Bourbon County Schools Earns Kentucky's Pro Patria Award

The district is one of three Kentucky employers to receive the state's highest ESGR honor for supporting military service.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Military Jobs

Photograph of a single American flag on a flagpole beside a low brick school building across green Kentucky pastureland with white board fencing. — Bourbon County Schools was named one of three Kentucky employers to receive the state's Pro Patria Award, the highest ESGR honor, on Veterans Day. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Bourbon County Schools received the Pro Patria Award, the highest Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) honor in Kentucky, on Veterans Day 2026. The district is one of three Kentucky employers recognized with the award.

Why it matters

The honor recognizes employers that actively support employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve, a commitment that affects military families and local workforces across Kentucky. It also highlights how school districts can help sustain service members who balance civilian careers with military duty.

Three Kentucky employers received the Pro Patria Award, the highest ESGR honor in the state. Brett Baierlein's five years in the Marine Corps is among the service records cited in the recognition.

The players

Bourbon County Schools

The public school district in Bourbon County, Kentucky, serving students across the county's schools.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)

A Department of Defense program that promotes cooperation between employers and National Guard and Reserve members.

The details

Bourbon County Schools was honored on Veterans Day, with support from colleagues and administration credited for the recognition. Bourbon County High School students helped plan and lead a Veterans Day ceremony, and the district's backing of Capt. Sam Whitehead, a teacher serving in the Army National Guard, contributed to the award.

Sept. 11, 2001: Brett Baierlein served at the Pentagon during the attacks.
Nov. 11, 2026: Bourbon County Schools received the Pro Patria Award on Veterans Day.

Military Jobs Landscape

The Pro Patria Award is the highest state-level honor under the Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program, which recognizes employers that support service members in the Guard and Reserve. Bourbon County's recognition places a public school district within a program more often associated with private employers.

Employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve may find employers in Kentucky more committed to supporting their dual roles. Families of service members in Bourbon County can point to the district's recognition when discussing workplace support.

The takeaway

Employer recognition programs like the Pro Patria Award reward workplaces that make room for military service. Employees considering a career that includes Guard or Reserve duty can look for employers with a documented record of support.