Department Of Defense Recognizes Erlanger’s Sara Bacon For Supporting Army Reserve And Employee

The Department of Defense, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), through their local representatives, recently saluted Erlanger Health System's Sara Bacon with the Patriotic Employer Award for her support of Sgt. Elijah Pasanen during his employment at Erlanger and in the Reserve.

 

The Patriotic Employer Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed.

 

Member of the Army Reserve, Sgt.

Pasanen stated in his nomination, “Sara has made a stress free environment for me when Army Reserve missions come up with very short notice.  She has always treated me fairly and never acted like it was a hardship for her when I had to take time off from work.  She has remained flexible and never made me feel pressured because I had to miss my scheduled shift for military duty.  I appreciate the no pressure attitude she has displayed toward me during stressful times for myself and my family."

 

Chattanooga military veteran, Chris Cole, who devotes his time as a volunteer to the ESGR, presented The Patriotic Employer Awards to Ms. Bacon for her continuing support of Sgt. Pasanen in the Reserve. 

 

“The unique aspect about most ESGR awards is that they originate from the service members, like Sgt. Pasanen, who desire to see their supervisors recognized instead of the more common situation where supervisors nominate their employees for an award,” said Mr. Cole.  “In reality, the National Guard and Reserves could not exist without the employers.  We are proud to recognize Erlanger’s management for their support.”