Randolph Sheriff’s Office receives leadership award

ROANOKE – The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Rob Elbon were presented with the Seven Seals Award during a ceremony held this week at Stonewall Resort.    

The award is presented by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and given out for meritorious leadership and initiative in support of the men and women who serve America in the National Guard and Reserve.   

“Supporting the National Guard and the Reserves is very important to me,” Elbon told The Inter-Mountain Friday. “I think it’s our duty to make sure that those guys are taken care of at their places of employment.

“My chief deputy Brad Sharp does an outstanding job with the scheduling and everything to accommodate our guys who are serving. Making scheduling changes when they’re gone is hard sometimes, especially when they are away for a year at a time.”   

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Captain B.A. Talkington, who has served his country for 33 years, nominated Elbon and the Sheriff’s Office for the award. Talkington is currently stationed in Martinsburg with the West Virginia Air National Guard 167th Airlift Wing.   

Besides Talkington, other active service members with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office include Senior Deputy K-9 handler Aaron Channell (Sgt. First Class with 201st field artillery battalion) and Deputy Connor Waldron (Sgt. with the HHB 201st field artillery battalion out of Fairmont).    

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office deputies who are military veterans include Cpl. Aaron Beverly (Army), Cpl. Dave Vanmeter (Army), Cpl. Brian Roy (Marines), Deputy AG Vanscoy (Army), and Deputy Lantz Elbon (Army).   

“We hold their jobs when they’re gone and sometimes it gets tough with scheduling when several of them are gone at the same time,” Elbon said. “We had five guys out with the military at one time last year.”   

In addition to receiving the Seven Seals Award, Elbon was presented with a Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve certificate, which read, “We recognize the Guard and Reserve are essential to the strength of our Nation and the well-bring of our communities.

“In the highest American tradition, the patriotic men and women of the Guard and Reserve serve voluntarily in an honorable and vital profession. They train to respond to their community and their county in time of need. They deserve the support of every segment of our society. If these volunteer forces are to continue to serve our Nation, increased public understanding is required of the essential role of the Guard and Reserve in preserving our national security.”