The Department of Defense recognized Melaleuca with a Patriotic Employer Award for providing extraordinary support to those serving in the military.
The Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) selected Melaleuca for the award after learning how the company supported Army Specialist Nathan Johnson while he served on active duty orders for two years.
Specialist Johnson, a nine-year Melaleuca employee who was fully activated from August 2012 to July 2014, is scheduled to return to active duty again in August 2015. During the ceremony, he expressed his appreciation for the ongoing support he has received from Melaleuca ever since he joined the Army National Guard three years ago.
“Melaleuca was extremely supportive to me and my wife while I served on active duty for two years,” said SPC Johnson. “During that time, my supervisor made sure my job was secure. Human Resources continually kept in contact with us. The company made sure my family received free Melaleuca products every month, so we could benefit from these health products. These gestures, along with many others, made a big difference. They made us feel like we had a connection, and they were watching out for us.”
“When I returned to work, everything was so smooth,” SPC Johnson continued. “I didn’t have to worry about loads of paperwork or fight for hours to get things done. All those potential sources of stress were avoided, because Melaleuca took care of it for me.”
SPC Johnson recalled his decision to join the military. “After working with Melaleuca for six years and knowing its patriotic values, I had no hesitation in joining the Army National Guard with the knowledge that I would be deployed for an extended period of time. I knew that Melaleuca would take care of me since it honors the men and women who fight to secure our freedoms.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, SPC Johnson specifically thanked Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot for creating a corporate culture that supports our soldiers. “Through his leadership, he’s cultivated strong values and a sense of importance when it comes to our military, to our nation and what it means to be an American.”
The Department of Defense’s ESGR seeks to promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees.
“Melaleuca was nominated for being highly supportive of their Army Guardsmen, including SPC Nathan Johnson,” Idaho ESGR Chair Emeritus Scott Reese said. “Supportive employers like Melaleuca are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s National Guard and Reserve units.”
