Arizona\u2019s Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve\u2014a division of the Department of Defense\u2014recently announced that NAU will be honored with the Above and Beyond Award<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past five years as a professor in the Athletic Training Department, I\u2019ve received military orders that disrupt my schedule here at NAU, and my department and fellow colleagues have been nothing but understanding and supportive,\u201d Raab said. \u201cEven on a personal level, fellow staffers have gone out of their way to help my wife during times I\u2019m called out of the state for Reserve duty. I\u2019m very happy to learn that NAU will be receiving an award for its\u00a0continued support of military employees like myself.\u201d<\/p>\n The award is given to companies and institutions that\u00a0go above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by\u00a0providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as\u00a0differential\u00a0or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits and other similar benefits.<\/p>\n Raab said it is common for guard and reserve plans to change at the last minute, making it challenging for his direct supervisor. In addition to the 14 to 21 days of mandatory Reserve training each year, there also are online training hours, extended drill weekends and the required potential for prolonged active duty orders.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an honor to be able to support Scot in his service to our country,\u201d said Debbie Craig<\/strong>, director of Athletic Training Education at NAU. \u201cThere are not a lot of citizens\u2014including myself\u2014that would give up our current jobs to serve, yet our freedom depends on people being willing to do this. I am fully supportive of Scot\u2019s service in whatever way we can accommodate him and am so pleased that NAU, as an institution, is super supportive through policy for our military personnel.\u201d<\/p>\n NAU will be awarded the Above and Beyond award during the Arizona Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Awards Banquet<\/a> on April 15 in Tucson.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing my employer not only supports but values what I do as a member of the Army Reserve means a great deal to me,\u201d Raab said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to serve my country and NAU, and grateful to be able to do both at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![](\"http:\/\/stage.headlessnauedu-b6hgdzckfdgxgzhe.westus-01.azurewebsites.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/esgraward-300x200.jpeg\")
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