CLARKSVILLE, IN (January 17, 2024) – Clarksville Deputy Fire Chief Dennis Johnson is being honored for his commitment to supporting our armed forces. Deputy Chief Johnson was recently named a ‘Patriotic Employer’ by the office of the Secretary of Defense. Specifically, the award comes from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESRG) which is the lead U.S. Defense Department program promoting cooperation and understanding between civilian employers and their National Guard and Reserve employees.
According the the ESRG, the Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. Deputy Chief Johnson was nominated by Clarksville Firefighter Tim Cook, a member of the Army National Guard. Cook is currently on deployment to Africa and has been serving there for the last year. His nomination read in part:
“Dennis cares about my family and understands the high tempo and training required of me being in a specialized unit. He is someone I look up to as a hero and confide in him for mentorship and guidance through both my military and civilian careers. He has always given his full support to me for years; I am more than fortunate to have a supervisor such as himself leading the way. He isn’t simply ‘following the rules’ that are required of him as a supervisor, he especially cares for all firefighters currently serving and follows up frequently with them to help provide the benefits they deserve.” -Tim Cook
Cook also pointed out in his nomination that Deputy Chief Johnson served in the U.S. Armed Forces and understood what it is like to be a servicemember. Johnson spent eight and a half years in the U.S. Navy and served in Operation Desert Storm with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Johnson was surprised and delighted when he received the news of receiving the award.
“I am honored to have been nominated and receive this Patriotic Employer Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR),” said Deputy Chief Johnson. “Thank you to Tim for his kind words and the ESGR for recognizing me.”
The Town of Clarksville is proud of Deputy Chief Dennis Johnson for his exemplary service and effort in supporting our troops, and we congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.
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