Angel MedFlight Named Among National Semifinalists for Prestigious Secretary of Defense Freedom Award

Angel MedFlight Named Among National Semifinalists for Prestigious Secretary of Defense Freedom Award

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 1(st) the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve state committees named Angel MedFlight Worldwide Ambulance Services among a select group of businesses nominated for the 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

"It's an honor to be among the semifinalists for such a distinguished recognition," said Andrew Bess, Angel MedFlight's President and Chief Operating Officer. "At Angel MedFlight, it's important to us to support our country and our citizen soldiers that serve. We are proud of our AMF team that serve and have served our country. We do our best to honor those commitments."

Employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve, and their family members, can nominate employers for supporting their military service. Semifinalists include 149 businesses of all sizes from across the nation and were vetted by the committees from a list of over 2,330 nominations submitted by Guardsmen and Reservists. Only 250 employers have received the award to date.

Staff Sergeant John Moyer, a medic with the 94th Air Medical Staging Transport Squadron USAF and CDR Bambi Pish-Derr, a nurse with EMF Dallas One USN separately nominated the company.

"From the moment I heard about this award from the chief nurse in my unit, I knew I wanted to nominate Angel MedFlight. I've never worked for an employer who supports the military more," said Moyer. "Angel MedFlight provides a pay differential to prevent me from ever taking a pay cut when I'm deployed. Upper management has even sent a town car to pick me up on the runway, so I wouldn't miss my flight to the airport when I was called into duty. They've gone out of their way to support my service."

Pish-Derr added, "Angel MedFlight has gone above and beyond in their willingness to be flexible with my schedule so I am able to do my Navy job. I have had an upsurge in my Navy responsibilities recently and I have been required to execute multiple orders. They have been wonderful."

"Angel MedFlight's latest recognition as a semifinalist for this esteemed award speaks volumes about their support of team members who choose to serve their country," said Astronaut Mark Kelly, a member of Angel MedFlight's Board of Directors and retired United States Navy Captain. "I am proud to be involved with an organization that values and supports our women and men who serve."

Finalists for the award will be announced on Friday, March 30(th). Recipients are honored at a ceremony typically held at the Pentagon, with the awards being presented by either the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense.

ABOUT ESGR:

ESGR, a Department of Defense program, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,500 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education, and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, Service members, and their families.

Our Nation has relied heavily on Guard and Reserve Service members since entering continuous operations more than 15 years ago. Employer support enhances retention rates in the Armed Forces and, in the end, strengthens our national security. To recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees, ESGR grants a series of Department of Defense awards.

The first in ESGR's series of awards is the Patriot Award. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

ESGR has served our country for more than 40 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. Find more information at http://www.esgr.mil

About the Freedom Award:

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 by then-Secretary of Defense William Perry under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972 whose mission is to "gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law, and resolving conflicts through mediation." The award was created to recognize the ways the nation's employers support their Guard and Reserve employees and is the highest in a series of ESGR awards that include the Patriot Award, the Above and Beyond Award, and the Pro Patria Award.

About Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance

Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance Services partners with healthcare providers to safely transport patients from anywhere in the world for the life-changing care they need. Our in-house patient advocates manage the complete insurance preauthorization process, and our team of flight coordinators are available 24/7 so patients can reach the highest quality of care as soon as possible. Angel MedFlight and their aviation Part 135 partners use a Learjet fleet of medically-configured aircraft for critical care and smoother, faster travel. Visit Angel MedFlight.com to learn more.

Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance was also awarded the Patriot Award in 2017.

Interested in learning more about astronaut Mark Kelly? Click Here: www.angelmedflight.com/mark-kelly-astronaut.html

For more information, please contact:
Kim Halloran,
Vice President of Business Development
Office: 855.620.0656
Cell: 602.696.9269
17851 N. 85(th) St.
Suite 350
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Website: angelmedflight.com

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SOURCE Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance