From Raleigh's Jamie Applequist, a senior vice president of the State Employees' Credit Union and a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. SECU was one of 15 employers to receive the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award:

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I find myself reflecting on the many things I am thankful for in life. I am approaching 20 years in the United States Air Force and soon will be eligible to retire. Retirement has not come in the way I thought it would. After seven years of active duty, I made a decision not to re-enlist. I knew I wanted to stay connected to the military, though, and decided there was no better way to do so than commit to the Air Force Reserves.

As I embarked on a dual life with a new civilian career and Reserve military career, I did not know how significant their interconnectivity would be, and how much I would come to appreciate my employer's support of my service.

My civilian career began with the State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) in 1999. Employers at that time accommodated Guard and Reserve employees' service, but 9/11changed that dynamic dramatically. Our National Guard and Reserve have been utilized more than ever before. Two-week training periods have been replaced with long, grueling deployments.

As the life of the Guardsman and Reservist changed, so too did the role of the civilian employer. It was not long after 9/11 that I deployed for my first extended tour as a Reservist. I was working in a small credit union branch for SECU, and I will never forget the fear I had when I went to tell my boss I was being activated. I expected the worst, but received the opposite. He delivered a full vote of confidence and assured me the credit union would be behind me every step of the way. Not once did I worry about my position being there for me when I got back.

And while I was gone, SECU was amazing, frequently checking on my family and regularly sending care packages to me and my fellow airmen. There are few ways to describe just how valuable this type of support and peace of mind can be when you are leaving your family and job behind for a long deployment.

While most Guardsmen and Reservists have similar employer stories, there are some unfortunate cases. I recall one of our younger troops being let go from his job because of his extended deployment.

That is when I first made contact with the Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR educates and advocates for both Guard and Reserve members and their employers.

Their mission is critical. Despite acquiring leadership and skill-sets through their service, Guard and Reserve members face a higher unemployment rate than civilians.

That's why those of us with supportive employers feel such gratitude, and why I nominated SECU for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the DoD's highest honor for civilian employers of Guard and Reserve members.

This Thanksgiving season, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had in my life serving my country, my family and the State Employees' Credit Union. I encourage all Guard and Reserve members to join me in thanking supportive employers by nominating yours for the 2012 Freedom Award at www.FreedomAward.mil before January 16.