FORT WORTH, Texas — The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) has again been recognized for its support of the armed forces during Operating Enduring Freedom. This month BNSF was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding and continuing support of the National Guard and Reserve by Capt. Richard Robey, United States Naval Reserve (USNR) and Command Master Chief James Higgins. “I would like to see more companies do what BNSF has done,” said Captain Robey. “BNSF represents the top 1 percent of companies.”
During the presentation, Capt. Robey also surprised BNSF trainmaster George Deleon of Needles, Calif., by presenting him with three different awards. The awards included the Reserve Sailor of the Quarter award, which is given to the top sailor per quarter. Deleon also was given an achievement medal for his professional achievement while serving as a training petty officer, which included establishing a cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program where he certified more than 32 military personnel. The award states that Deleon’s initiative, perseverance and loyal devotion to duty reflected credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval service. Deleon served in Thailand with Capt. Robey protecting Navy and cargo ships from potential terrorist attacks. “BNSF continued paying my wages which allowed me to focus on my mission,” says Deleon.
On September 9, BNSF was also recognized by Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns, Nebraska Commissioner of Labor Fernando Lecuona, and Major General Roger Lempke at a ceremony in Scottsbluff, Nebraska for BNSF’s “efforts to support and encourage Nebraska workers to serve our country through the National Guard and Reserve.” The Nebraska award was part of the 12th annual “Celebrate Nebraska Workers Industry Tour” conducted by the Nebraska Department of Labor and with the support of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).
BNSF has had 71 employees called to support either Operation Noble Eagle, defense of the continental United States, or Operation Enduring Freedom, deployment to the Middle East. BNSF pays the difference between the employee’s BNSF compensation and the salary paid by the military. BNSF is also providing uninterrupted BNSF health benefits for employees called to active service and their eligible dependents.
In March, 2002, BNSF received its first national award of recognition from ESGR. The Department of Defense chartered ESGR in 1972. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was created to inform employers of the importance of the National Guard and Reserve.
A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE: BNI – News), BNSF operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America, with 33,000 route miles covering 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at www.bnsf.com . The railway is America’s largest grain-hauling railroad, transports the mineral components of many of the products we depend on daily, moves more intermodal traffic than any other rail system in the world, and hauls enough coal to generate more than 10 percent of the electricity produced in the United States.