ORNL staff recognized for leadership that helps Guard and Reserve teammates serve without barriers
Two Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) supervisors received Patriot Awards from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for supporting employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve, reflecting leadership that helps service members meet military obligations without unnecessary workplace barriers.
The awards recognize supervisors who provide practical support, including flexibility, understanding and encouragement during deployments and other military service commitments. This year’s ORNL honorees are Dan Janowski of the Information Technology Services Directorate (ITSD) and Stephen Welch of the Facilities and Operations Directorate (F&O).
Their nominators, Eric Lewis and Ben Spence, said that support helped them focus on military service knowing their responsibilities at ORNL were being managed by leaders and teammates at home.
In remarks at the ceremony, ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer, highlighted ORNL’s core values, including impact, integrity and service, and said the Patriot Awards put those values into action by connecting the lab’s national mission to its daily work. He noted that more than 10 percent of ORNL staff are members of the National Guard or Reserve or are veterans.
“ORNL is proud to have so many employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve,” said Streiffer. “Their commitment to our country, on top of their work here, is truly remarkable.”
Janowski and Welch credited Eric Lewis, ITSD project manager, and Ben Spence, reliability engineering electrician, and the broader ITSD and F&O teams for stepping up during the deployment.
“Eric and Ben earned this recognition as much as we did,” said Janowski. “They served overseas and still cared about the mission here. I am proud of them and grateful for the teams that stepped up. They covered down for them because we respect their service and trust them. We wanted them to focus on the mission overseas and know their work at ORNL stayed in good hands.”
Lewis, an ORNL IT project manager, described that support in his nomination and pointed to Janowski’s firsthand understanding of military service.
“As an Army veteran, Dan deeply understands the sacrifices and challenges that come with serving our nation while balancing professional responsibilities,” Lewis wrote. “His perspective as a veteran has allowed him to provide not only practical guidance but also genuine empathy, ensuring I feel supported both personally and professionally during this transition.
Spence said Welch, his supervisor, reinforced ORNL’s workplace culture of respecting service members and removing barriers when duty calls.
“Stephen’s [Welch’s] leadership has been instrumental in fostering a culture of respect and understanding for service members within our organization,” Spence said. “He has gone above and beyond to advocate for my role, ensuring that my projects remain on track while also protecting my ability to serve without unnecessary burdens or setbacks.”
Streiffer also recognized the directorate leaders whose support helps make that kind of flexibility possible.
“I also want to thank the leaders of the two directorates represented here: Kris Torgerson for IT Services and Ann Weaver for Facilities and Operations,” he said. “Your support for your organization helps make days like this possible.”
Supporting National Guard and Reserve employees starts with planning and follow-through, especially in directorates where the work does not pause.
Supporting National Guard and Reserve employees starts with planning and follow-through, especially in directorates where the work does not pause.
“As a veteran myself, I know what we ask of our service members and their families,” said Torgerson, director of ITSD and chief information officer. “Supporting those who are still serving is not just an honor — it is a duty. Our job as leaders is to make sure they can answer the call and return to a team that has their back. In ITSD, that means planning for coverage the same way we plan for resilience so our Guard and Reserve teammates can serve without a second worry.”
Ann Weaver, ORNL deputy for operations, echoed that focus on reliable coverage and efficient handoffs.
“We are proud to support our service members who step forward when duty calls. Facilities and Operations is an engaged directorate. We look out for one another beyond job descriptions and work orders completed. When duty calls, we adjust schedules and crews so our service members can serve, teams stay supported and we continue to drive the mission forward seamlessly.”
For service members, that support shows up in the small, steady decisions teams make long before a deployment begins, and it often becomes most apparent once they are away from their day-to-day work.
Lewis emphasized what that support meant while he served away from his day-to-day responsibilities.
“The lab’s leadership and the collective support of these colleagues exemplify the highest standards of teamwork, sacrifice, and service,” Lewis wrote. “They remind me that while I may be stepping away from my daily responsibilities, I am not stepping away from a team that values my service and stands firmly behind me.”
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the DOE’s Office of Science. The Office of Science is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is committed to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit energy.gov/science.
