2010 Governor's Report - Oklahoma National Guard - U.S. Army

e a major source of federal dollars flowing directly
into Oklahoma through cash payments directly to
Service Members and to State-funded and private
institutions of higher education. During the past
year incentive payments have been made to over
2,364 Service Members and totaled over $1 million.
The ESO made 205 payments towards Service
Members’ student loans totaling over $73,000
through the Student Loan Repayment Program.
Seven hundred sixteen Soldiers contracted for the
Select Reserve Montgomery GI Bill and 95 Soldiers
have additionally contracted for the Montgomery GI
Bill Kicker Program. Four hundred thirteen OKANG
Airmen and 2,981 OKARNG Soldiers participated
in the State Tuition Waiver Program with nearly
$2.5 million dollars in benefits. The Federal Tuition
Assistance Program paid over $1 million throughout
the past year, helping 731 service members.
The ESO administered the Armed Forces
Qualification Test and/or the Alternate Flight
Aptitude Selection Test for 91 Service Members
representing various military branches/components
in order to qualify to become OKARNG officers/
warrant officers and Army flight warrants.
Additionally, the ESO briefed and counseled
over 2,500 Soldiers regarding their veteran’s and
OKARNG membership benefits upon the Soldier’s
return from deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Kuwait. Despite the continued deployments and
state activations, the numbers of payments and
Service Members participating in these programs
have remained at high levels, which reflect the
desire of our Service Members to continue their
pursuit of voluntary education. The State Tuition
Waiver Program for those attending State colleges /
universities is a very valuable tool in our recruiting
and retention efforts.
okLAHoMA EMPLoYER SUPPoRT oF THE GUARD
AND RESERVE CoMMITTEE
The Oklahoma Employer Support of the Guard
and Reserve (OKESGR) is an agency within the
Department of Defense established in 1972 to
promote cooperation and understanding between
the Reserve component service members and their
civilian employers. Our vision is to develop and
promote a culture in which all American employers
support and value the military service of their
14 | Oklahoma National Guard - 2009 2010 Governor’s Report
employees. The ESGR mission statement is “We will
gain and maintain employer support for the Guard
and Reserve by recognizing outstanding support,
increasing awareness of the law, and resolving
conflicts through informal mediation”.
Currently, our committee is comprised of 57
volunteer members from various employment
sectors. The committee consists of three full-time
staff members, state chair, vice chair, five area chairs,
various directors, and field committee members.
Committee meetings and training are conducted
throughout the year. A State Awards Conference is
held annually at which time Oklahoma employers
are recognized and honored for their outstanding
support of the Guard and Reserve.
ESGR provides various programs to employers,
Guard and Reserve members, committee members
and general public. Our Ombudsman Program
is doing very well. The Oklahoma Committee
has eight trained Ombudsmen, who provide
information, counseling and mediation relating
to compliance with the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
(USERRA). Ombudsmen processed 67 USERRA cases
with 52 either being resolved, administratively
closed, or referred to the Department of Labor. This
represents an average mediation time in days of
4.64 or a resolution rate of 77.61%. Statements of
Support Ceremonies, both formal and/or informal,
are conducted with employers. The Statement of
Support (SoS) is an agreement that simply states,
as an employer, the business will comply with the
existing USERRA laws regarding military service. The
2010 OKESGR goal was 843 of which we attained
847 for 100.47%. The 2011 goal is 843, and we are
on course to meet or exceed that goal.
The committee strives to conduct Boss Lifts,
which transports employers and supervisors to
military training sites for the purpose of observing
and networking with National Guard and Reserve
Service Members in training. We provide Briefings-
With-the-Bosses (BWB’s), briefings to service
members for mobilizations and demobilizations,
increase public awareness, and participate in
various conferences and professional group trade
shows with an ESGR vendor’s booth. The OKESGR