Illinois Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

NEWS RELEASE
DATE: April 11, 2011 PHONE: (217) 761-3642
CONTACT: LTC Tim Franklin
E-mail: tim.franklin@us.army.mil

SIPMA SIGNS STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE GUARD AND RESERVE

Signing recognizes importance of Guard, Reserve service to nation’s defense

CARTERVILLE, Ill. – Megan Jones, president of the Southern Illinois Personnel

Management Association, signed a Statement of Support for the National Guard and Reserve

April 8 at its 2011 Human Resource Conference held on the campus of John A. Logan College.

“On behalf of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, the honorable

Dennis McCarthy, Illinois Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and the men and women

of the National Guard and Reserve, I would like to thank SIPMA president Jones for signing this

ESGR Statement of Support.” said Illinois ESGR member, Bennett Krause. “By signing a

Statement of Support, SIPMA is publicly acknowledging the continued importance of service in

the National Guard and Reserve to the defense of our nation here at home and around the world.”

In signing an ESGR Statement of Support SIPMA joins with thousands of other

employers and organizations across the country in pledging:

• To fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-
Employment Rights Act (USERRA).

• To ensure managers and supervisors will have the tools they need to effectively manage
those employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

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2-2-2-2-2 SIPMA SOS SIGNING

• To recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in
crises and in war.

“The continuing support of employers is critical to maintaining the strength and readiness

of the National Guard and Reserve,” said Krause. “Our Guardsmen and Reservists would not be

able to continue to serve in uniform, if not for the support of employers and organizations like

SIPMA.”

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a Department of Defense agency. Its

mission is to gain and maintain the support of employers for service in the Reserve Components

by increasing awareness of the law, recognizing outstanding support and helping to resolve

conflicts through informal mediation. Thousands of ESGR volunteers nationwide provide free

education, consultation and, if needed, neutral mediation for employers of Guardsmen and

Reservists.

After signing the SOS, Jones issued a challenge to those attending the conference to also

sign one. Approximately 40 other SIPMA members took up the challenge and signed a SOS. In

recognition of its support of the mission and goals of ESGR, Krause also presented SIPMA with

the ESGR Seven Seals Award.

The Southern Illinois Personnel Management Association is provides human resource

professionals the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills through interaction with

colleagues and education from professionals working in human resource-related fields.

For more information about the Statement of Support program or ESGR please contact

Lt. Col. Tim Franklin (see contact information above).

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PHOTO CAPTION: Megan Jones (right), president of the Southern Illinois Personnel
Management Association and Bennett Krause, Illinois Employer Support of the Guard and
Reserve committee member, hold the ESGR Statement of Support Jones signed during the
SIPMA annual conference April 8 at John A. Logan College, Carterville, Ill.
PHOTO CAPTION: Bennett Krause (left), Illinois Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
committee member, presented Megan Jones, president of the Southern Illinois Personnel
Management Association with the ESGR Seven Seals Award in appreciation for the support
SIPMA has demonstrated for the mission and goals of ESGR to gain and maintain support for
the men and women serving in the National Guard and Reserve.