Phillips 66 receives Department of Defense award

Phillips 66 recently received the 2021 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a U.S. company for its support of active-duty National Guard and Reserve employees.  

It marks the first time Phillips 66 has received the award, which is presented by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense organization. ESGR received 3,382 nominations for the Freedom Award this year. 

“The support Phillips 66 provides its active-duty employees far exceeds requirements established by federal law and the company’s own HR policies,” said Phillips 66 Team Leader for Emergency Response and U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Cmdr. Jared Angelle, who alongside other colleagues nominated the company for the award. “The company has enabled me to focus on Coast Guard mission effectiveness when I’m called to serve.”  

Veterans account for 9% of Phillips 66’s workforce. The company was named to the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Employers rankings for 2020.  

ESGR presents up to 15 awards each year to employers in large business, small business and public sector categories. Nominations are submitted by a Guard or Reserve member employed by the organization or by a family member acting on their behalf. Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of Guard and Reserve members.  

Angelle and Senior Contract Specialist and Oklahoma Air National Guard Maintenance Officer Larry Murray were inspired to nominate the company more than a year ago, after multiple deployments while working at Phillips 66. Together, they reached out to fellow active-duty colleagues, including Network Analyst and U.S. Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. Shannon McNelley, to gather anecdotes on how the company has supported them. 

“I never felt I had to choose between a military career or my Phillips 66 career,” McNelley said. “Phillips 66 accommodated both, and they should be recognized for what they provide.”