Pictured from left to right are Staff Sgt. Eric Tinkham, Dr. David Winters and Chris Cole, Tennessee ESGR Chattanooga vice chair
David Winters, D.O., with CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates in Ooltewah, received the Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense office. This award honors employers who support National Guard and Reserve members by offering flexible schedules, time off before and after deployment, caring for families and granting a leave of absence if needed.
Eric Tinkham, certified medical assistant (CMA), works with Dr.
Winters and nominated him for this award. As a member of the 230th Sustainment Brigade, a unit of the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tinkham spends one weekend each month on duty. He says Dr. Winters supports his military missions by making sure their weekend shifts at the office do not interfere with his military training.
“The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who, like the citizen warriors before them, have answered their nation’s call to serve,” says Chris Cole, Tennessee ESGR volunteer and area vice chair.
Tinkham has been with the National Guard almost 19 years and says Dr. Winters is the best boss he’s had. Tinkham says they make a great team. “We both have the same mission and that is taking care of patients and making sure they get the best care.”
CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates is located at 6401 Mountain View Road, Suite #109, Ooltewah, TN 37363. For more information about this practice, or to make an appointment, call (423) 495-5951.