From left, Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benny M. Paulino, GU-CNMI ESGR Vice Chair; Lt. Col. Victor Balajadia, Director of Staff, Guam Air National Guard; Captain Robert Kistner, U.S. Coast Guard; Lt. Col. Romeo Sanchez, 1st-294th Infantry Battalion, Guam Army National Guard: Acting Gov. Joshua Tenorio; Cathyann C. Gogue, GU-CNMI ESGR State Chair; Gregorio Castro, President & CEO, Pacific Engineering Group and Services, LLC. receiving award; U.S. Navy Captain Craig S. Der Ananian, Navy Readiness and Mobilization Command, San Diego; Col. Ernest Govea, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, U.S. Marine Corp.; Lt. Col. Penny Sima, U.S. Army Reserve; Maj. Benjamin Guerrero, U.S. Air Force Reserve; and Lt. Commander Brian Matic, U.S. Navy Reserve. The photo was taken during the awarding of the 2024 Pro Patria Award – Small Business category to PEGS at the 16th Employers Awards luncheon on Aug. 29, 2024 at Hyatt Regency Guam.
Contributed photo
THE Guam-CNMI Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve on Monday announced that Pacific Engineering Group & Services or PEGS has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
It is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to employers who demonstrate exceptional support for their National Guard and Reserve employees.
In a statement to Variety, Guam-CNMI ESGR said the recognition is a historic milestone for the region, marking the first time in over 10 years that a Guam-CNMI-based employer has reached finalist status.
“This is a tremendous achievement not just for PEGS, but for our entire ESGR committee — especially for our team in the CNMI. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the outstanding support provided by our local employers recognized on a national level,” Guam-CNMI ESGR State Chair Cathy Gogue said.
From 1,629 nominations across the country, and among the 54 state committees, 30 finalists were selected after a rigorous review process, Gogue said. Of the 30 finalists, 15 employers will ultimately be chosen to receive the 2025 Freedom Award, and the Department of Defense is expected to announce the final awardees in June.
PEGS President Gregorio Castro expressed his gratitude for this prestigious recognition.
“I am truly humbled that PEGS has been named a finalist. While I did what I did for my service member, Specialist Jamerie Paras, this nomination is a reflection of my family and the entire PEGS team who support our service members in the CNMI. We wanted Jam to know how grateful we are for her service in the Army Reserve and that we are here to support her in every way we can,” he said.
PEGS is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business and now joins an exclusive list of Guam employers who have reached finalist status since the award’s inception in 1996. Only two other Guam-based organizations have previously made it to this level:
The Judiciary of Guam in 2014 and Alpha Insurers in 2008.
This recognition highlights the critical role that local employers play in supporting the men and women who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition for civilian employers who go above and beyond to support their military employees. To date, only a select group of employers nationwide have received this prestigious honor.
The ESGR Employer Support Freedom Award was established in 1996 and has recognized more than 300 employers nationwide for their exemplary support of military service members.
For more information about ESGR or the Freedom Award visit www.esgr.mil or visit www.freedomaward.mil/.
You may also call ESGR’s Guam-CNMI State Committee Public Affairs Director Deborah Weger at (671) 777-2220 or email stelstar@guam.net/.
