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Kimball Medical Center Pharmacy Department and Employee Recognized by Department of Defense Program - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Kimball Medical Center Pharmacy Department and Employee Recognized by Department of Defense Program - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Award Ceremony Thursday, September 19 at 1 p.m.

The pharmacy department at Kimball Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, and Pharmacy Director Sandra Richardson will be recognized for their support of a fellow employee by the New Jersey Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense, at an awards ceremony on Thursday, September 19 at 1 p.m. at Kimball. The ESGR, stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, promotes cooperation and understanding between reserve component service members and their civilian employers.

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When her newlywed husband was called for active military duty in Afghanistan in August 2012, Diana Zisa-Beckenstein, a pharmacist at Kimball Medical Center, relied on the support and understanding of her supervisor and coworkers.

“Sandra was very supportive of me through the entire process of pre-deployment and when he went away,” said Diana. “She understood if I needed a day off for deployment-related activities and always checked in to make sure I was doing all right.”

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The entire Pharmacy Department pulled together to support Diana and her husband. The staff frequently checked on how Diana was feeling and even put together a holiday care package for her husband’s entire unit in December of last year.

Diana’s husband, Captain William L. Beckenstein, a member of the 333 MP Brigade based out of New York, was deployed just four months after the couple was married. He was so grateful for the support that Kimball Medical Center’s staff gave both him and his new wife that, upon his return in July of this year, he nominated Sandra and Kimball’s Pharmacy Department for awards through the ESGR.

Retired Col. Alan Smith, New Jersey State Chair, ESGR, will present Sandra with the Patriot Award for her support of Diana leading up-to and throughout her husband’s deployment. The Patriot Award is presented to individual supervisors who support members of the National Guard or Reserve and their spouses through a wide range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment and granting leaves of absence if needed.

The entire Pharmacy Department at Kimball Medical Center will receive the Above and Beyond Award for supporting Diana as well as her husband while he was overseas. The Above and Beyond Award recognizes employers at the local level who have surpassed the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees and their spouses with additional non-mandated benefits.

“Everyone is excited about these awards,” said Diana, “but everyone feels as if they never did anything out of the ordinary. It is in our team’s nature to take care of each other and to support anyone in need.”


About Kimball Medical Center:
Kimball Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, is a 350-bed, fully accredited acute care hospital dedicated to providing high quality medical and healthcare services to the residents of Ocean County and southern Monmouth County.

In addition to offering a full range of innovative diagnostic and treatment services, Kimball Medical Center offers an array of wellness programs. Its ever-growing series of health education programs, lectures, screenings and support groups aim to promote wellness among all age groups. For more information about Kimball Medical Center, visit www.barnabashealth.org.

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