The New York National Guard recently honored Bassett Healthcare Network’s security supervisor at Oneida Healthcare for “contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.”
Darryl Gillette supervises Bassett’s security team of 11 at the hospital in Oneida. Two of his staff are members of the New York State National Guard and two are Army Reserve. The two officers in the Army Reserve each served over 20 years in the military, during which time they were deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Africa. Of the two National Guard officers, one was in the Army and when discharged joined the Guard. The other officer has been in the National Guard for two years.
“Each officer participates in military drill one weekend a month and two weeks a year,” explains Gillette. “One Army Reserve officer was activated for one month recently. Essentially, I lose 50 percent of my staff every month and the rest of my staff cover all the open shifts during their colleagues’ military training. The award may have been presented to me, but belongs to all my staff who support the military and their service to our state and country.”
Gillette was recently presented with the Patriotic Employer Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program.
About Bassett Healthcare Network
Bassett Healthcare Network is an integrated health system that provides care and services to people living in a 5,600 square mile region in upstate New York. The organization includes five corporately affiliated hospitals, over two dozen community-based health centers, 20 school-based health centers, two skilled nursing facilities, and other health partners in related fields. Bassett Medical Center, the foundation of the network, is a 180-bed acute care inpatient teaching hospital located in Cooperstown, NY. To learn more about services available throughout the Bassett Healthcare Network, visit www.bassett.org. Follow Bassett on Facebook and Twitter at facebook.com/Bassett.Network and twitter.com/BassettNetwork.