LEWISTON – Police Chief William Welch and Deputy Chief Michael Bussiere were presented with a “My Boss is a Patriot Award” from the Maine Committee for the Employer Support of Guard and Reserves.

LPD Officer Ryan Guay, who was called to active duty with the Marine Reserve Unit in Topsham from Jan. 16, 2003, through Jan. 15, 2004, nominated Welch and Bussiere due to the outstanding support given to him and his wife, Kim.

Guay said Welch and Bussiere kept in regular contact with his wife and were supportive of an effort by Lewiston police officers to assist Ryan’s wife when moving to the couple’s new home in June of 2003.

Guay added, “The support that I received from the department enabled me to carry on with the duties I had to fulfill overseas and not have to worry about what was taking place back home. The fact that the chief and deputy chief went above and beyond by caring about not only me as an employee but about my wife as well meant a great deal to me.”

Guay, a corporal, is assigned with the A Co., 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, Topsham. Accompanying Guay at the ceremony and assisting with the presentation was Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Masters, Marine Corps.

Major Steve Hatt, executive director of the Maine committee, who facilitated the ceremony, said, “Military force and demands have changed dramatically, and employer support efforts have had to change as well. Occasionally, we find exceptionally supportive employers who have gone above and beyond the requirements of the law and have even encouraged and accommodated employees to participate in the Guard and Reserve, making it easier for reservists to balance their employment and military obligations.”

Hatt said when such exemplary employer support is observed, a reservist may nominate their employers for the “Patriot Employer” award, hence the March 16 presentation at the city council meeting.

Welch said, “I found the award to be very humbling, as there was never any question of us not supporting Ryan when he was called to defend what we have here in this country. The entire police department felt it was our obligation to assist in any way that we could and to lend a helping hand whenever possible.”

The support group began in 1972 with the inception of the Total Force Policy, which eliminated the draft. The major change in military strategy placed reliance on an all-volunteer force and called on the nation’s employers to support voluntary participation in the uniformed services by protecting civilian employment.

At that time, guard/reserve units were a reserve force. Today, however, the reserve components comprise nearly half of the total force: 1.3 million active duty and 1.2 million reserve. According to Hatt, in Maine alone, the war on terrorism has had a direct impact on some 3,000 of the 6,000 reserve citizen soldiers.