Skywest Airlines employee serving in Inspector General office of the 49th Military Police Brigade overseas

Courtesy Photo | Calif. Army National Guard Sgt. Alfonso Lopez, a cross-utilized agent (ramp and counter) for Skywest Airlines, is currently deployed to Iraq as a clerk to the Inspector General for the 48th Military Police Brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

IRAQ

07.11.2006

Courtesy Story

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Story by Sgt. 1st Class David McCrary, ESGR Forward Team

IRAQ - Army National Guard Sgt. Alfonzo Lopez 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.

Lopez, originally from Columbia, is proud to serve his new country. "I am the first in my family to serve in the military," he explained. "I wanted to serve my adopted country." Although "living without all the little things I took for granted" has been challenging, Lopez indicated that being part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 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. 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, Lopez serves as a clerk for the Inspector General (IG) office while being part of the 49th Military Police Brigade. He is responsible for providing clerical assistance to the IG office and support to the Brigade Public Affairs Office as needed. The sergeant has served in the military for four years; this is his first overseas deployment.

In his civilian occupation, Lopez is an airline agent working the ramp and counter for Skywest Airlines where he has been employed for two years. "My employer has helped to make this deployment easy to endure," he declared. "They put me on a leave of absence allowing me and my family to retain travel benefits which helped us tremendously."

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 Lopez 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].

Lopez expressed gratitude for an employer and fellow workers who are supportive of his commitment to the military. "The whole staff at the airport has been supportive of my deployment," he declared. "I am looking forward to going back to work at the airport!" According to Lopez, his civilian work and military training overlap as both require focus on people skills and patience.

Lopez, who calls Monterey Calif., his home, has been married to Angelica for three years. Reflecting on family, he pointed out "I believe the real heroes are the spouses and families that are the support for the service member while they are deployed."

ESGR

• Date Taken: 07.11.2006
• Date Posted: 07.11.2006 15:32
• Story ID: 7147
• Location: IQ