"Over the past three years, (Boeing has) supported me through everything," said Spc. Jordan Hill, 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington National Guard. They have done so much for me as far as supporting me while I was on deployments, keeping my job for me when I went on active duty in the state, keeping my pay, everything. ... They've just done so much for me over the past couple of years."
Boeing was recognized Friday for supporting servicemembers and their families at their Renton 737 facility. Along with receiving both the Washington employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) Above and Beyond Award and the ESGR Patriot Award, Boeing also signed an Employer Statement of Support.
"This strikes me as a people award," said Jim Davis, vice president of the 737 Boeing program, after accepting the award on behalf of Boeing. "It's about a policy that Boeing has, that fundamentally is around people and people practices, and good benefits for them. So that when they are off serving their country, they don't have another thing to worry about."
>>> Jim Davis, vice-president of Boeing's 737 Renton Facility, accepts an Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve Above and Beyond Award on behalf of Boeing at the Renton 737 Facility, May 2. Photo credit: Gary Lott
Along with Washington ESGR State Chair Bob Dewald, various ESGR volunteers boarded a Chinook Ch-47 Helicopter with Spc. Hill in his regular military duty as crew chief and with his fellow members of the 1-168th flying to the Boeing facility.
"They've got a lot to worry about, just by virtue of the deployment," said Davis. "That's probably the number one thing for me, is that it's fundamentally a good people practice."
The Above and Beyond Award is presented to recognize local employers who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Providing Guard/Reserve employees with additional, non-mandated benefits usually does this.
>>> Spc. Jordan Hill, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington National Guard, awarded his employer, Boeing, with Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve Patriot and Above & Beyond awards during a ceremony at the 737 Boeing Facility in Renton, May 2. Photo credit: Gary Lott
The Patriot Award is presented when an employee or spouse of a Guard/Reserve member nominates their supervisor for support provided to the service member and their family.
"It wasn't good enough to just give them an email or a handshake," said Spc. Hill. "Making it more personalized for these people is what they deserve, for how much they've actually done for me."
>>> Boeing employees take a closer look at the Chinook CH-47 that flew Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve employees/volunteers to the Boeing Renton 737 Facility for an awards presentation, May 2. Photo credit: Gary Lott
