Joel Sneed Receives Patriot Award
Sneed served in the United States Navy from 1979 to 1983.
On April 24, 2025, Joel Sneed, Assistant Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA), received the Patriot Award. It was presented in a ceremony by Rob Lawrence, Military Outreach Director of Florida for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Sneed served from 1979 to 1983 in the United States Navy as an Air Crewman.
The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made by an individual to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed. Morgan Hughes, who currently serves in the Florida Army National Guard, nominated Sneed for the award. Sneed supported Hughes during his training obligations while working in OIA.
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of nearly 2,300 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education, and prior military service, bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, Service members, and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve.
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