Cary Heck, assistant professor in the UW Department of Criminal Justice, will receive
a Patriot Award.
Cary Heck, assistant professor in the UW Department of Criminal Justice, will receive an award for helping a student continue college courses while on military assignment overseas.
He will receive an ESGR (Employment Support of the Guard and Reserve) Patriot Award Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. in the Wyoming Union West Ballroom. Heck was nominated by Evan Reed, who graduated in December. A staff sargent in the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing, Reed was deployed to both Spain and Iraq while attending UW.
Though Reed didn't have daily Internet access or phone, Heck provided certain assignments with set deadlines that were workable throughout the rigors of deployment so that Reed could finish the courses.
"He constantly helped me to keep on track to get my degree on time," Reed said. "I nominated him to recognize his endless support while I served overseas."
ESGR, a Department of Defense organization, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation
and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers and
to help resolve conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. Military
personnel nominate individuals who are willing to "maintain contact with Guard and
Reserve employees while they are on annual training or mobilized," among other criteria.
