CUMBERLAND — The U.S. Department of Defense has recognized Allegany County government and the Allegany County Board of Education for their employer support of the National Guard and Reserve.

The Above and Beyond Award was presented to both organizations on behalf of the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve forces for outstanding service and continuing support to the national defense.

The Maryland Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee hosted a luncheon and ceremony earlier this month in Frederick. Brian Westfall, director of human resources and personnel services, and Larry Schlossnagle, risk manager/safety instructor, represented Allegany County government. Schlossnagle saw active duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was in the U.S. Army National Guard for 35 years and retired as a sergeant first class.

The county award was announced during the county commissioners public meeting Thursday morning.

School system employee Tom Preaskorn nominated the board of education for the award, which was announced by a news release Friday.

Preaskorn, who has served in the Army National Guard for 20 years and is trained to fly helicopters, was deployed to Iraq in 2007 to serve as a major in the West Virginia Army National Guard as an assured mobility officer for the 111th Engineering Brigade. His job was to make sure the main supply routes from Baghdad to Mosul in northeastern Iraq were open.

Preaskorn served his country in Iraq for nearly one year. “My deployment to Iraq was a very trying time for myself and my family, but the board of education fully supported me. We never had to worry with insurance issues, and I knew upon my return I would have my job back.”

According to the DOD committee, almost half of the U.S. military force resides in the Reserve Component, which is comprised of the National Guard and Reserve. Its members are unique in that they also have civilian employers.

An Allegany County Government employee is eligible for 15 days of paid military leave every year for training purposes as a member of the organized militia or the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Navy Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve or Coast Guard Reserve.