Paychex, Inc. senior payroll specialist deployed to OIF with 372nd MP BN

Courtesy Photo | Washington, D.C. Army National Guard Capt. James Clark, a senior payroll specialist for Paychex, Inc., is currently serving with the 372nd Military Police Battalion in Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

IRAQ

07.11.2006

Courtesy Story

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

IRAQ - Army National Guard Cpt. James E. Clark is currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the official name given to military operations assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure, training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq's sovereignty and independence as a democracy.

According to Clark, not being home to support his children with their school endeavors and living in a strange environment makes deployment challenging, however, being part of Operation Iraqi) Freedom and the Global War on Terror helps with the hardships.

Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are deployed under the U.S. Central Command to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States.

U.S. Central Command is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests and assets in 27 nations stretching from the Horn of Africa, through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia.

In Iraq, Clark serves as battle captain with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 372nd Military Police Battalion. The captain has served in the military for 12 years; this is his third overseas deployment.

In his civilian occupation, Clark is a senior payroll specialist for Paychex, Inc. where he has been employed for ten years. "My employer is second to none," he affirmed. "They have stayed in contact and even called my mother to check on her."

Today, more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Clark and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees.

The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

Clark pointed out that this deployment reminds him of the privileges he enjoys in civilian life as well as sharpening his skills for his return to Paychex, Inc. "I look forward to getting back to my job," he stated.

Clark, who calls Washington D.C., his home, is the son of Lillian and James Clark of Temple Hills, Md. He is the proud father of two children: Christopher, 15 and Taylor, 11.

• Date Taken: 07.11.2006
• Date Posted: 07.11.2006 14:23
• Story ID: 7128
• Location: IQ