Pentagon honors Kzoo, Holland employers

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - The Pentagon says Kalamazoo's public safety department and a Holland company are finalists for an award recognizing employer support for workers who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

The Defense Department's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program announced the selections Tuesday for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

The 30 finalists were picked from 3,236 nominations. They include Uniform Color Co. of Holland and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

The Pentagon says the Kalamazoo agency started a Family Readiness Group that helps the families of deployed employees. It says the department retrained an employee to shoot left-handed after his right hand was injured in combat.

The military says the Uniform Color Co. actively recruits military personnel in need of work.