Florida Reserve soldier, juvenile detention officer deploys in support of GWOT

Courtesy Photo | Army Reserve Spc. Clevette V. Coles of the 724th Military Police Battalion, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a juvenile detention officer for the Southwest Florida Juvenile Detention Center. She is currently deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

IRAQ

07.11.2006

Courtesy Story

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

QATAR - Army Reserve Spc. Clevette V. Coles of the 724th Military Police Battalion in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is currently deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the official name given to military operations assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure and 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.

One of the biggest challenges for Coles is missing her family. "Being away from your life back home is a difficult adjustment," she said. "However, serving in support of The Global War on Terror helps make up for the hardships of deployment."

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. The unified command of USCENTCOM is 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.

While abroad, Coles serves as a finance clerk for the Tennessee-based 721st Adjutant General Postal Company. The specialist, who has served in the military for five years, is on her first overseas deployment. In her civilian occupation, Coles is a juvenile detention officer for the Southwest Florida Juvenile Detention Center.

When servicemembers attend military unit drills, training or are deployed away on missions, the understanding of their civilian employers is critical to their overall efficiency. Coles said she is grateful to have an understanding employer. "I would like to thank them for being supportive of my military career," she commented.

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 Coles 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].

Coles currently calls Hialeah, Fla., home.

ESGR

• Date Taken: 07.11.2006
• Date Posted: 07.11.2006 14:31
• Story ID: 7129
• Location: IQ