Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization. It is a staff group within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (OASD/RA), which is in itself a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

The nation's Reserve components (referring to the total of all National Guard members and Reserve forces from all branches of the military) comprise approximately 48 percent of our total available military manpower. The current National Defense Strategy indicates that the National Guard and Reserve will be full partners in the fully integrated Total Force. Our Reserve forces will spend more time away from the workplace defending the nation, supporting a demanding operations tempo and training to maintain their mission readiness.

In this environment, civilian employers play a critical role in the defense of the nation by complying with existing employment laws protecting the rights of workers who serve in the Reserve component.

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. It is the lead DoD organization for this mission under DoD Directive 1250.1.

Today, ESGR operates through a network of thousands of volunteers throughout the nation and Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Vision

Develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees with ESGR as the principal advocate within DoD.

Mission Statement

We will develop and promote employer support for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws, and resolving conflict between employers and service members.

Customers

All Employers

All Uniformed Service Members

Families of affected Service Members

Stakeholders

Congress and State and Territory Governors

Department of Defense

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Labor

Uniformed Services

Goals

1.      Gain and maintain support from employers of Guard and Reserve Service Members

2.      Educate customers and stakeholders

3.      Advocate within DoD for RC employers

4.      Continue to refine the ESGR organization for relevancy, effectiveness, and efficiency

5.      Advocate for employer issues of military families

6.      Facilitate employment transitions relating to the continuum of military service

7.  Enhance brand awareness of ESGR to all customers and stakeholders