United States of America

Oregon ESGR

 State of Oregon

 

OREGON EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE GUARD AND RESERVE

1776 Militia Way, P.O. Box 14350, Salem, OR 97309     Phone: 503-508-3362   Web: www.oresgr.org

We support each of the following components of the Guard and Reserve; Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Naval Reserve, Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve.

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OR ESGR Committee Chair

On Oct. 1, retired Oregon Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Norm Hoffman was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to succeed Brig. Gen. (ret.) Bill Doctor as the Oregon ESGR's chairman.

Hoffman has a long history of community service and involvement and recently served as vice chair of the Oregon ESGR Committee. He has been a career correctional manager, and has served as a school administrator.  Hoffman completed a 31-year career in the Oregon Army National Guard in 1997 and rose through the ranks from private to general officer. He last served as Oregon's Assistant Adjutant General, Army. 

Oregon's committee has more than 75 volunteers statewide and only three full-time employees. Hoffman said, "Our program's success is based on the efforts of our volunteers, and 2012 will be the "Year of the Volunteer.  More volunteers will help us to do an even better job."  

 

GETTING THE JOB DONE:

· ESGR volunteers throughout the state working with units, agencies and employers.

· ESGR trained ombudsmen to facilitate resolution of problems between employee and employer.

· Awards and recognition program to highlight success stories.

· Extensive briefing program with other agencies before and after mobilizations to raise awareness of the individual of his/her rights and responsibilities with employers.

· Full time executive office to ensure high quality customer service plus coordination and facilitation of ESGR efforts.

 

OREGON HB3256

NEW LAW

Supports the tenants of USERRA and includes additional provisions:

 

  As of Jan. 2010, Oregon law support the tenants of USERRA and includes
additional provisions: allows cases to be tried in State Court. It has a
two-year statute of limitations.)

We support each of the following components of the Guard and Reserve


MISSION STATEMENT:We will develop and promote employer support for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws, and resolving conflict between employers and service members.

VISION:Develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and
value the military service of their employees with ESGR as the principal advocate within DoD.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS:


· Promote understanding and appreciation of the role of the National Guard and Reserve (all services) to employers, employees and communities.

· Encourage and assist employee participation in National Guard and Reserve activities without job conflict and within the laws of the state and federal governments.

· Educate Reservists about their rights and responsibilities under State and Federal Law to include their responsibilities to their employers.

· Provide information to employers regarding Reservist's reemployment rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)

· Recruit volunteer leaders to promote personnel policies and practices that will enhance National Guard and Reserve activities.

· Encourage interaction at the community level to promote public understanding of the National Guard and Reserve.

· Assist in preventing, resolving or reducing employer and/or employee problems associated with performing military duties.

· Facilitate the understanding of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) with both military and civilian agencies.

 
 

 

 

The Oregon Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a Department of Defense organization staffed by volunteers. Your Oregon ESGR provides education, consultation and whenever necessary, mediation for employers of National Guard and Reserve (all services) members. Our goal is to support the employers who share their employees with the National Guard and Reserve so our national security may be preserved.

The Oregon ESGR mission is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve as defined by demonstrated employer commitment to employee military service. ESGR seeks to gain and reinforce the support of America's employers for a strong National Guard and Reserve System.

The National Committee for ESGR is a Department of Defense organization that works with employers, military employees and leadership, and volunteer committees to build and maintain strong support for the role of the National Guard and Reserve. For more information call 1-800-336-4590.

The State Chair of the Oregon Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is appointed by the United States Secretary of Defense.  The State Chair appoints business and military leaders to the State committee. The State committee members promote both public and private understanding of the National Guard and Reserve to gain Oregon employer and community support through programs, and personnel policies and practices that will encourage employee and citizen participation.

The State committee shall Foster a partnership among employers, military personnel, community leaders, government leaders and members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve relies on volunteers. We need volunteers in both the government and civilian workplace to continue our mission to "gain and maintain employer support for all of our reservists and guardsmen." As liaisons we meet with military personnel and their civilian employers to provide all the information they need to ensure that during both peacetime and war, there is unconditional support on both sides.

If you are interested in becoming an ESGR volunteer, please contact us for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pilot program gets troops involved in job search while deployed

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WorkSource teams with businesses and employer support volunteers on effort


(From Employer Support of Guard and Reserves News)

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From left, Debbie Gargalis, Manager, Work Source Oregon, Tom Insko, Boise Cascade Regional Manager, and Jack Johnson. In the rear (L) is Dan Easlon, Veteran’s Representative for Work Source Oregon, and Steve Lyon, HR Manager for Boise Cascade.

The employment process usually takes place when troops return home; however, Oregon’s pilot project is focused on what can be done while soldiers are still in theater.
In September, the Oregon National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry based out of eastern Oregon will return from a year long deployment in Iraq. When these soldiers come home and take off their uniforms, the goal is for them to have jobs to report to. This pilot project will help them to avoid the ranks of the unemployed.

The battalion’s leadership is aware that employment is a key readiness factor for reservists. It has great impact on service members, families, and the military unit. The question for that unemployed soldier to ask themselves is this: “Can I get a job when I get home?” They have legitimate concerns regarding job availability and in their ability to land one when they return home.

Goals include:
• Assist soldiers to have every opportunity to prepare for employment while in Iraq.
• Submit resumes and job applications prior to redeployment.
• Make sure that unemployed reservists have every opportunity to secure jobs prior to release from active duty. In this case, the focus is on securing employment during the last six months of deployment while serving in Iraq.

Despite a high operating tempo, unit leadership is working to encourage and support its soldiers as they go through the employment process. The battalion will be exposing their troops to resume writing, assisting with job applications, and teaching interviewing techniques. The goal is to provide everything necessary to enable their soldiers to find jobs while deployed.

“I can’t say enough good things about the scope of this effort and the cooperation and teamwork of the employment programs and agencies, the Army National Guard, and the employers involved,” said retired Brigadier General Norm Hoffman, the State Chair of the Oregon Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee.

“We have a unique opportunity with the 3/116th Cavalry mobilization. First, the unit leadership has taken responsibility for working the jobs/education piece in theater. They have provided resources, meeting rooms, command emphasis, and brought their leadership team on-board. This means that civilian employment and education are being considered key aspects of readiness. It was obvious that they have decided that Soldiers can’t afford to set aside their civilian employment future until the unit returns home.”

“Next, ESGR Area Chair, CWO 5 (Ret) Jack Johnson deserves a lot of credit for bringing his team together in support of this effort. They brought employment agencies, the Yellow Ribbon program, employers, and communities together.”

“The next step in this process is to connect troops to potential employers. This is a difficult task, but not insurmountable when the right resources come together. Since deployed troops can’t come to interviews stateside, the interviews are coming to them through online audio/video means. Jack has found some employers who are willing to interview soldiers and make hiring decisions while they are still overseas. The redeployment impact on families will be significant and secured employment will markedly assist in creating an overall positive reintegration process.”

CWO 5 (Ret) Jack Johnson has developed a plan to assist the Battalion as part of the ESGR Employment Initiative Program. The battalion’s home station armories are located in the communities within Jack’s area. He is working closely with the WorkSource Centers in the counties that have significant numbers of unit members who live there.

Jack, along with his area committee, has mobilized the assistance of WorkSource Oregon, who will host long distance interviews with employers in Oregon and the soldiers in Iraq. Dan Easion, Veteran Representative for WorkSource Oregon, will assist and support the efforts of ESGR and the Battalion. They will be contacting employers in their communities and will invite them to participate by providing job applications and interviewing soldiers online. Debbie Gargalis, Manager, WorkSource Oregon has agreed to coordinate her department’s efforts throughout the area. State Veteran Representative Gary Dominick, Veterans' Program Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Employment has agreed to coordinate interviews for soldiers who live outside of the Battalion’s home station areas.

The first employer to participate in the interviews will be Boise Cascade, Inland Region. Tom Insko, Boise Cascade Inland Region Manager, said that he is pleased to be part of this project. Boise Cascade has two local employees who now serve with this battalion. Tom says he looks forward to their return and the redeployment of the battalion. He advised that Boise Cascade Inland Region employs approximately 900 people in the states of Oregon and Washington. This figure includes a large number of reservists throughout these two states. Boise Cascade signed a Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve many years ago. It was re-awarded on April 25, 2011.

To encourage this effort and recognize employers who participate, Oregon’s State Chair, BG (Ret) Norm Hoffman, and Executive Director, COL (Ret) Robert Elliott will tour the home station cities of the battalion, and meet with soldiers' employers in June.

Jack Johnson said that “…the 3d Battalion 116th Cavalry’s leadership is right on target with this effort. Soldiers within the battalion want and will need employment once they arrive home from Iraq. I also see this ESGR project as a ‘best practice’ model that can be used by other military units that redeploy in the future.”

Battalion Command Sergeant Major William Wyllie said, “I look forward to working with this (Employment Initiative) team and being the "first ever" in a project which helps soldiers have the peace of mind that they can find a great job in Oregon when they return home. I also look forward to hearing from Gary Dominick, Debbie Gargalis and Dan Easlon. This conduit between deployed soldiers and employers will lead soldiers to success. Sounds like this great team can bridge the gap between soldier and employer!”