BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
William Rich and his wife, Paula, showed up for the local Rotary Club meeting last January, as they do nearly every month, at the Elks Lodge in Chico, Calif.
As the meeting got underway, Col. Kevin Cavanagh, the commander of the 940th Wing at Beale Air Force Base, stepped up to the podium. He was joined by Master Sgt. Kelly Derrington, a 940th Wing Reservist and Rich's executive assistant at Asset Management Group in Chico, Calif.
The two were there to surprise Rich with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award and to thank him for his support of Derrington's participation in the Air Force Reserves.
"Bill has gone above and beyond to support me since I joined the Reserves in 2005. I could not have asked for a more understanding and giving boss to work for, said Derrington. "He's always so proud to say that I'm part of the Air Force Reserves to our office staff and his professional peers,"
Derrington, who will deploy this spring, wanted to express her appreciation for Rich's support before she left. She submitted her boss for the ESGR Patriot Award that recognizes civilian employers for going "above and beyond" in their support of an employee's participation in the Guard and Reserves.
"Although I know he's not happy that I'll be gone for 6 months, Bill has reassured me that my job will be waiting for me when I get back," Derrington said. "He has sacrificed many hours and dollars to allow me to serve, and he truly deserves this Patriot Award."
"It was a pleasure to be invited to the Chico Rotary Club to recognize Mr. Rich before such a large crowd of his peers," said Cavanagh. "This was a chance to thank not only Mr. Rich, but others in that organization, for their support of Beale Air Force Base and the 940th Wing."
"Without the support of communities like Chico and employers like Mr. Rich, our Citizen Airmen would not be able to excel in carrying out our vital mission of national defense. The ESGR's Patriot Award is one way to thank those whose support and sacrifices allow our Reservists to honor their commitment to serve," Cavanagh said.
For more information about the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve organization and its employer recognition program, visit
www.esgr.org.