Thomas A. Demetrio Signs Statement of Support for the U.S. National Guard and Reserve

Thomas A. Demetrio, founding partner of the Chicago law firm of Corboy & Demetrio, has signed a formal “Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve,” publicly pledging to honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which protects members of the Guard and Reserve when they return to their jobs after their serving in the military.

“Pledging to enforce a federal law that’s designed to help our soldiers return to their workforce after they sacrificed their lives for all of us is easy to do and the bare minimum of what we owe these brave men and women,” Demetrio said. 

In the Statement of Support, Demetrio also agreed to “continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in crisis, and in war” and to “appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills” service members bring to the workforce.

In January, Demetrio was presented with the Patriot Award by a representative of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.  The award recognizes extraordinary support of employee participation in the National Guard and Reserve Force.   Major (Ret.) John Fell of the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented the award. 

Mr. Demetrio’s steadfast support of the U.S. military was shown when he hired C&D lawyer Major (Ret.) Kenneth T. Lumb.  Lumb served four years on active duty in the Army’s JAG Corps as a Medical Claims Judge Advocate and 20 years in the Reserves.   While employed by Corboy & Demetrio, he was mobilized in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and spent six months on active duty at Walter Reed in Washington, DC.  Demetrio himself served six years in the Army Reserve.   Also, longtime Corboy & Demetrio legal assistant Wanda Wells spent eight years in the Air Force Reserves.

For more information about the ESGR “Statement of Support” program, visit http://www.esgr.org/sos.