Gary Jet Center Earns Honor from Department of Defense

Gary Jet Center in Gary has once again been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense for the company’s support and commitment to its employees who choose to serve their country. Well done!

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, announced Gary Jet Center of Gary, Ind., has been selected to receive the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Fifteen employers will be honored with this year’s Freedom Award, the DoD’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees. These recipients distinguished themselves among the 3,236 nominations submitted earlier this year by Guardsmen and Reservists, or family members acting on their behalf.
 
Freedom Award recipients go above and beyond what the law requires of Guard and Reserve employers. Gary Jet Center was nominated by a member of the Air National Guard. The Guardsman reported that Gary Jet Center employs several members of the Guard and Reserve, actively seeks military applicants for new positions, and is involved with the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. Gary Jet Center donates jet fuel for aircrafts carrying injured soldiers home from Walter Reed Medical Center, and military aircrews that land at Gary International Airport are provided free ground transportation and pilot services. The nominator is one of nine employees on the staff of 47 who is either a veteran or is currently serving in the Guard or Reserve.
 
"On behalf of the Secretary of Defense, I thank the 2012 Freedom Award recipients for taking such exceptional care of the Guard and Reserve members they employ," said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Jessica L. Wright. "Our military could not meet today’s national security demands without the Guard and Reserve, who in turn could not provide such dedicated service without the cooperation of their employers at home. These Freedom Award recipients have distinguished themselves nationally for their remarkable efforts, and we greatly appreciate their unwavering support."
 
A selection board comprised of senior DoD officials, business leaders and prior awardees selected the 15 recipients. Since 1996, only 160 employers have received the Freedom Award. The 2012 honorees will be recognized at the 17th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on September 20th. 

Dept. of Defense Salutes Indiana Company

Indianapolis-based Perpetual Technologies, Inc. (PTI) takes the “Support Our Troops” credo seriously. 

The information technology company will be honored next month by the Department of Defense with the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award – the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for outstanding support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

Few companies receive this honor – PTI is one of 15 businesses chosen from more than 3,200 nominations. The company was nominated by an employee.

One-tenth of Perpetual Technologies’ workforce consists of Guard and Reserve members or former members. Among benefits offered to employees: differential pay between military pay and PTI salary during deployments; care packages sent to employees deployed overseas; incorporation of families of deployed service members in all company functions; and recognition of military service through public events and displays at company facilities.

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) established the Freedom Award in 1996.  Read more about ESGR and its Indiana services in a 2007 BizVoice® column.

Perpetual Technologies will be presented the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on September 17.