August 2012

Welcome to Colorado ESGR. Our purpose is to have an informative newsletter that will educate, inform, and promote service by and to ESGR while fulfilling our mission of supporting Employers, Guard/Reserve members, Military and Veteran Employment Initiatives and our COESGR Volunteers.

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Hosted the Traveling Photo Exhibit, Remembering Our Fallen
As a continuation of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerces commitment to the military community, both active duty and our veterans, the Chamber recently hosted an exhibit, Remembering Our Fallen. This traveling photo exhibit honors our Colorado military troops who have made the ultimate sacrifice since September 11, 2001. The exhibit displayed at the Chamber July 9-13. An opening ceremony unveiled the exhibit July 9 with special guests providing formal remarks including Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General of Colorado and Maj. Gen. Joseph Anderson, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division. Mitch Jelniker, 7 News anchor served as master of ceremonies and Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock delivered closing remarks. Attending the opening ceremony were Gold Star Families (those who have lost a loved one), Chamber Board of Directors and business leaders, Colorado State Board of Veteran Affairs and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve members. The weeklong event was co-sponsored by CU Boots to Suits. (www.ucdenver.edu/bootstosuits)

The Remembering Our Fallen exhibit is the brainchild of Bill and Evonne Williams of Nebraska, military parents who have four sons currently serving. The first photo display included photos of Nebraska and Iowa fallen, who died in The War on Terror since September 11, 2001. After realizing the impact of this first display, especially in helping the grief of families, the Williams felt that the project should be completed for other states. Currently there are displays in Wisconsin, Iowa, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona and now Colorado. More states are planned.

Maj. Gen Edwards opening ceremony remarks

The Colorado display was first unveiled October 22, 2011 at the Aurora Municipal Center and has been travelling the state since. The exhibit of Colorado's fallen, lists 92 heroes, and while their names are printed on the program..

To schedule the exhibit in your business, church, or community, please contact Bill Williams at 402-612-0210 or info@rememberingourfallen.org
"Remembering Our Fallen" was created to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Its legacy will be that these men and women will never be forgotten and that their names will be remembered and spoken.

The next exhibit in Colorado will be: October 7 - 14 at Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch
Pictures and feature article courtesy of Holli Keyser, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
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Women Veterans in Colorado!

The Colorado Women Veterans Resource Fair will be at the DoubleTree Hotel in Greenwood Village on Sat., Aug. 25, and will feature VBA's Under Secretary for Benefits, The Honorable Allison A. Hickey, who graduated from the Air Force Academy! New this year is a networking reception on Friday night from 6-8 pm. We now have the exhibitor request form, schedule, the sponsor forms and the ad forms up and live on the website! So, if you would like to apply to be a resource table/exhibitor or sponsor the Resource Fair, please visit the website!! Last year we had 160 Women Veterans in attendance and 56 host tables, and we expect even more attendees this year! We are limited to 50 tables but have allowed attendees more time to browse through the tables-see our schedule on the website. We look forward to seeing and thanks again for all you do for our Women Veterans! http://www.cowomenveteransconference.org/ If you have any questions on exhibitor tables, please contact Kathleen Dunemn, kdunemn@gmail.com.

August 25, 2012

Doubletree Hilton Hotel
7801 East Orchard Rd, Greenwood Village, CO 80111-2508

8 a.m. Check-In
Event begins promptly at 8:30 a.m.
NEW THIS YEAR: Friday night reception Reception and cash bar from 6-8 in the atrium of the hotel. There will be special musical entertainment and time to visit and network with other women veterans!! Add "reception" when you see the option on our registration form.

Click on pictures for website links. 3

El Paso County Veterans Services signs Statement of Support

Carl McDaniel

Col. Mark Hustedt

John Weil Dema Weil

State Bank in Falcon, Colorado signs Statement of Support

Pictures courtesy of ESGR volunteer Dema Weil and her son John Weil

ESGR Volunteer, Dema Weil typically brings her son John to ESGR events and shows him firsthand what serving your community looks like. It is extremely admirable to witness the grooming of our future generation.
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Leslie Greenfield, Branch Manager of AppleOne Employment Services, and wife of a veteran, signed an SOS with ESGR on July 12 and joined the ESGR family in Colorado Springs . AppleOne is a complete, fullservice employment partner for job seekers and employers, and Leslie and her team actively seek to place vets and serving Guardsmen and Reservists in jobs that take full advantage of their high quality skills, training and work ethic. In addition to signing the SOS, ESGR volunteers Mary Miller and Mike Lee spent an hour with the team giving them some basic ESGR training which will make them even more effective in helping vets get jobs. As Mike said best, AppleOne is a force multiplier for ESGR, since they touch so many employers and service members on a daily basis. We are delighted to welcome them to the team!

Carrie Tambly

Liz Miragliotta

Lindsey Hoeppner

Leslie Greenfield

St. Marys Hospital of Grand Junction was recognized for their support of military service members an their families. Specifically, Katherine Kilbourne was recognized and presented with an ESGR Patriot Award by ESGR volunteer, Lou Brackett. Katherine was nominated by Treva Millard for providing support above and beyond the normal policies and procedures for staff members. Treva Millard, spouse of CWO2 Kevin Millard, ARNG, said My husband was the Unit Movement Officer for his company and was full-time National Guard in Helena, MT from Feb 2011-Feb 2012. I started working at St. Mary's Hospital in CO in March 2011. Katherine and St. Mary's hospital were truly phenomenal. Their compassion and flexibility allowed me to see my husband about every 2 weeks. Without their support and understanding of our situation, this past year would have been unbearable. My husband is now deployed for a year to Afghanistan March 2012-March 2013. I know this next year will be difficult and trying, but I also know I work for wonderful people who look out for me and appreciate the sacrifice my family is making.
Pictures courtesy of ESGR Volunteers 5

Fourth Navy Ship to Bear Name of Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper and Navy Secretary Hosted USS Colorado Naming Ceremony
DENVER Monday, June 25, 2012 Gov. John Hickenlooper and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus hosted a ship naming ceremony today at the state Capitol in honor of the USS Colorado. The Virginia-class submarine, designated SSN 788, is under construction and is expected to be delivered to the fleet in late 2016. The naming of this ship honors all of Colorados military contributions, Gov. Hickenlooper said. Our servicemen and servicewomen, veterans and active, and their families have sacrificed so much so that our country can be so great. This is the fourth ship to bear the name Colorado. The first was named after the Colorado River, while the second and third were named in honor of the state. The second ship was a battleship that stood as the lead ship of her class, participated in the Tarawa invasion and suffered two kamikaze hits while supporting the landings at Leyte Gulf in November 1944. This next-generation attack submarine will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nations undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. The future USS Colorado will have the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land area, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. It is also designed for special forces delivery and support.

SSN 788 will be built at Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., and will be 7,800 tons and 377 feet long, have a beam of 34 feet and operate at more than 25 knots

Guard Pictures and stories courtesy of Colorado National Guard website. http://co.ng.mil/Pages/Default.aspx 6

Click on pictures or links for websites

AUGUST 2-5 National ESGR Leadership Training, Washington, D.C. 3 Student Veterans Summit, Colorado Springs, CO 16 Colorado Springs Employers Event with Panther Racing, U.S. Chamber of Commerce & Colorado National Guard 16-19 Advanced Ombudsman Training Alexandria, VA 17 ESGR Employer Appreciation Luncheon, CO National Guard Armory, Grand Junction 23-26 Basic Ombudsman Training Los Alamitos, Ca. 28 Employer Outreach VIP Briefing, U.S. Air force Academy SEPTEMBER 1 3-157th Field Artillery Battalion Employer Day Space Warning Squadron, Employer Day, Greeley New Volunteer Training

STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Pat OFlaherty Staff Director patrick.oflaherty2@us.army.mil 720.250.1176 Chandra Hance Program Support Specialist chandra.hance@us.army.mil 720.250.1189 FAX: 720.250.1199

COESGR Business Office 12200 East Briarwood Avenue, Suite 160 Centennial, Co 80112

State ESGR Chair Richard E. Young, RADM, USN (Ret) COLORADO ESGR DIRECTORS Military Outreach Mary Rathje Joe Ely Employer Outreach Bev Skinner Dave Pruett - Co-Director Ombudsmen Bill Belz Gary Brown Training Lynn Albi Special Programs Kip Cheroutes

State ESGR Vice Chair Tom Mills, Brigadier General, CONG (Ret). EMPLOYER OUTREACH AREA CHAIRS Boulder/Longmont Vacant Colorado Springs Mark Hustedt Mary Miller Cortez Area Robert Valencia Denver Area South Paula Kauffman Denver Area North Michael Mitchel Douglas County Area Lorin Ricker Estes Park Area Chair Gary Brown Fort Collins Vacant Grand Junction Lou Brackett Pueblo Harry Vogel

National Site News and Information Join Facebook and Twitter and become a friend of Colorado ESGR

NEWSLETTER EDITOR James Garrett

National Guard Liaison Robert Balster, BrigGen,USA Public Affairs Iris Fontera Kelly Mazezka - Deputy Employer Initiative Program Director Brad Gallup

Click on the Picture to go to the website. Colorados ESGR Electronic Newsletter is published not only for the information and benefit of the members of the Colorado ESGR but most importantly to our Guard and Reserve members and their employers. The contents of this newsletter highlight activities and events conducted by Colorado ESGR. Send comments regarding this publication to the Newsletter Editor: James Garrett at esgrcolorado@yahoo.com 7