MHCCI Manager Receives Patriotic Employer Award
January 13, 2010
Dana Wilkerson, manager of community support services for Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, received the Patriotic Employer Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).
The ESGR, an agency of the Department of Defense, presents the national awards to honor employers who go beyond legal requirements to support their military reserve employees. Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jay Sheedy presented the award to Wilkerson in a brief ceremony on Jan. 12. Nominations for the Patriotic Employer Award must come from soldiers or their families.
Julius Solsoloy, an MHCCI case manager, nominated Wilkerson to recognize her for the support she provided during his leave for military training in the Illinois Army National Guard.
"It is quite a privilege to have the honor of working with Julius Solsoloy," Wilkerson said. "It is a humbling position to be recognized for this award when it is truly Mr. Solsoloy who deserves recognition. Serving as a medic, he had the opportunity to save hundreds of lives. His work had a tremendous impact on his fellow soldiers and their families. Supporting him during his leave was the least thing we, as an organization, could do."
At the beginning of November, Solsoloy, a medic in the Guard, was given two days notice before having to leave for three weeks of training in Texas.
"Dana knew I was eventually going to be scheduled for training, but when I received my orders about leaving so soon, she worked with me to get all of my clients assigned to other case managers," Solsoloy said. "Her support and assistance reassured me that my clients would be taken care of while I was away."
Solsoloy joined the Army National Guard in 2004 after being on active duty since 1998. He was a member of the Louisiana Army National Guard prior to transferring to the Joint Forces Medical Detachment - Camp Lincoln unit in 2009.
ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.
An affiliate of Memorial Health System, MHCCI is a not-for-profit organization that provides high quality, comprehensive behavioral healthcare and rehabilitation services to residents of Sangamon, Menard, Logan, Mason, Scott and Morgan counties.