WEBVTT 00:00.270 --> 00:01.760 - All right, my name is Steve Seroka. 00:01.760 --> 00:02.593 I'm the Chairman 00:02.593 --> 00:05.440 for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 00:05.440 --> 00:08.065 for the State of Nevada, that's also known as ESGR. 00:08.065 --> 00:11.150 I'm a retired Colonel from the active-duty Air Force 00:11.150 --> 00:13.290 where I was a fighter pilot, a commander 00:13.290 --> 00:14.467 and a strategist. 00:14.467 --> 00:18.350 ESGR has a fun mission, so we hope you become a volunteer 00:18.350 --> 00:20.130 after hearing our video. 00:20.130 --> 00:23.800 ESGR's role is to help improve the relationships 00:23.800 --> 00:27.018 between employers and our Guard and Reserve warriors. 00:27.018 --> 00:30.620 Our Guard and Reserve Forces face a unique challenge 00:30.620 --> 00:32.428 because they are part-time warriors, 00:32.428 --> 00:36.420 part-time members of our community and employees. 00:36.420 --> 00:38.030 And when they get called to duty, 00:38.030 --> 00:41.097 that places a burden upon their employer when they're away, 00:41.097 --> 00:43.710 especially for small businesses. 00:43.710 --> 00:46.550 Today was an extraordinary event 00:46.550 --> 00:49.160 because we had the honor of presenting 00:49.160 --> 00:51.570 to one of Nevada's own businesses, 00:51.570 --> 00:55.651 one of the very few Freedom Awards given out each year. 00:55.651 --> 00:58.138 Today, Battlefield Vegas was awarded 00:58.138 --> 01:00.614 the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award 01:00.614 --> 01:05.370 out of over 2,600 nominees from across the nation. 01:05.370 --> 01:08.880 Nevada alone submitted originally 23 companies 01:08.880 --> 01:11.115 and we whittled that down to three. 01:11.115 --> 01:13.202 Eventually at the national level, 01:13.202 --> 01:16.380 the national leadership was impressed 01:16.380 --> 01:20.080 with Battlefield Vegas to the point that they selected them 01:20.080 --> 01:21.418 for this amazing award. 01:21.418 --> 01:24.340 And I've spoken to people in Washington, DC 01:24.340 --> 01:26.031 who remembered reading the writeup 01:26.031 --> 01:28.630 about Battlefield Vegas, 01:28.630 --> 01:31.770 because it is so special and unique that we actually do hope 01:31.770 --> 01:35.231 that other companies take advantage and follow their example 01:35.231 --> 01:39.346 of how to best employ guardsmen and reservists. 01:39.346 --> 01:42.809 ESGR's role is very important, 01:42.809 --> 01:44.436 but it's also a fun role. 01:44.436 --> 01:47.440 All of us are volunteers. 01:47.440 --> 01:49.560 We get to do the fun part 01:49.560 --> 01:51.610 about presenting awards to employers 01:51.610 --> 01:55.180 and honoring our military reserve component warriors. 01:55.180 --> 01:58.353 That is fun when you get to brag on a warrior 01:58.353 --> 02:00.390 in front of their boss, 02:00.390 --> 02:02.417 so that you can improve the relationship 02:02.417 --> 02:04.578 for that warrior with their boss, 02:04.578 --> 02:06.900 and next time they get deployed 02:06.900 --> 02:08.913 or called away from their employer, 02:09.869 --> 02:13.350 the employer better understands why they are part 02:13.350 --> 02:16.870 of our national security process. 02:16.870 --> 02:19.810 And the volunteers get a lot of satisfaction out of that. 02:19.810 --> 02:21.188 And we would ask all of you 02:21.188 --> 02:24.210 to become volunteers with ESGR. 02:24.210 --> 02:27.840 The only people that cannot, are full-time AGR warriors, 02:27.840 --> 02:30.060 technicians, and MDA warriors workers can volunteer, 02:30.060 --> 02:33.900 and AGR warriors can be ambassadors 02:33.900 --> 02:36.091 and advocates on our behalf within the unit, 02:36.091 --> 02:37.870 not officially as a volunteer. 02:37.870 --> 02:40.271 So we ask that members of the Guard and Reserve do join us 02:40.271 --> 02:41.697 and help spread the word. 02:41.697 --> 02:46.270 COVID-19 changed this Freedom Award ceremony drastically. 02:46.270 --> 02:49.239 Normally this event is held in Washington, DC 02:49.239 --> 02:52.350 and ESGR would fly out the winner. 02:52.350 --> 02:54.400 Today, Dr. Cheney and his wife, Karla 02:54.400 --> 02:55.920 would fly to Washington, DC 02:55.920 --> 02:57.689 for a several days of ceremonies 02:57.689 --> 02:59.741 with the Secretary of Defense. 02:59.741 --> 03:03.510 Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions in Washington, DC, 03:03.510 --> 03:06.318 many of the people that normally work in Washington, DC 03:06.318 --> 03:08.199 are still working from home. 03:08.199 --> 03:10.891 So today they delegated that responsibility 03:10.891 --> 03:12.887 to the ESGR State Chairman 03:12.887 --> 03:17.887 and to one other member volunteer for ESGR 03:18.420 --> 03:21.350 to present the award on behalf of the Secretary of Defense. 03:21.350 --> 03:22.183 So it was an honor 03:22.183 --> 03:24.970 to represent the Secretary of Defense today. 03:24.970 --> 03:26.820 Further, normally we do all these things 03:26.820 --> 03:29.410 in the most least technological way possible. 03:29.410 --> 03:30.970 We do it all face-to-face in-person, 03:30.970 --> 03:33.253 in an office or on a stage, 03:33.253 --> 03:36.510 but because of the limitations in order to comply 03:36.510 --> 03:38.356 with COVID rules for the State of Nevada, 03:38.356 --> 03:39.946 as well as DOD rules, 03:39.946 --> 03:42.761 we had limits on how many people we could put in a room, 03:42.761 --> 03:45.101 and so we virtually connected 03:45.101 --> 03:48.541 with our ESGR leadership in Washington, DC, 03:48.541 --> 03:51.906 we virtually connected to Mr. Bill Hornbuckle 03:51.906 --> 03:54.386 of MGM Resorts International, 03:54.386 --> 03:58.176 we virtually connected to members of the Reserve Component 03:58.176 --> 04:00.980 that got an opportunity to speak their piece 04:00.980 --> 04:03.400 and say thank you to Battlefield Vegas. 04:03.400 --> 04:04.650 What a unique opportunity? 04:04.650 --> 04:06.560 We actually played a video that was displayed 04:06.560 --> 04:09.360 from a terminal in Washington, DC 04:09.360 --> 04:12.200 by our regional coordinator, Abby Robertson. 04:12.200 --> 04:14.044 So these were all first for ESGR 04:14.044 --> 04:17.520 to have a limited space event live 04:17.520 --> 04:21.340 and bring in a virtual component from across the state 04:21.340 --> 04:22.810 and across the country. 04:22.810 --> 04:25.240 And I'm proud of all the support we got 04:25.240 --> 04:29.270 from the Guard communication section to help make this work. 04:29.270 --> 04:31.190 So, wow that was a... 04:31.190 --> 04:33.540 We couldn't have done it without a team effort.