HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Missing an employee for months can take a toll on an organization. It is something that many reservists know all too well. Reservists can’t thank their employers enough for their continuing support of their military duties. And for Rebecca Goodman, an Acquisition Program Manager with the F-22 Program Office, she knew she had to give her employer a huge thanks.
To show her appreciation, Goodman nominated her supervisor, Brigitte Kneer, for the Patriot Award, a Department of Defense award that recognizes support to citizen warriors. With the help of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), Goodman gathered colleagues, civilian and military leadership to present Brigitte with the Patriot Award on Feb. 17, 2023, here.
“I fully recognize the burden I place on Brigitte and my teammates when I am absent for my military service,” said Goodman. “She is incredibly supportive of my goal to concurrently build my civilian and military careers.”
1st Lt. Goodman, a Fabrication Flight Commander with the 419th Maintenance Squadron, has been gone from her job at the F-22 Program Office for a total of 13 months in the past 3 years. During that time, Brigitte has taken up Goodman’s vast workload in her absence. And because of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Goodman can serve with confidence knowing that her job is protected.
“It is important for the member to recognize their employer,” said Terry Morris, an employer coordinator with the ESGR. “It’s because they make it easy for them to support the Air Force Reserve mission and protect our country,”
For Supervisors like Brigitte Kneer, supporting their employee’s military service means a lot to their respective organization.
“Employers in the community aren’t supporting just their employees,” said Morris. “They are supporting everyone that works to support our military.”