Patriotic employer awards go to police chief
Lekan recognized for support to guardsmen, reservists
Yuma Police Chief John Lekan received a double surprise last week when two of his employees presented him with patriotic employer awards recognizing his support for those who serve in the military.
Rebecca Drabent and John Lizarraga, volunteers with the Arizona Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, were on hand to give out the Patriot Award and the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award to Lekan.
The Patriot Award recognizes supervisors and bosses nominated by a guardsman or reservist employee for support provided directly to the nominator. Spouses of service members can also nominate their supportive supervisor.
The ESGR website explains that “the Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a widerange of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.”
The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.
Sgt. Henry Valenzuela and Officer Oscar Ramirez nominated the chief. Valenzuela, the police department’s hiring and recruitment sergeant for the last three years, noted that he has been involved in more than 100 hiring decisions and “not a single time have I ever noticed the chief has used someone’s military service in any negative way. As a matter of fact, time after time he has been an advocate for those of us that serve in the military while we work in the Yuma Police Department.
“I’d like to personally thank you, chief, for everything that you’ve done to support those of us who are in the military,” Valenzuela added. “I nominated you, but I’m sure everyone at the police department that is currently serving feels the same way.”
Lekan said he felt “very humbled and honored” to receive the awards. “I have some regrets in my life. One is that I never learned the Spanish language, and No. 2, I never had the opportunity to serve in the armed forces, and I always told myself if I had to do it again I would have made that effort to serve in the armed forces.
“Maybe this is the way I make up to it. It’s just something I feel strongly about, and I really appreciate what they do, appreciate what you do and appreciate what the city does,” the chief said, adding, “Thanks for the recognition.”
According to the organization’s website, the ESGR is a U.S. Department of Defense office dedicated to “promoting a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees who also serve in the National Guard and Reserve.”
The state’s ESGR is led and operated by a staff of 63 volunteers and four fulltime staff working “to gain and maintain employer support for the Guard and Reserve by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act, resolving conflicts through mediation, and connecting military service members and veterans with employment resources.”