John Velliky, Army Contracting Command-Warren, Mich., received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve's Patriot Award.

Da'Nell Heino, ESGR regional awards coordinator, presented the award to Velliky "for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America's National Guard and Reserve force."

"I am profoundly grateful for the support that Mr. Velliky and Army Contracting Command- Warren, have given me when I have been called away from my civilian job for military duty," said Chief Petty Officer Matthew Bakey, a member of the Navy Reserve. "Without the support of ACC-Warren, and especially Mr. Velliky and the rest of the Stryker Contracting Team, performing my military reserve duty would be next to impossible. As a result of his support, I nominated Mr. Velliky for the Patriot Award."

In his civilian capacity, Bakey is a contract specialist for ACC-Warren.

"I was truly honored to receive this award but I really am accepting on behalf of the team and the ACC as a whole," said Velliky, Stryker/Light Armored Vehicle Contracting Division chief, ACC-Warren. "It really is our overall policy to support the troops in every way we can, whether it is supplying equipment or to support training. We always pull together to do what we have to do for each other and this was no exception. Matthew is an important team member both here at Warren and to his military unit"

Bakey is back at his desk and is grateful to the organization for making his transition in and out of uniform go so smoothly.

"In the two years I have been at Stryker, Mr. Velliky has helped to ensure the seamless transition for me from Army civilian, to active Navy, and back to Army civilian on multiple occasions," Bakey said. "He and his team are truly deserving of this award."