Each year service members can nominate their employers to receive the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) “Patriotic Employer” Award. With assistance from the Idaho ESGR committee, Staff Sgt. Lisa Murray, Biomedical Equipment Specialist from the 392nd Medical Logistics Company, presented Brian Thompson of GE Healthcare with the "Patriotic Employer" Award on Aug. 26, 2022, at Mr. V’s Restaurant here.

“GE has been a great supporter during all of my deployments. As soon as I come back, they’re…open arms…back to your old job. They pay me a differential while I’m on a deployment, so they are continually still supporting me all through my deployments,” said Murray. “To give back, basically, I nominated my boss, and I also nominated GE Healthcare for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award [which was awarded in April].”

Murray nominated Thompson for the award after her third deployment in four years. As Murray’s first-line leader and Service Delivery Leader, Thompson was “the first one you tell you’re going on a deployment…I feel like he had to really do a lot to cover my position while I've been gone and keep that position going and keep the medical equipment taken care of at the hospital. It affected him the most,” said Murray.

Joining the military later in life, Murray opted to become a Biomedical Equipment Specialist or military occupational specialty 68A, as it was something she could do in the civilian workplace as well. After completing the Army’s training for maintenance and repair of medical equipment, Murray entered the GE Externship Program in 2011 and was hired as a biomedical technician for GE upon graduation.

The GE Externship allows biomedical equipment specialists to obtain professional qualifications for both military and civilian requirements. The program is designed to provide training to Reserve Soldiers that may not receive everyday experience as a biomedical technician. However, for Murray, the externship provided her the opportunity to do “the exact same thing in the military as I do in my civilian life with GE.”

While employed by GE Healthcare, Murray explained there is potential for growth, opportunity, and working with many types of medical equipment, but she is thankful for being able to stay in one hospital while her children were growing up.

“I…feel like we’re a family. It’s very interesting how similar GE Healthcare is to the military – GE is very supportive of the military and military life,” said Murray. “There has been a lot of really good support for me throughout the last ten years of my career with GE. There's a lot of leadership that deserves this award, all the way to the top.”

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Editor’s Note: The prerequisites to enter the GE Externship program are: a Soldier must be qualified in the 68A military occupational specialty and must have 24 months of time-in-service remaining on his or her current contract. Interested Army Reserve Biomedical Equipment Specialists can learn more by contacting their Army Reserve Career Counselor.

ESGR Information:
Soldiers or a family can nominate their employer who continually shows unwavering commitment to them and their family at www.esgr.mil/Service-Members-Family/Nominate-your-Employer.

The "Patriotic Employer" Award reflects the efforts made to support Soldiers in the Army Reserve and National Guard through a wide range of measures to include flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment.

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the federal government to employers for their outstanding support.