Chicopee mayor receives Patriot Award, signs Statement of Support

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. James Bishop
  • 439th AW Public Affairs
CHICOPEE, Mass. --  In a double-ceremony on Jan. 4, Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette signed a "Statement of Support" for the city's guard and reserve members, and earned a "My Boss Is A Patriot" award for his support of a reservist city employee.

"I accept on behalf of all the businesses in the city that support reservists, not just in wartime but in peacetime as well," said Mayor Bissonnette during the morning ceremony, adding, "It's important to recognize the wonderful partnership between the city and the base."

Master Sgt. Kim Babin nominated Mayor Bissonnette for the Patriot Award. Sergeant Babin serves as the Director of Veterans' Services for the City of Chicopee and as NCOIC for the 439th Airlift Wing Airman and Family Readiness Center.

This is the first time in recent memory the mayor of Chicopee has received a Patriot Award, said Earl Bonett, Ombudsman for the Massachusetts Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between reserve component members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.

Employers may sign a statement of support, and reservists may recognize their employers with a "My Boss is a Patriot" award to show support for an employee's reserve status. More information is available at esgr.org.