SOUTH BURLINGTON — Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has announced its combined 2023-2024 award recipients for service and support to Vermont’s National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve members. At their annual banquet held recently at the Vt Air National Guard Base in South Burlington earlier this fall, Vermont ESGR presented or recognized 64 awards given to more than 34 employers who provided outstanding support during the past year.

Two Addison  County organizations were recognized.

The 2023 event was canceled due to that summer’s flooding. Guest speakers for the event were Major General Gregory Knight, Adjutant General, State of Vermont, and Bruce Townshend, Director of Engagement for Headquarters, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

The Pro Patria is the highest award that a state ESGR office can present to recognize a highly supportive employer. The award may be presented to an organization in each of up to three categories; small business private sector, large business private sector, and public sector. Top award recipients receiving the “Pro Patria” award for 2023 were Vermont Telephone Company, Inc. of Springfield; General Electric Aerospace of North Clarendon and Rutland; and Tri-Valley Transit, the public transportation service provider in Middlebury that was formerly known as Addison County Regional Transit. The Top recipients of the Pro Patria award for 2024 were Norwich University Applied Research Institutes, and Green Mountain Power.

Other businesses and other organizations were recognized with the ESGR Patriot Award. The Patriot Award is often a foundation for the higher-level awards. Recipients included, among others, Martin and Kathleen Clark of Martin’s Hardware and Building Supply Co. in Bristol.

ESGR also recognized 13 Vermont employers who were nominated by their citizen service member employees for the prestigious Secretary of Defense Freedom Award. This is the highest award presented nationwide to employers who provide exceptional support to their citizen soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard members. The 2023 first-level nominees included Tri-Valley Transit. The other 2024 Freedom Award winners were  Control Technologies Inc., GE Aerospace, Perrigo/PBM Nutritionals, Powderhorn Outdoor Sports, Vermont Telephone Company and the Vermont Air National Guard. The 2024 first-level nominees included Green Mountain Power, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes, Dealer.com, Poulin Farms, Beta Technologies, and the Left Bank Restaurant at the Weston Inn.

Other awards presented or recognized included the “Above and Beyond” award, for support that well exceeds basic requirements under federal law. Recipients included XFold Engineering, North Springfield; 802 Baseball Lab, St. Albans; KORE Power Solutions Division, Waterbury; the Left Bank Restaurant (Weston Inn), Weston; Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington; Vermont Hardwoods, Chester; 103 Auto/Heads Up Motorsports, Chester; GE Aerospace, Rutland/No. Clarendon; Engelberth Construction, Colchester; NuHarbor Security, Colchester; Trow and Holden, Barre; Mansfield Orthopaedics at Copley, Morrisville; Brattleboro Fire Department, Brattleboro; and UVM Medical Center, Burlington.

The “Seven Seals” award is presented to agencies and individuals who’ve supported the ESGR mission of enhancing relationships among members of the Guard and Reserve, their families, and their civilian employers. Recipients included Mark Audy, Vermont Director, U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Services; Larry Forsyth, Vermont Department of Labor; JVSG Program Administrator/Local Veterans Employment Representative; and Linda Fowler, former Vermont ESGR Volunteer Support Technician.