Soldiers assigned to Task Force Gator, a multi-state National Guard formation, completed a Culminating Training Event from Jan. 12–17, marking a key milestone in the task force’s preparation for an upcoming...
More
Staying Connected
Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil Veterans Crisis Line number. Dial 988 then Press 1