Johns Hopkins APL recognized for support of National Guard and Military Reserve

For the second year in a row, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has earned Department of Defense recognition for its support of personnel who also serve in National Guard and Reserve units.

Laurel, Maryland-based APL received For the Fatherland and Seven Seals awards from DoD Guard and Reserve employer support (ESGR) Maryland Committee. This comes one year after four APL personnel received ESGR Patriot Awards for their support of fellow personnel who also serve in National Guard or Reserve units. To receive the Pro Patria Award, an employer must have been previously recognized by the ESGR office.

The lab was nominated for ESGR recognition by Casey R. Smith, a program operations coordinator at APL and a petty officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve who works in air support logistics.

“I am grateful for all the support my APL team gives me when I go on reserve, despite the occasional extended time away from the office,” said Smith. “The lab even has a program to cover the difference between my APL pay and my military pay when I’m deployed. I think it reflects well on senior management.”

APL was the largest employer in Maryland to receive the Pro Patria Award, the highest recognition given by statewide ESGR committees.

The recognition speaks volumes for how APL’s culture supports personnel who want to continue serving the nation in the Reserve and National Guard, and it comes as no surprise to Larry Harvell, the Lab’s military and veteran recruiting program leader. By design, Harvell said APL missions align very closely with DoD missions, and APL leaders uphold their stated commitment to support veterans, reservists and National Guard members.

“To get these awards, you have to be nominated by either a member of the National Guard or a reservist,” Harvell said. “This means that, as an organisation, APL is the type of place where staff feel a level of support from management that makes them want to take the time to nominate their employer.”

Smith said the support he received from the APL during a challenging year of fulfilling his military commitments inspired him to do something to show his appreciation. Earlier this year, Smith spent a month away, receiving advanced specialized training for his Navy job. He then deployed to the Red Sea region with VR-53 Capital Express Squadron, one of the Navy’s five C-130 squadrons.

While deployed, Smith was the lead NCO for mission operations, managing flight plans, coordinating crew seating, briefing pilots on mission logistics, and keeping track of documents for delivered cargo.

Smith coordinated the delivery of replacement engines and critical operations supplies to forward deployed forces and also managed the delivery of mail and care packages to sailors at sea.

“One of the most rewarding things I work on is orchestrating the delivery of care packages and Amazon deliveries,” Smith said. “As a deployment goes on, naval stores run out of supplies, so these deliveries are important to boost morale at sea.”