BNSF News

Eldon Prax Recognized for Support of Employee in National Guard

2009-09-21

When Jerry Jacques was mobilized in 2008 for hurricane duty along the Texas coast, he didn't get much notice.

Jacques, a consulting systems engineer in Telecommunications, notified his supervisor, Eldon Prax, about his orders and that he had to deploy within four hours. Prax, manager, Telecommunications, turned his attention to helping Jacques prepare to go. After his return, Jacques, in turn, nominated Prax for an award from the National Committee for Employee Support for the Guard and Reserve.

Prax, manager, Telecommunications, is a former Marine who understood the importance of fast turnaround for reserve members.

"Jerry is a member of the Texas Air National Guard," Prax said. "I absolutely support everything Jerry's doing."

Prax said that while his name is on the award, the whole team stepped up and is deserving of recognition.

For example, Prax enlisted the rest of the team to help manage Jacques' job responsibilities, and the soldier was ready to leave, from a BNSF perspective, within 12 hours.

But Prax and his team didn't stop there. They also contacted Jacques as well as his wife and young children regularly while Jacques was away.

Jacques said he couldn't express gratitude enough for Prax's support and action on his behalf while he was deployed.

"During my deployment, I receive many e-mails and calls from Mr. Prax asking how he could help out. Does your family need anything? Do you need anything? Who can I talk to, to help out? Mr. Prax's devotion, drive and patriotism were inspirational and motivating, an average citizen going beyond and above the call to lend a helping hand to his fellow citizen," Jacques said.

"We wanted to be sure they had what they needed," Prax said. "We tried to help where we could."

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