BVHS Honored with Second ESGR Pro Patria Award for 2026

Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) was recently honored with its second prestigious Pro Patria Award by the Ohio Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), recognizing the health system’s longstanding commitment to supporting employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

BVHS has also been named one of 40 national finalists for the 2026 Secretary of War ESGR Freedom Award. The organization is one of 12 finalists chosen in the Large Business category and the sole Large Business representative from Ohio.

More than 10 years ago, BVHS committed to becoming an employer that not only supported but genuinely valued military service. Since 2015, the organization has worked alongside ESGR to strengthen its support of military members, veterans, and their families, building a culture that recognizes the sacrifices these groups have made.

BVHS developed policies, programs, and initiatives that encouraged military readiness while ensuring employees could successfully balance their commitment to both their patients and their country. Over the years, these efforts have earned multiple local and state ESGR awards, reflecting the organization’s unwavering commitment to those who serve.

Central to this effort is BVHS’s Military Alignment Program (MAP), co-created by Greg Laird, RN, a nurse at Blanchard Valley Hospital, and James Legge, APRN-CNP, a certified nurse practitioner at the Psychiatric Center of Northwest Ohio and a medical officer in the Air National Guard. This program strengthens links between the health system, military-affiliated associates, veterans, and the community, increasing visibility of service members’ experiences and promoting recognition, education, and engagement.

The Pro Patria Award is given to one small, one large, and one public sector employer in each state or territory that has shown the strongest support for Guard and Reserve employees through their leadership and practices. This is the highest-level award that an ESGR State Committee may present.

The Pro Patria Award presentation brought together distinguished leaders from across Ohio’s military, government, and ESGR communities, including John McCance, Ohio ESGR state chair; Colonel Lance Kollstedt, commander of the 121st Air Refueling Wing; Colonel Jonathan M. Stewart, assistant adjutant general for the Ohio National Guard; and Steven Cook, director of constituent services for Senator Jon Husted’s Office. During the recognition, McCance highlighted the significance of BVHS’s longstanding commitment to the military community, recognizing the organization’s efforts as a “national benchmark” for how employers can support and engage their Guard and Reserve members.

Accepting the Pro Patria Award on behalf of Blanchard Valley Health System were William Kose, MD, vice president of special projects; Laird; and Legge.

The Freedom Award, now in its 30th year, is the highest employer honor presented by the United States Department of Defense, recognizing organizations that demonstrate extraordinary support for employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. The national finalists were announced by Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata following a highly competitive selection process. ESGR received more than 1,200 nominations from across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

For BVHS, being selected as a national finalist for this prestigious award represents an extraordinary achievement of military support and advocacy. From earning local and state ESGR recognition to receiving two Pro Patria Awards and now competing on the national stage for the Freedom Award, this journey reflects the collective efforts of BVHS leaders, associates, service members, veterans, families, and community partners.

As BVHS awaits the final announcement of the Freedom Award recipients, its dedication goes beyond any single recognition: to honor those who serve, support the families who stand beside them, strengthen the connection between military and civilian communities, and serve as a national standard for military-supportive employers.