TriWest Healthcare Alliance has been honored by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve with the Extraordinary Employer Support Award for its strong support of the National Guard and Reserve community.

The ESGR Award was created to recognize premier companies that support National Guard and Reserve service, according to a release.

“We are honored to be recognized for our hard work to provide rewarding employment opportunities for our outstanding National Guard and Reserve forces,” TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre Jr. said in a prepared statement. “Ensuring employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve can maintain meaningful employment while fulfilling their obligation to serve our nation in uniform has always been central to who we are as a company. For 25 years, serving America’s military and veterans has been our sacred mission, and we are proud to be dedicated to this important work.”

Only prior recipients of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award or the Pro Patria Award, who have demonstrated sustained employment support of military service members for three years, are eligible for ESGR’s Extraordinary Employer Support Award.

TriWest was honored with the Freedom Award in 2009.

Dan Irving, Arizona ESGR state chairman, presented the award to Mr. McIntyre during a ceremony Monday, April 19, at TriWest corporate headquarters in Phoenix.

“Receiving the ESGR Extraordinary Employer Award recognizes TriWest’s strong support of its Guard and Reserve employees, which has greatly contributed to their mission success,” Mr. Irving said in a prepared statement. “TriWest is a premier organization when it comes to taking care of America’s Guard and Reserve employees. Without continual employment support for the Guard and Reserve from exemplary companies like TriWest, our nation could not sustain an all-volunteer force.”

TriWest supports the health care needs of veterans by offering access to quality provider networks and claims payment services through the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network in Regions 4 and 5. For 17 years, TriWest administered the Department of Defense TRICARE program.

“We couldn’t do this important work without the passion and commitment of our employees, all of whom are dedicated to ensuring our nation’s military and Veterans receive the quality care they have earned, and so rightfully deserve,” Mr. McIntyre said. “We will continue to innovate as a company, and we look forward to serving our military and Veterans for many years to come.”