Emergency Room Doctor, ICU Nurse Return From 3-month Military Deployment
Two Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center colleagues, Dr. Jonathan Miller, MD, an Emergency Department physician, and Valerie Hay, RN, a nurse in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, today presented an American flag to hospital leadership. The flag flew on a critical care air transport mission both participated in as members of the Idaho Air National Guard 124th Fighter Wing.
The mission, transporting two critically wounded Afghan soldiers from Bagram Air Base to Kandahar, took place in July. Today the two SARMC colleagues presented the flag that accompanied them on the C-130 aircraft to Odette Bolano, President and CEO of Saint Alphonsus Health System, and David McFadyen, President of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.
“We’re very committed to our colleagues that serve our country, and we’re committed to our Military and Veterans program,” Bolano said. “Thank you for what you do, sacrificing time with your families and being away from home to protect us and represent our country.”
Valerie Hay, RN, says there’s a long tradition of flying flags during deployments. “You fly flags for loved ones and anybody you feel well-supported by to show them that you were thinking of them on deployment and to show your patriotism.” The flag presented to Saint Alphonsus included a certificate detailing when it was flown.
Hay has worked at Saint Alphonsus for 17 years and has served in the Air Guard for 23 years, achieving the rank of Major.
Dr. Miller, who’s also a Major in the Idaho Air Guard, said the medical transport aircraft has virtually the same capabilities that he has in SARMC’s Emergency Room. “The work that we do here at Saint Alphonsus prepares us perfectly for that mission.” He continued, “This is a special opportunity to say thanks to our partners here in Idaho for their continued support of the Idaho National Guard.”
Dr. Miller has worked at Saint Alphonsus in the Emergency Department for six years.
Both SARMC colleagues recently returned from their three-month deployment as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
David McFadyen, President of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center (far left) and Odette Bolano, President and CEO of Saint Alphonsus Health System (far right), accept an American flag from Valerie Hay, RN and Dr. Jonathan Miller, MD. Both Hay and Miller are Majors in the Idaho Air National Guard, and presented the hospital leaders with a flag that flew with them on a medical critical care transport flight in Afghanistan. They are members of the Idaho Air Guard's 124th Fighter Wing, stationed at Gowen Field in Boise.