INGALLS SHIPBUILDING AWARDED PROPATRIA AWARD FOR NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE SUPPORT

PASCAGOULA, Miss., Feb. 26, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division was awarded the ProPatria award by the Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Jeff Bruno, manager of risk management, accepted the award on behalf of Ingalls at an ESGR luncheon earlier this month.

"We are honored to receive the ProPatria Award from ESGR," said Edmond Hughes, Ingalls' vice president of human resources and administration. "At Ingalls, we are proud to see employees active in the National Guard and Reserve. It takes time, dedication and commitment to support your military service branch, your family and your company so we strive to do our part as an employer to give our employees the flexibility they need to accomplish all this."

The ProPatria award is the highest level award that may be presented by a state ESGR committee and is given annually to one small, one large and one public sector employer by each state's ESGR. It honors companies that support Guard and Reserve employees through their leadership and flexible personnel policies that make serving in the National Guard and Reserve easier.

Bruno received a 2014 Patriot Award from ESGR after being nominated by John Anderson, a U.S. Army Reserve captain and member of Bruno's project management team. Anderson nominated Bruno for his support during Anderson's deployment to Afghanistan in 2013.

Jeff Bruno (second from left) accepts the ProPatria Award on behalf of Ingalls Shipbuilding. Also pictured (left to right) are James Wallace, state chair of Mississippi’s Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve (ESGR); Army Reserve Capt. John Anderson, who works at Ingalls and nominated Bruno for a Patriot Award in 2014; and National Guard Major Gen. Augustus Collins, adjutant general of Mississippi.

Because of Bruno's Patriot Award, Ingalls was eligible to receive the ProPatria award, which was presented by James Wallace, Mississippi's ESGR State Chair, and Mississippi National Guard Major Gen. Augustus Collins, Adjutant General of Mississippi.

"Jeff brings great credit upon himself, Ingalls Shipbuilding and HII for his commitment to the Guard and Reserve," Anderson said. "From my experience, Ingalls demonstrates commitments to Reservist employees in many ways. The company protects the civilian job positions of Reservists while they are away from their civilian jobs. It is extremely comforting for a service member to know that they have a meaningful job when they return from overseas."