In a ceremony held on Nov. 1, Flo Simala, director of nursing at Homestead Village, received a Patriot Award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Simala was nominated for the award by Apostles Center staff member Miranda Burley, who was recently deployed overseas for active service. In her nomination, Burley wrote, "Over the span of three years, I've been called away on short notice to be deployed overseas twice. Homestead Village, and my supervisor, Flo Simala, has provided me with all the tools I need to be prepared as well as accommodating my unique last-minute scheduling needs (and) proper leave of absence, temporarily holding my part-time position while I'm away on military orders, and being a strong asset to my Air Force career altogether. My success would not possible without the sacrifices of my employer, and I greatly appreciate their cooperation with my call to serve." Simala's father, husband, brothers, uncles, and nephew all served in the military.
Patriot Awards are awarded to individual supervisors, reflecting the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating service member and his or her family.
For more information on Homestead Village, readers may visit http://www.hvillage.org.
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