Courtesy Photo | Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Larry J. Harper, an apprentice electrician in Lawton,...... read more read more
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IRAQ - Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Larry J. Harper is currently deployed to Iraq as a battle staff noncommissioned officer for the forward-deployed 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery. Harper is serving 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.
Despite the challenges of being far from home and family, Harper said serving his country in support of the global war on terrorism helps make the time away easier.
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.
When he is stateside with the 158th in Duncan, Okla., Harper is a food service sergeant supervising a food preparation staff of four personnel. With 17 years in the military, this is Harper's first overseas deployment. In his civilian occupation, the staff sergeant is an apprentice electrician in Lawton, Okla., for Brennan's Electric Service, Inc., where he has worked for 1-1/2 years. Harper installs electrical wiring and outlets for new commercial construction and remodeling projects.
When Harper attends his military unit's drills or training or deploys, the support of his civilian employer is essential to his ability to focus on the task at hand.
Harper feels fortunate to work for Brennan's, especially as a citizen soldier. "My employer has stood behind me all the way," he remarked. "Any time I needed off to take care of personal or military business before deployment was never a problem."
Harper added that he knows his job at home is secure, because he continually receives emails from his management telling him to "hurry up and come back."
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 Harper 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 (800) 336-4590.
Harper, who calls Ryan, Okla., home, has been married to his wife Sylvia for 23 years. The couple has two children, Lance, 22, who is currently serving overseas at another forward-operating base, and Lindsay Dabbs, 21. The father gets to see Lance once a month during their concurrent service abroad.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2006 15:04 |
| Story ID: | 7138 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 32 |
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