PMC Chief Recognized for U.S. Armed Forces Support

Harry Vogel ESGR, Craig Loveless and Dr. Jim Smith

Craig Loveless, Prowers Medical Center, Chief Executive Officer, was presented with a certification of appreciation for his and the hospital’s commitment to supporting the National Guard and Military Reserve members employed by PMC.  The Patriot’s Award was presented by Harry Vogel, Colorado representative of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.  The ESGR is a Department of Defense agency that seeks to develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees.

That employee at PMC is General Surgeon, Doctor Jim Smith, and a Lieutenant Colonel National Reservist who is being deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan for four months, leaving his Lamar home in about a week.  During his four months abroad, Smith said he’ll serve two to three weeks at a time on the outskirts of the city in a trauma ward.  He has performed similar service in Germany and Bosnia for several years and moved to Lamar with his family from Pueblo about a year ago.

Loveless said he appreciates the work Doctor Smith has done at the hospital and to his country through his military service.  The CEO noted that because Smith had advance knowledge of his deployment, he and Loveless were able to take necessary steps to hire a replacement surgeon on the PMC staff.  “Doctor Swanson will be ready for a basically seamless transition with the time we were provided,” Loveless added.

By Russ Baldwin