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DITCO-Scott receives patriotic employer award

  • Published
  • By Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization-Scott
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill --  Clyde Jones from the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, recognized the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization-Scott as a Patriotic Employer for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America's National Guard and Reserve Force.

Lt. Col. Brent Baxter, DITCO-Scott deputy commander, accepted the DoD Certificate of Appreciation and a Patriot lapel pin in behalf of the organization.

The Patriotic Employer award is an award given to supportive managers, supervisors or the company in general to show appreciation from their military member employee. The award is given in recognition of the organization's support enabling an employee to fulfill his or her military commitments.

In this case, the employee was Lt. Col. Joyce Difani, a member of the Missouri National Guard. Her chain of command included her immediate supervisor and section chief, Sandra Diurba, branch chief Alyce Niklich and division chief Constance Jackson.

Colonel Difani came to DITCO-Scott March 22, 2004 as a contract specialist. She was activated Oct. 1, 2005 for three years to work on Task Force Alaska as a Safety and Environmental Officer in Annette Island, Alaska She returned to DITCO-Scott Oct. 1, 2007. She was again activated Jan. 27 and expects to return to DITCO-Scott March 2009. Colonel Difani is currently at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, and is working as an Army Liaison Officer.

ESGR is a staff group within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, which is in itself a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The nation's Reserve components (referring to the total of all National Guard members and Reserve forces from all branches of the military) comprise approximately 48 percent of the total available military manpower.

The current National Defense Strategy indicates that the National Guard and Reserve will be full partners in the fully integrated Total Force. Reserve forces will spend more time away from the workplace defending the nation, supporting a demanding operations tempo and training to maintain their mission readiness.

In this environment, civilian employers play a critical role in the defense of the nation by complying with existing employment laws protecting the rights of workers who serve in the Reserve component.

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR's vision is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving conflicts through mediation.

Their vision is to develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees.