OREGON EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE GUARD AND RESERVE3225 State St. NE, P.O. Box 14350, Salem, OR 97309 Phone: 503-584-2837 Web: www.oresgr.org
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Message From
the Bill Doctor, Brig Gen (Ret) A lot has happened since our last update and we continue be busy and engaged in our mission. Our previous Executive Director Bob Elliott has returned to his position after spending 18 months on Active Duty – 12 months – in Afghanistan. In his absence, CSM (Ret) Bill Van Natta quickly stepped up and filled the position in an outstanding manner. The daily operations of the Committee did not miss a beat. Thanks, Bill for the great job. We’ve also had some personnel changes. Our thanks go to Rachel Stevens for her contributions to our Committee. She recently accepted a position in the Kansas ESGR. We welcome aboard two new full-time contract employees. Dawn Taylor, a former member of the Oregon Army National Guard, was hired to fill the position vacated by Rachel. Additionally, most State Committees were allocated a new full-time Outreach Contract position. We hired Mark Jorgenson to fill that position. Both have quickly assumed their responsibilities are producing great results for all of us . We have had three very successful Employer Summit events this year. Earlier year we hosted an Employer Summit at the Military Department for the employers of returning soldiers of the 41st BCT. Both Bill Van Natta and Norm Hoffman were responsible for the great success of this event. Also, Area Chairs Rick McReynolds and Jack Johnson each hosted very successful events recently – orienting employers while producing many Statements of Support. Thanks to you all!
We have one more opportunity to engage employers this year. We have been invited to participate in Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries annual Employment Law Conference 5-6 Dec at the Portland Convention Center. We look forward to great event and also participating in many more over the years. We are adding more functions to our Website. Specifically, in addition to our planning/event calendar, we are adding: a calendar devoted to “one-stop” shopping for employer Outreach events the Oregon Committee annual Strategic Plan, and a “Help Wanted” section for open Committee positions. The 2008 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award nomination opened on 1 Nov 2007 and will continue through 21 Jan 2008. Nominations can only come from the Guardsman or Reservist employed by the organization. However, if we know of an organization whose support of their employee merits consideration in the National competition, please pass that organization on to Bob Elliott or myself to work. Next year will busy as well. As well as a Regional meeting in Las Vegas 24 – 26 April, we have been informed that almost 4,000 members of the 41st BCT will be mobilized and deployed in FY 2009. We are making that enormous event part of our 2008 planning; much more to follow on those events.
Lastly, I send my personal thanks and gratitude to all of you for your personal contributions on behalf of the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve, their employers and their families! Have a wonderful New Year. |
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Message From
the
I’m back from my Active Duty tour to Afghanistan and it was a great experience. One of my goals for returning to Active Duty was to be able to return and serve the reservist of the State of Oregon with a better understanding of what they go through upon being notified, mobilized, trained, deployed, re-deployed and released back to the comfort of friends and family. I can tell you with certainty that we (Oregon ESGR Committee) are needed. The importance of our organization has become very clear. We are needed and we must re-commit ourselves the same way we ask our service members to be committed to their duties. ESGR has, and will continue to play a key role in the activation of guard and reserves as it relates to employee and employer problems. As the war on terror continues ESGR faces an increasingly difficult task. The next three years will be busy for all of us because of the upcoming mobilizations and returning of these same reservists. We are seeing individuals and units from all services being called again for service. This fact presents opportunities for ESGR personnel to interact between employers and employees on a greatly intensified basis, and all discussions must be complete, accurate and made on a timely basis. The members of the Oregon ESGR committee are prepared to respond to any eventuality. We have already been tested and you all have reacted in an exemplary manner. We must not back off- rather move ahead in an orderly and deliberate fashion. I can tell you that the members of all services are grateful for the support and actions of ESGR. Obviously we are very proud of the men and women who serve our nation in uniform. I want to let you know we are off and running again this year. We just had our quarterly committee meeting and finalized our budget for 2008. We have planned out every dollar and have requests for an additional amount above and beyond what NCESGR gave us. We have Employer Outreach events planned for all the Areas and Portland will have three events. This summer around 15-18 Aug 08 we will try to do three small Boss lifts one out of Portland, Eugene and Medford to attend the 41st BCT Annual Training at Gowen Field, Boise, ID. If you know someone who you might want on the flight let me know. Again I want to thank you all for the work you do for the Oregon committee. Bob Elliott Executive Director Office: 503-584-2837 Cell: 503-508-3362 robert.e.elliott1@ng.army.mil |
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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 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.
We support each of the following components of the
Guard and Reserve YOUR FULLTIME SUPPORT STAFF
Mark Jorgenson and Dawn Taylor at the Waddel & Reed USO Event It has been our pleasure working, supporting and getting to know many of you these past few months. We believe the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program is doing great things but is only as good as it's volunteers. We have one of the best groups of volunteers which has put the Oregon ESGR program among the best. We look forward to having the chance to meet and work with all of you in the future. FROM DAWN TAYLOR YOUR ADMINISTATIVE SUPPORT PERSON I am here as your program support person so if there are any items you need to help make your programs or events sucsessful please don't hesitate to call or email me and hopefully we'll be able to get the things you need as quickly as possible. My office phone number is 503-584-2825 cell is 503-508-7719 and my email addressd is : dawn.taylor1@us.army.mil I would also like to include our mailing address as we need to mail through the Oregon National Guard State Headquarters the address is as follows: Joint Forces Headquarters Attn: ESGR P.O. Box 14350 Salem, Oregon 97309-5047 Coming in June the AUSA/Coalition of Troops Annual Golf Tournament. Registration forms and more information to follow in January.
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