Joseph F. Whitmire is director of supply chain operations at Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center. He is also a proud veteran, having previously served with the United States Navy.
“To me, Veterans Day is a day to say thank you to all of those that made the sacrifice of serving our country and the United States military,” Joseph says. “Unlike Memorial Day, which is set aside for those that made the ultimate sacrifice, Veterans Day is a time to say thank you to those that are still with us. Veterans are all brothers and sisters, regardless of which military branch we served in. We support each other in our civilian roles.”
During his time with the U.S. Navy, Joseph was an explosive ordnance officer. His job was to ensure the safe assembly, handling, arming, de-arming and logistics of all arms, ammunition and explosive weapons.
“The most meaningful aspect of my time with the military was having a sense of purpose, common goals, teamwork, comradery as well as the feeling that what I am doing makes a difference,” Joseph shares.
Now as a supply chain director, Joseph is responsible for our end-to-end supply chain operations, including monitoring and analyzing supply dollar spend within our facilities. His primary responsibility is to ensure our caregivers have what they need when they need it to properly care for our patients.
In this role, Joseph draws on his past military experience to help him and his team achieve their goals.
“One attribute that most career military members have is the ability to manage several tasks simultaneously,” Joseph says. “They are also able to serve in different roles and capacities when called upon. In my military role, I had to be prepared to manage both planned and unplanned situations with little to no advance planning. This has prepared me for any scenario that may arise.”
When it comes to lessons taken from his time with the military, Joseph has this to share.
“To be forthright, fair, honest and resourceful. Don’t be afraid to have the hard conversations. Get the job done.”
Thank you to Joseph as well as all our other veteran team members for your service to our country. Read more stories about our veteran team members and patients.
Also, learn more about the health care services we offer at Bon Secours.
