Corboy & Demetrio Partner Thomas A. Demetrio Awarded for Supporting U.S. Military

Corboy & Demetrio founding partner Thomas A. Demetrio was presented with the Patriot Award by a representative of the Office of the Secretary of Defense on Jan. 15th at the Chicago law firm’s office.  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. 

“There is no greater national honor than serving in the U.S. military.  I believe it is also the patriotic duty of employers everywhere to support employees who wish to serve their country,” said Thomas A. Demetrio, who himself served six years in the Army Reserve.

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.  Also, longtime Corboy & Demetrio legal assistant Wanda Wells, who spent eight years in the Air Force Reserves, accepted the award along with Mr. Demetrio. 

The Award states that Mr. Demetrio is recognized as a “patriotic employer for contributing to national security and for protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.”

Ken Lumb agrees.  “Tom Demetrio and our law firm allowed me to serve my country during Operation Iraqi Freedom, at a time when hundreds of thousands of lives were on the line.  I can never repay him or the firm for what they did for me.  You hear stories all the time of soldiers coming home only to find out they’ve lost their jobs.  Our country needs more Tom Demetrios,” Lumb said.

Co-founding Corboy & Demetrio partner, the late Phil Corboy, served in the military as well.  Mr. Corboy served in the U.S. Army from 1943-1945.