Austin Receives Recognition for Supporting Troops

The City of Austin will soon be receiving a special recognition that hits home to many of its residents and comes just in time for one of the countries most important holidays.  According to the Austin Business Journal, the city will be receiving the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

This special award goes out to those cities and employers that demonstrate a great deal of support for U.S. troops.  Of the 2,200 nominations the Secretary of Defense received this year, the City of Austin is the only municipality to receive the award and is one of only 15 employers in the United States to be honored for its dedication to its troops.

“We greatly value the men and women who both work for the city and for our country, ensuring that we can enjoy our freedom,” said City Council Member Lee Leffingwell, who is a Navy veteran that served in Vietnam. “This award helps recognize the tremendous value of those employees.”

This special award was created by the Department of Defense in 1996. In order to be eligible for the award, recipients must provide special benefits, pay policies, supervisor training, leave policies, and support for the families of military personnel.