The citizen warriors of the National Guard and Reserve carry forward a tradition as old as our Republic itself, building careers in the communities they serve while answering our Nation’s call in its hour of need.  Their service strengthens our communities, powers our economy, and keeps our military second to none.  During National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week, we honor our heroes in uniform and the patriotic employers who stand behind them—a partnership that sustains our all-volunteer force and secures the cause of American freedom.

National Guardsmen and Reservists across our great country are fellow Americans who teach our children, raise our buildings, grow our food, care for our sick, and strengthen our economy.  When their country summons them, they answer without hesitation by deploying overseas as part of our Armed Forces or responding here at home to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other crises with fearless resolve.

Since returning to office, I have directed the National Guard to restore law and order, secure our borders, and protect our communities.  I have mobilized National Guardsmen to some of America’s most dangerous cities, where they stand constant vigil over transit hubs, public spaces, and federal facilities, freeing local authorities to pursue the violent criminals who have terrorized law-abiding citizens for too long.  Thanks to their efforts, in 2025 violent crime fell at a pace unmatched in modern American history, the property crime dropped by over 12% from the year before – the second largest in history, and our Nation is on track for its lowest homicide rate in more than a century this year after tying the record in 2025. In the first half of this year alone, murders across our major cities are falling 18 percent, and carjackings are dropping by nearly half.  Business owners who once closed their shops at sundown now stay open into the evening, employers can staff late-night shifts they struggled to fill a year ago, and parents can let their children live in their communities without fear of tragedy.  In town centers and neighborhoods written off for decades, Americans are opening more businesses, buying more homes, and putting down roots once more, thanks to the heroic actions of our National Guardsmen. 

None of the National Guard and Reserve’s tremendous accomplishments would be possible without America’s employers, who keep faith with their workforce wherever duty calls.  From family-owned shops on Main Street to the largest corporations in our country, these employers hold positions open, keep benefits in place, and welcome their employees home after every mission.  They give National Guardsmen and Reservists the flexibility and support they need to train, deploy, and fulfill their military duties without sacrificing the careers they have worked hard to build.  In return, they gain some of America’s best workers, whose leadership, discipline, and skills are strengthened through their service.

This week, the First Lady and I salute every National Guardsman and Reservist, the military spouses and families whose sacrifice at home makes every mission possible, and the employers who stand behind them.  Together, we will keep our communities thriving and our Armed Forces the strongest and most respected the world has ever known.