Cooper University Health Care Honored With Prestigious ESGR Pro Patria and Seven Seals Awards

Camden, NJ – Cooper University Health Care was proud to be recognized at an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Awards Ceremony on December 10, 2024. Representing Cooper at this prestigious event were members from Cooper’s Section of Military, Diplomatic and Field Surgical Affairs, active-duty U.S. Army medic rotators, Special Operations Combat Medic leadership assigned to Cooper, and Cooper’s embedded Army Medical Department Military-Civilian Trauma Team Training (AMCT3) Program team members.

Cooper was awarded both the ESGR Pro Patria Award and the Seven Seals Award, marking significant recognition for its commitment to supporting U.S. military reserve forces.

The Pro Patria Award, the highest honor bestowed by an ESGR State Committee, was awarded to Cooper for the first time. This distinguished recognition is given annually to one small, one large, and one public sector employer in each state or territory. It highlights employers who have shown extraordinary support for National Guard and Reserve employees through leadership and forward-thinking policies that allow employees to balance their military service and civilian careers.

Eligibility for the Pro Patria Award requires previous recognition with the Above and Beyond Award, a Statement of Support, and a Patriot Award to a supervisor or representative.

The Seven Seals Award, also presented to Cooper, is ESGR’s most inclusive recognition. Bestowed at the discretion of the ESGR State Chair or senior leadership, this award honors significant organizational or individual achievement in advancing ESGR’s mission. This mission is carried out daily by over 2,300 ESGR volunteers who advocate for and support National Guard and Reserve members across the country.

During the ceremony, Cooper’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to Guard and Reserve employees by signing ESGR’s Statement of Support pledge to:

• fully recognize, honor, and comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
• provide our managers and supervisors with the tools they need to effectively manage employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
• appreciate the values, leadership, and unique skills Service members bring to the workforce and will encourage opportunities to hire Guardsmen, Reservists, and Veterans.
• continually recognize and support our country’s Service members and their families, in peace, in crises, and in war.

The dual recognition of Cooper with the Pro Patria and Seven Seals Awards, along with the Statement of Support pledge, highlights the organization’s unwavering dedication to military personnel. These honors underscore Cooper’s leadership in fostering an environment that values and supports Guard and Reserve members, further cementing its commitment to the nation’s military community. In November, Cooper was recognized by the New Jersey Governor’s Department of Veterans Affairs with the “We Value Our Veterans” Award for its commitment to veterans’ causes and support of veterans.

Presenting the Pro Patria and Seven Seals awards were retired U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Michael Ferrero, president and founder of The Coffee Platoon and Bridging the Gap for Veterans Foundation, along with NJ-ESGR Area Chair Pat Ward.

About Cooper University Health Care

Cooper University Health Care, with its MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and affiliation with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, is a leading academic health system. Cooper has more than 11,000 team members, including nearly 1,600 nurses, more than 1,000 employed physicians, and more than 550 advanced practice providers.

Cooper University Hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.

Cooper has revenues of more than $2 billion and, along with its new upgraded “A” rating from S&P, recently received an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings. Cooper University Hospital is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. More than two million patients are served annually at Cooper’s 663-bed flagship hospital in Camden and the 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House.

Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, several urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore. Cooper has been named as one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes for four consecutive years.

The Cooper Health Sciences campus in Camden, New Jersey, is home to Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.