Oak Forest HS Athletic Director Receives Patriot Award

Congratulations to Oak Forest High School Athletic Director Ron Towner who recently received the Department of Defense Patriotic Employer Award for supporting his national guard employee, OFHS Swim Coach Mike Forsythe. Mr. Towner received the award from Mr. John Carlson of the Department of Defense.

Towner was nominated for this award by Coach Forsythe, who is a member of the 933rd Military Police (MP) Company. Forsythe was recently called to active duty and Mr. Towner wholeheartedly supported him. Towner said, “Mike was deployed to Puerto Rico to help [with the situation there]. It was never a question of supporting him to go.”

This award is sponsored by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense program which was established in 1972 to help facilitate cooperation between members of the Reserves and their civilian employers.

In Towner’s nomination, Forsythe said, “Ron Towner allows me to continue my service to my country without any restrictions or reservations. He allows me easy transitions in and out of military service and supports what I do. I participated in two hurricane relief call-ups and was deployed to one. He has supported these activations. I believe that Ron Towner should be recognized for his understanding and his commitment to making my transitions back into civilian life an easy transition.”