Crown Nursing supports staff nurse deployed overseas

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Reserve Sgt 1st Class Patrick Eagon, a nurse at Crown Nursing of Springfield, Mo., recently deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom  

QATAR

05.24.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Photo by Sgt 1st Class David L. McCrary, ESGR FWD Team
Story by Senior Master Sgt. Darenda Rogers, ESGR FWD Team

QATAR - U.S. Army Reserve Sgt 1st Class Patrick Eagon of the 301st Combat Army Surgical Hospital (Detachment A) recently deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the official name given to military operations from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa in support of the Global War on Terror.

When Eagon received his orders to report for induction into the Army during the Vietnam War, he chose to join the Navy instead. After a ten-year break in service, a friend persuaded him to give a Reserve unit in a remote area of Michigan a try. He's glad he did "because the camaraderie amongst the military and travel to so many unique places significantly enriched my life."

Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are deployed under the U.S. Central Command to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States. U.S. Central Command is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests and assets in 27 nations stretching from the Horn of Africa, through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia.

Eagon's responsibilities as medical logistics security assessor include visiting sites throughout Southwest Asia and reviewing various functions to ensure the safety of troops and coalition forces serving there. His skills in the medical field enhance his ability to make these assessments.

This reserve member, who used his military educational benefit to earn his degree, chose nursing so "I could get into something I enjoyed, earn an adequate living with it, and always find employment." He is passionate about his work with geriatric patients. "I love the old people!" he declared. "They've got so much character and they're delightful."

Today, more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Eagon and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

Eagon sings praises for his employer, Crown Nursing of Springfield, Mo. "They've always been really supportive," he affirmed. "They've never objected to any time off for drills, camp, or mobilizations and they always welcomed me back with open arms!"

Following a six-year romance, Eagon, who calls Miller, Mo., his home, married his wife, Denise, just two days before he was deployed. They're planning a cross-country trip to celebrate their marriage upon his return home.

ESGR, USAR

• Date Taken: 05.24.2006
• Date Posted: 05.24.2006 15:33
• Story ID: 6511
• Location: QA