Morris County Prosecutor's Office Receives Patriot Award
Published on April 15, 2014
On April 15, 2014, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award has been awarded to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.
The ESGR is a Department of Defense office established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. It has approximately 5,000 volunteers in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions. These volunteers bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, service members and their families. The reservists, or citizen warriors, depend upon the continued promise of meaningful employment for themselves and their families from their employers. Without such support, they would not be able to fulfill their commitments.
An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve or the spouse of a National Guard member may nominate their superior for a Patriot Award for services provided to the reservist. As stated by the Employer Support group of the Guard and Reserve, the Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors throughout a wide range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leave of absence if needed.
The ceremony presenting the Morris County Prosecutor's Office with the award took place today in the Main Conference Room of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. The award was presented on behalf of the Department of Defense by a veteran who also provided the Morris County Prosecutor's Office with an American flag.
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office was nominated by Detective Michael Gomez of the Major Crimes Unit. Detective Gomez stated: The nomination was based on the Morris County Prosecutor's Office's military leave policy, the Office's recognition of both its current and former service members on Veteran's Day and the outreach of support that I received from the Acting Prosecutor and administration, superior officers, and my co-workers when I left for training this past January. Detective Gomez is also serving his country as a Sergeant in the United States Army Reserve.
In recognition of the award, Acting Prosecutor Knapp noted, The Morris County Prosecutor's Office takes great pride in going beyond our legal requirements in supporting military reservists, as well as all veterans employed by this Office. As an organization, we collectively recognize not only the obvious importance of the employee's continuing military service but also the personal sacrifice each makes to fulfill this essential commitment.