Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill pointed out the importance of soldiers when he said, “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”

It is these “rough men” that keep the barbarians from the gates. Sadly, many of them do so at great personal cost, regularly spending long periods of time away from family, toiling in obscurity for little pay, often at risk of being maimed or killed.

One unique sub-group of warriors, people who sacrifice opportunity and career advancement, is the Reserves. These are part-time soldiers regularly called upon to take time away from civilian jobs in order to fulfill military duties. Often they are called away with little or no notice, and their unplanned absences can be a burden on employers and coworkers. 

One reservist on the TestOut team is Craig Jenkins, a colonel with nearly 28 years of commissioned service, currently serving in the Army Reserve. His service is supported by TestOut, and particularly by his supervisor, Ken Sardoni, who works around Jenkins’ occasional need to travel unexpectedly.

One example occurred last year when Jenkins was summoned to Camp Parks (in California) on short notice. “When I told Ken that I would be leaving for a week, and maybe a year, he was very positive and supportive,” said Jenkins. Instead of deploying to Kuwait, Jenkins ended up being part of the unit that remained stateside (the support element), but his duties required regular travel to and from a base in Wichita, Kan.

In recognition of Sardoni’s extraordinary support of Col. Jenkins, he was recently honored with a Patriot Award by the U.S. Department of Defense. “The Patriot Award was created by ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who like the citizen warriors before them have answered their nation’s call to serve,” said Randy Edwards, Utah ESGR volunteer, who presented the award.

Sardoni expressed his appreciation for the award and for Jenkins. “At TestOut, we recognize and appreciate the sacrifices that our military makes to ensure our freedom and liberty. We especially recognize the valuable role of the National Guard and Reserves in protecting our nation. We are pleased to have Col. Jenkins work at TestOut and recognize the contributions that he makes to our team. We are also proud of the work and sacrifice he provides to our country as a member of the Army Reserve and we are pleased to support him.”

Over the years, TestOut has had a long record of supporting our military and even training them in IT. According to LinkedIn, three of the top five organizations where TestOut Pro Certified Professionals are presently working include the U.S Air Force, Army, and Navy.

Reservists possess valuable skills learned during their time in the military and it’s a wise employer that makes the effort to support them when duty calls. Congratulations, Mr. Sardoni, and a special thank you to Col. Jenkins. TestOut salutes and honors all our brave troops serving around the world.

2017 is a great time to begin beefing up your IT security arsenal. Remember, it’s not a question of “if” your organization will be attacked, but “when.”

About the Author — Calvin Harper is an associate editor for GoCertify and a veteran of the publishing industry. As a younger man, Calvin sometimes had to leave work unexpectedly whenever WCW Monday Nitro would come on.