U.S. Department of Defense recognizes UTMC’s flexibility for staffer in military

August 8, 2013 | News, UToday, UTMC
By Casey Cheap



The University of Toledo Medical Center was one of 35 Ohio employers to receive an Above and Beyond Award from the U.S. Department of Defense out of more than 17,000 nominations in the state.

Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Campbell, UT surgical technician, center, posed for a photo with Terry Witter, regional director of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, left, and Edwin Hall, UT administrator of surgical services, at the Department of Defense Employer Recognition Banquet in Columbus.

Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Campbell, UT surgical technician, center, posed for a photo with Terry Witter, regional director of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, left, and Edwin Hall, UT administrator of surgical services, at the Department of Defense Employer Recognition Banquet in Columbus.

UTMC was recognized for its flexibility and willingness to cooperate and work around Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Campbell’s military service. Campbell, a surgical technician, was deployed overseas in the Army three times from 2007 to 2012.

Campbell has worked for the hospital since 2004 and prepares equipment and assists surgeons during operations. He was deployed for one year to Iraq in 2007 just before the 2008 surge, and to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011.

“Every time I came back, they offered more time off than needed,” Campbell said. “The government says employers need to give military personnel up to 90 days to get back to work, but UT was willing to give more time had I needed it.”

Everyone in his department stayed in touch with him while deployed, and UTMC was willing to pay 100 hours of military time off as vacation pay, said Campbell, who nominated the medical center for the award.

“The department always supported him overseas,” said Edwin Hall, administrator of surgical services. “Jeremy could always reclaim his job and is an integral part of the operating team. He always had our moral support.”

Hall received a Patriot Award for his role in keeping Campbell briefed and staying flexible with his deployments.

The awards were given recently at the 2013 Department of Defense Employer Recognition Banquet in Columbus. The recognition from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve included a plaque and trophy.

The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was established in 1972 to promote understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment.

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