ATA recipient of military support award

  • Published
  • By Janaé Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Even though Arnold Air Force Base does not have many uniformed military on base it still receives support for employing a military mission.

No one knows this better than those who have deployed or are currently deployed to support the war effort overseas.

For this reason, Jody Frame, facility support supervisor for the Facilities Operations and Maintenance Civil Engineering shops and currently deployed to northern Iraq with the 278th Army National Guard from Winchester, decided to nominate his employer, Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA), for the Employer Support for Guard and Reserve (ESGR) award.

"ATA leadership has always gone above and beyond to support their military members," Frame said. "I am grateful for ATA's support. As a Tennessee Army National Guard member, knowing I have the support of my company allows me to focus on my mission without having to worry about my job back home."

According to Frame, the company's support includes allowing the guard and reserve member days for annual training requirements to having key ATA leadership showing up to see National Guard and Reserve members off for a deployment.

"ATA sets a high standard of military support for other companies to follow," Frame continued. "This support has allowed me to serve my country and to help ensure the freedom that we as Americans enjoy. We must never take this freedom for granted."

Bob Beatty, ESGR committee member of the Tennessee Committee, said, "When the troops go to their deployment training, like this time to Camp Shelby, they are asked if their employer has done anything extraordinary for them as a soldier, if so, we ask them to fill out a card."

As stated on their Web site, the goal of the ESGR is to "develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees." "The award is important from our point of view because the employer has done something to lighten the soldier's mind a little, giving them more of a mind to take care of what has to be done overseas, without worrying about some minor thing back home," Beatty said.

Beatty says there were about 3,600 troops at Camp Shelby and about 550 cards were signed wanting their employer's recognized for their efforts. A little more than half have been recognized with another 200 or so to go and then the process starts all over again with the next group deployed.

At Arnold, Frame works with ATA's Base Civil Engineering and helps keep the base utilities working by facilitating contractors on the base with a focus of keeping utilities and various facilities in operating order. His Army job so far has been very similar to his duties with ATA.

"With more than 10,000 people on the base I am assigned to, I am involved in a lot of the work going on to provide basic services people have come to expect," he said. "I apply a lot of what I have learned at Arnold to my duties here in Iraq on a daily basis."

Tom Penfold, section manager for the Test & Facility branch of Base Civil Engineering and Frame's supervisor, says Frame and others who are in the Guard, Reserve or active duty bring a strong sense of pride to the work place as they are performing their work for ATA and as they serve their country.

"The focus and energy they provide to the work place through their unselfish sacrifice is an inspiration to all of us," Penfold said.

Penfold thinks it is important as an employer and a contractor of defense services to be supportive of the employees who are willing to serve their country. "As a supervisor I feel fortunate to work for a company that enables me to support our employees who are serving in these capacities," he said. "ATA has been very supportive of our employees and it has been an honor to receive recognition as part of a team recognized for this award."