Brookings Health Receives Above & Beyond Award from ESGR

  • June 16, 2016

Brookings Health System recently received the Above and Beyond Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Dave Fossum, physician assistant at Brookings Health, nominated the health system in recognition for surpassing the legal requirements of USERRA. Pictured from left to right are Chief Financial Officer Steve Lindemann, CEO Jason Merkley, Fossum, and Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Hillestad.
Brookings Health System recently received the Above and Beyond Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Dave Fossum, physician assistant at Brookings Health, nominated the health system in recognition for surpassing the legal requirements of USERRA. Pictured from left to right are Chief Financial Officer Steve Lindemann, CEO Jason Merkley, Fossum, and Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Hillestad.

The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), part of the Department of Defense, recently awarded Brookings Health System with the Above and Beyond Award.

The Above and Beyond Award is presented by ESGR state committees to recognize employers at the local level who have surpassed the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by providing their guard and reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits.

Brookings Health System was nominated for the award by Physician Assistant Dave Fossum, a lieutenant colonel in the South Dakota Army National Guard who serves in the medical command unit. Fossum, who works in Brookings Health System’s emergency department, noted the health system’s appreciation of his military training.

“Brookings Health System recognizes the medical, disaster and critical incident training I have received from the military as a tremendous asset to the organization,” said Fossum. “The training I receive from the military compliments my civilian occupation, making me a leader within our health system and able to lend my expertise to disaster training and planning.”

The award is given in limited numbers by state committees to employers who have signed or agree to sign a statement of support and who have at least one of their supervisors or managers recognized with a Patriot Award. Brookings Health System managers were recognized with the Patriotic Employer Award in 2012 and 2013.

Brookings Health System supports all employees who serve in the armed forces and their military training and service leaves of absences in accordance with USERRA. More information about career opportunities with Brookings Health System can be found online at www.brookingshealth.org.

About Brookings Health System

Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.