Freedom Award nomination deadline Dec. 31 Published Dec. 21, 2016 WASHINGTON -- Members in the 403rd Wing have until Dec. 31 if they'd like to nominate their employers for the Department of Defense’s highest employer award – the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Of 2,424 organizations nominated by their Guard and Reserve employees, just 15 became recipients this year. If an organization goes above and beyond in its support for Guardsmen or Reservists, nominate it for the 2017 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award! Nomination season opens October 1 and runs through December 31. For more information about the Freedom Award, or to nominate an employer, visit www.FreedomAward.mil. Nominations for the Freedom Award must come from a Guard or Reserve member employed by the organization they are nominating, or from a family member. Each year, the nominated organizations represent large and small employers from almost every industry, including health, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, banking, service and security, as well as from federal, state and local government agencies. History of the Freedom Award • The Freedom Award began in 1996 and is overseen by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. • The award serves to recognize outstanding employers and draw attention to support from the employer community. • Only 235 employers have received the award. • More than 14,000 nominations have been received since 2011. To learn more about ESGR, visit www.ESGR.mil.