Parkland veterans reflect on military service, lessons that last a lifetime
Employees share how their military experiences continue to shape their careers
Parkland employees share messages of gratitude this Veterans Day
Two Parkland Health employees took different paths into military service, but they share a common thread — the values, discipline and skills they developed while serving in uniform continue to shape their careers today.
This Veterans Day, Parkland recognizes the veterans who have served our country and now serve the Dallas County community with the same dedication and compassion.
Lance Mendiola, CHFM, CHSP, CBO, MS, Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management and Real Estate, enlisted in the U.S. Army to help pay for college. He fell in love with military service and served for 26 years before retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer.
At Parkland, his responsibilities include ensuring operational readiness, much as he did in the military, when he maintained the systems that supported combat operations. This role was referred to as a “maintainer” in the military. He also strives to provide his Parkland team with mentorship and opportunities for growth similar to those that he received through the Army.
“In my military career, there was someone ready to mentor within the ranks, and that’s something that’s important to me,” Mendiola said. He views professional development and training as essential to building a team, adding that “I continue that mentoring in my civilian career.”
During two deployments to Iraq, Mendiola worked to ensure combat systems were ready to support the missions, much like healthcare facilities and their systems must be ready to support patient care. He helped build base camps and field hospitals for sustained operations, beginning with tents and eventually transitioning to hardened housing units.
“I will never take for granted that when I turn on the faucet, potable water comes out of it or when I turn on the light switch, I have light, or that I have a building with air conditioning,” Mendiola said. “It’s a huge reality check that, wow, this is not the standard throughout the world.”
Michelle Kuchta, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Interim Senior Director of Nursing Ambulatory Specialty Services, was already a critical care nurse in a surgical intensive care unit when she joined the Army Reserve in 2011, fulfilling a long-held dream of following her family’s tradition of military service.
As an Army Reserve Nurse Corps officer, she eventually became a company commander and led service members during training exercises. The leadership skills she developed in the Reserve continue to benefit her civilian career.
“Our Parkland values are literally almost the same as military values,” Kuchta said. “We are all about taking care of others, integrity, and respecting one another. We want to treat everyone the same. The two go hand in hand.”
One experience that remains especially meaningful to Kuchta was a domestic mission providing free medical services to residents in Arkansas.
“I will never forget how grateful people were,” she said of the mission.
“When you think about Parkland, we do something very similar. We provide services to people they may not be able to obtain somewhere else. If I’m in a civilian role or a military role, it’s still about helping at the end of the day.”
Parkland supports employees with military connections through its Military and Veterans at Parkland (MVP) Employee Resource Group (ERG), which brings together those who have served in the Armed Forces and those who support them.
To learn more about careers at Parkland, go to www.parklandcareers.com.
For more information about services available at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhealth.org.
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