Lanier Village Estates, an Acts Retirement-Life Community in Gainesville, Georgia, recently hosted a special ceremony recognizing one of its own for outstanding support of military service. Steven Anderson, Director of Property Management, was presented with the prestigious Patriot Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an organization within the Department of Defense that advocates for National Guard members and Reservists in the workplace. The award was given in recognition of Anderson’s exceptional support of employees serving in the military, particularly Army Reservist Aaron Bundy, who nominated him for the honor.
Bundy, the Director of Security and Transportation at Lanier Village Estates, has proudly served in the Army Reserve for 18 years. His role as 1SG of a military intelligence company, consisting of 82 soldiers, requires significant commitment, which can sometimes conflict with his civilian work responsibilities. Over the past year, Bundy faced additional military deployments beyond his typical one weekend a month and two weeks of annual training. Despite the short notice—sometimes as little as three days—Anderson’s response was always one of unwavering support.
“This year has been a little excessive in that I've been called up twice in addition to my normal commitments. Each time was for a period of two weeks, and each time was incredibly short notice,” Bundy said. “I love my time in the military, but it is also incredibly stressful when I get called away. There are many family challenges to overcome, and it’s so unbelievably wonderful that I've never gotten even a hint of hassle from work about my commitments.”
Bundy went on to praise Anderson’s consistent support, adding, “I notify Steven as soon as I find out, and his response is always just, ‘See you when you get back.’” He emphasized how rare such understanding is from employers, especially given the balancing act between military and civilian responsibilities.
“An employer/supervisor that is this understanding of my service is the exception and not the rule,” Bundy said. “I’m so completely grateful for this job and Acts because I've seen firsthand how hard it can be to balance civilian and military work commitments.”
Bundy also shared that in his military role, he often must intervene on behalf of fellow reservists when their employers fail to uphold their rights. This makes Anderson’s and Acts’ supportive attitude stand out even more.
“Through the years, I've seen many different ways employers deal with the challenge of employing a reservist. Acts has been about the best experience I have ever had,” Bundy said.
It was this deep appreciation that led him to nominate Anderson for the ESGR Patriot Award.
In addition to Anderson’s personal recognition, Acts Retirement-Life Communities received a Statement of Support Certificate from ESGR. This certificate, which is logged at the Pentagon, underscores Acts’ commitment to being a military-friendly employer, demonstrating to former military job seekers that the organization values and supports their service.
Steven Anderson’s recognition by ESGR reflects the spirit of camaraderie and understanding that permeates Lanier Village Estates and Acts Retirement-Life Communities as a whole. It also highlights the importance of employers standing behind their employees’ military commitments—a gesture that does not go unnoticed by those who serve.