Army general delivers rare Patriot Award to pair of deserving Adventist Health officials who support military members

Army General Jim Combs landed at Hanford’s Adventist Health at about 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 1 to honor Dr. Michael Boulton, an emergency room physician, and Nurse Practitioner Dawn Huong-Schleif with the Patriot Award, a Department of Defense honor created to recognize outstanding employer support of the military members it employs. Dr. Boulton and Huong-Schleif care for patients in the Adventist Health Emergency Department.

The Patriot Award is one of seven awards created by the DOD to recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees. It is awarded to supervisors who directly support their employees through flexible schedules, time off before and after deployment, family care, and leaves of absence if needed. The award honors the sacrifices made by employers year after year.

Physician Assistant Serenity Holden, who also served at the Adventist Health Hanford site, wrote the nomination letter to recognize her supervisors. Holden is a 1st Lt. in the California Army National Guard. Her nomination letter stated that Boulton and Huong-Schleif made her deployments “painless” and that they were “very supportive.”

“We’re looking forward to this wonderful recognition of our emergency providers who not only provide excellent care for our patients but also demonstrate outstanding support of Guard and Reserve employees at the same time,” said Andrea Kofl, president of Adventist Health services in the Central Valley.