HOWARD, S.D. – Representatives of the U.S. Army, 3rd Medical Recruiting Battalion, and for Horizon Healthcare, Inc., signed an agreement on 14 April, 2016 to provide priority hiring status to qualified Soldiers participating in the Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) Program.
“The U.S. Army Medical Department is excited to add Horizon Health Care, Inc. to its team of corporate/government agency partners in the Partnership for Youth Success program,” said LTC John P. Staley. “We are proud of our partnerships that enable our recruiters to offer applicants quality employment opportunities during and after their Army service.”
LTC John P. Staley signed the agreement with John Mengenhausen, Horizon Health Care, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, during a ceremony at the Howard Hotel and Conference Center. Captain Samuel Weber, Minneapolis Medical Recruiting Company, 3rd Medical Recruiting Battalion emceed the ceremony, with comments provided by LTC Staley, Mengenhausen, and Horizon Board Member Richard Bair. Cadets from South Dakota State University ROTC program presented the colors during the ceremony and Maddie Palmquist, Howard High School Sophomore, sang the National Anthem. The program concluded with a ceremonial cake cutting between LTC Staley and Mengenhausen.
South Dakota Secretary of State, Secretary Shantel Krebs; South Dakota Army National Guard TAG, Major General Timothy A. Reisch, South Dakota District 8 Representative Mathew Wollmann, Howard Mayor Andrew Dold, South Dakota Department of Affairs Deputy Secretary Aaron Pollard, and many other state and local business leaders were in attendance for this groundbreaking event.
PaYS is a strategic partnership program between the Army and a cross section of U.S. corporations and public sector agencies. This is the first PaYS signing for the Army Medical Department in all of South Dakota.
“We are privileged to be the first Army PaYS partner in South Dakota and I look forward to what this means for our rural communities and the rest of the state,” said Horizon CEO John Mengenhausen. “We currently employ nearly 250 employees, 3 percent of those employees being veterans. With this agreement in place, I hope to raise that number to between 6 and 10 percent within one to two years.
PaYS was developed to help the Army attract, train and deploy talented young people who want to serve their country, but also want to help secure their future success once their Army service is complete.
Under terms of the agreement between U.S. Army Medical Recruiting Brigade and for Horizon Health Care, Inc., Healthcare professionals commissioning in the Army who are interested in gaining specific job training and qualifications will receive that training while in the U.S. Army. As part of the commissioning process, recruits sign a statement of intent to work for Horizon Health Care, Inc. upon completion of their term of service or completion of their military training. As they near the end of their contract, the Soldiers will have the opportunity to interview with for Horizon Health Care, Inc. for a specific job at a specific location.
Horizon Health Care, jobs are scheduled to be available in the Army’s PaYS database soon. For more information, interested applicants may visit their local recruiter or log on to www.armypays.com.
The Army now has more than 460 partner corporations and public sector agencies across the nation, including the Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State University Medical Center.
“Each year thousands of young men and women develop valuable skills and gain experience in a broad spectrum of Army jobs. They are motivated, have professional work habits and high standards of conduct. This partnership is one way we can help ensure our Soldiers continue to achieve success after leaving the Army, and that American industry benefits by gaining quality employees,” LTC Staley said.
About Horizon Health Care, Inc.
For over 39 years, Horizon Health Care, Inc. has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and mental health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 83,000 patient visits annually in 24 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River and Woonsocket. For more information please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.
About U.S. Army Recruiting Command
The U.S. Army Recruiting Command, headquartered at Fort Knox, recruits quality men and women to serve in the Army and Army Reserve. More than 8,000 Soldiers and civilian employees conduct recruiting operations throughout the States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and at U.S. facilities in Germany and Asia. www.armypays.com.
Telephone: (502) 626-1041 Fax: (502) 626-0955