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Rounding out an evening on the nightshift, the News team
met with Security officer Lebarron Smith at 12:42
a.m. outside the main entrance of CHB. "Smitty" to his fellow officers,
Smith just started back to work at CHB three weeks earlier, following
a year-long tour in Iraq as a member of the Army National Guard.
"I worked for Children's for two years before my deployment," he
said. "So many new faces and new buildings have popped up just in
the year I was gone."
Working in materials distribution while in Iraq, Smith feared he
would be a "changed man" and have a big adjustment period
in front of him upon his return. But he's quickly come to realize
that he's still the same person, and is now moving forward professionally
by training as a night supervisor at CHB.
Smith, like everyone else we've talked to so far, is also a night
person. "It's much more peaceful and quiet," he said.
"The days seem crazy to me." He also enjoys the mobility
of the nightshift, explaining that he is never in the same place
for very long. "I go on tours of the hospital, making sure
doors are locked, and people are where they are supposed to be.
I also answer calls, like code red or code blue, which take me to
different floors."
But a lot of Smith's night is spent doing what he likes the most—escorting
employees. "I drive the Children's van and take employees to
different T stations or to the lots where their cars are parked
to make sure they can get home safely," he said. "The
employees who work nights are very friendly. Always saying 'hello'
and smiling. It's really great."
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