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Bearden family, 188th Wing honors local employer with ESGR Patriot Award

  • Published
  • By Maj. Heath Allen
  • 188th Wing executive officer
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Positive working relationships between Air National Guardsmen and their civilian employers are paramount for personnel readiness and mission success. The ANG cannot succeed without employer support of its drill status Guardsmen and the Airman and Family Readiness Office's key volunteers.

Jennifer Thomas, vice president of ancillary services at Mercy Fort Smith, was recognized Aug. 19 for her exceptional support of one family with the 188th Wing. Thomas was presented with an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award by her employee, Shirley Bearden, who is also a key volunteer with the 188th Airman and Family Readiness Office.

Shirley Bearden said her motive behind honoring Thomas with the award was her kindness and compassion exhibited while Bearden's husband, Master Sgt. Mike Bearden, was deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan with the 188th in 2012. Shirley Bearden said Thomas even encouraged her to take additional time off from work when Bearden's husband returned from Afghanistan in order to readjust.

"This was a very difficult deployment," Bearden said. "I had a wreck, I had a storm come through and take a tree and try to lay it on my house ... And I was in a new position here at Mercy as bariatric program coordinator, starting up a new program. Everything was really stressful. Jennifer would call me every day, or text me and check on me ... I've never had that happen. No one has ever taken that kind of stand with me and told me to take what I needed and readjust. It meant a lot."

An emotional Thomas expressed her gratitude for the accolade.

"It's a huge honor," Thomas said. "I feel very humbled. I feel my part has been so minimal compared to what our armed services contribute to our country and what the families contribute."

Master Sgt. Bearden said knowing that his home life was sound made it much easier to focus on the mission in Afghanistan.

"When we get deployed, we don't worry about ourselves near as much as we worry about what's going on at home," he said. "We can't be home when a tree comes down in the backyard, we can't be there when somebody gets sick, but to know that she had somebody helping her, taking care of her, looking out for her meant a lot."

Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Wing commander; Lt. Col. Judith Mathewson, 188th Mission Support Group deputy commander; Chief Master Sgt. Dee Tankersley; and Michelle Pike, 188th Airmen and Family Readiness manager, were also in attendance to present the ESGR Patriot Award.

"Employer support of our Airmen is absolutely critical to mission success," Anderson said. "We're very thankful for Jennifer Thomas' outstanding support of the Bearden family during our largest deployment in wing history. I cannot say enough how much this this means to our Airmen and wing to see this level of compassion from an employer. It's inspiring."

If you're a member of the 188th and would like to submit your civilian employer for an ESGR Patriot Award visit www.esgr.mil/Employer-Awards/ESGR-Awards-Programs.aspx

Bearden family, 188th Wing honors local employer with ESGR Patriot Award

  • Published
  • By Maj. Heath Allen
  • 188th Wing executive officer
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Positive working relationships between Air National Guardsmen and their civilian employers are paramount for personnel readiness and mission success. The ANG cannot succeed without employer support of its drill status Guardsmen and the Airman and Family Readiness Office's key volunteers.

Jennifer Thomas, vice president of ancillary services at Mercy Fort Smith, was recognized Aug. 19 for her exceptional support of one family with the 188th Wing. Thomas was presented with an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award by her employee, Shirley Bearden, who is also a key volunteer with the 188th Airman and Family Readiness Office.

Shirley Bearden said her motive behind honoring Thomas with the award was her kindness and compassion exhibited while Bearden's husband, Master Sgt. Mike Bearden, was deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan with the 188th in 2012. Shirley Bearden said Thomas even encouraged her to take additional time off from work when Bearden's husband returned from Afghanistan in order to readjust.

"This was a very difficult deployment," Bearden said. "I had a wreck, I had a storm come through and take a tree and try to lay it on my house ... And I was in a new position here at Mercy as bariatric program coordinator, starting up a new program. Everything was really stressful. Jennifer would call me every day, or text me and check on me ... I've never had that happen. No one has ever taken that kind of stand with me and told me to take what I needed and readjust. It meant a lot."

An emotional Thomas expressed her gratitude for the accolade.

"It's a huge honor," Thomas said. "I feel very humbled. I feel my part has been so minimal compared to what our armed services contribute to our country and what the families contribute."

Master Sgt. Bearden said knowing that his home life was sound made it much easier to focus on the mission in Afghanistan.

"When we get deployed, we don't worry about ourselves near as much as we worry about what's going on at home," he said. "We can't be home when a tree comes down in the backyard, we can't be there when somebody gets sick, but to know that she had somebody helping her, taking care of her, looking out for her meant a lot."

Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Wing commander; Lt. Col. Judith Mathewson, 188th Mission Support Group deputy commander; Chief Master Sgt. Dee Tankersley; and Michelle Pike, 188th Airmen and Family Readiness manager, were also in attendance to present the ESGR Patriot Award.

"Employer support of our Airmen is absolutely critical to mission success," Anderson said. "We're very thankful for Jennifer Thomas' outstanding support of the Bearden family during our largest deployment in wing history. I cannot say enough how much this this means to our Airmen and wing to see this level of compassion from an employer. It's inspiring."

If you're a member of the 188th and would like to submit your civilian employer for an ESGR Patriot Award visit www.esgr.mil/Employer-Awards/ESGR-Awards-Programs.aspx