CenturyLink Inc. has received the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

It is the highest recognition given by the Department of Defense to public sector employers for their exceptional support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.

CenturyLink CEO and President Glen F. Post III accepted the Freedom Award, presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

"CenturyLink is committed to providing a supportive atmosphere to our employees who serve our country in the armed forces and to their families," Post said. "We are honored to be recognized by the Defense Department with this award."

The Freedom Award recognizes the support given to Guard and Reserve employees by Qwest Communi-cations, which was acquired by CenturyLink in April 2011.

Qwest had previously won the Freedom Award at the state level for three consecutive years. CenturyLink is among 15 organizations receiving the national award this year from a field of more than 4,000 nominations submitted by service members or their families.

In another recognition of its commitment to employees who also served in the military, CenturyLink has been named to the list of "45 Great Employers for Vets" by Military Times EDGE. The magazine determined the list based on survey responses from Fortune 1,000 companies and top government contractors that rated the employers on their vet-friendliness.