MOUNT DESERT – When Nelson Goodwin Jr., arrived at his job site Thursday afternoon, he was greeted by a surprise.

Men in uniform waited for him near the old cottage his carpentry company is renovating in the village of Northeast Harbor, but Goodwin wasn’t concerned.

The Army Reserve officers were there to present him with a plaque, a lapel pin and their thanks for making one reservist’s life easier.

The president of the Nelson F. Goodwin Co. had won a Patriotic Employer Award from the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Goodwin, nominated by his employee and Army reservist Anthony Waite of Hampden, said that he is proud to support the men and women serving in the military.

“I can’t express the respect I have for them,” he said Friday. “I’m absolutely 100 percent behind the men and women of the military.”

Waite nominated Goodwin for the award because he has been able to take extra time off work with his employer’s blessing in order to do Army Reserve training.

“I know for sure it’s unusual for an employer to be supportive in that degree,” Waite said.

Waite, 40, served in the Army when he was younger. Two years ago, when he decided to rejoin the reserves, he brought it up with Goodwin and asked if this extra commitment would be a problem.

“I said no, absolutely not,” Goodwin recalled. “Me allowing him to do what he is doing is my way of serving, is how I look at it.”

Waite, a basic rifle marksmanship trainer in the reserves, found he had a knack for it, and opportunities for advancement. The opportunities came with a price. He would need to spend more time than two weeks a year doing training. Goodwin agreed, though his small company notices when Waite is away.

“He’s one of our lead men,” Goodwin said. “When he’s not here, he’s greatly missed.”

Though Waite does not receive a paycheck when he is doing his reservist training, his health insurance is paid for by the company and he knows that he will have a job when he gets home.

The two men have discussed what would happen should Waite be called up to serve overseas. Although the loss of a good employee for a longer amount of time would be hard for the company, Goodwin said he would be as supportive as he could be.

“I’ve assured him that if he’s called up, the time factor isn’t anything,” Goodwin said. “His job will absolutely be here when he gets back. And he’d better be back.”