WARE, MA. June 25, 2010. The Walgreens
store in the small Western Massachusetts town of Ware was the scene
as Store Manager Stephen Benoit was presented the Patriot Award.
Mr. Benoit was nominated for the award by
Airman First Class (A1C0 Robert W. Cyr, a member of the MA Air
National Guard (ANG) who worked for him at the Springfield Walgreens
store. Mr. Benoit was recently transferred from Springfield to the
Ware facility. Due to military obligations AIC Cyr was not able to
attend the event, but his military "Boss", Senior Master
Sergeant (SMSgt) Tony Swana was present to represent him. In his
nomination of Mr. Benoit, AIC Cyr noted that his boss was very
supportive of his military career and constantly recognized his
service in the ANG. SMSgt Swana, in thanking Mr. Benoit on behalf of
A1C Cyr, stated that is very important to members of the Guard and
Reserve to know that they have the support of their civilian
employers.
Charles R. Walgreen, Sr. was the man who
started it all in 1901 with a drugstore located in Barrett’s Hotel
in Chicago. By 1984, Walgreens opened its 1, 000th store. Today, the
company is opening 425 new stores each year and will have a total of
7,000 by the end of 2010.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
(ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. The
mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard
and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing
awareness of the USERRA law of 1994 and resolving conflicts through
mediation. The MA Field Office has more than 40 volunteers dedicated
to helping every "Citizen Soldier". On hand representing
MAESGR were Volunteers Holly Boyko and Diane Swain, Ombudsman
Director and Western MA Area Chair Earl Bonett and Staff Member Bill
Hebert.
Left to Right:
Diane Swain, SMSgt Tony Swana, Stephen Benoit, Earl Bonett and
Holly Boyko
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If you would Sign a Statement of Support or
join the MA ESGR Committee and volunteer your time, please call us
at 508-233-7249 or go to www.esgr.mil.
