UHS Leadership in the Military

In addition to his civilian business career — currently at UHS and previously at OptumGovernment, and UnitedHealthcare — Mr. Peterson has served for nearly 30 years as a member of the United States Military, currently as a Brigadier General in the Air National Guard. He deployed seven times in support of contingency operations and has significant experience running complex healthcare operations on five continents.

Board certified in healthcare management, he is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and was a Past Board Chair of the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH). Mr. Peterson earned his BBA in Financial Management from University of North Dakota; his MBA in Finance from University of St. Thomas – Minneapolis; and his MS in Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota.

As the Brigade Behavioral Health Officer in Charge, he created a comprehensive, modernized, and holistic approach to behavioral healthcare. His “Deployment Psychology in a Box” is an integrated approach that includes psychoeducation, behavioral health assessment and evaluation, psychological training, tele-psychology, collaborations with the Air Force and Navy and interactive use of technology.

Dr. Fleming was awarded the prestigious Behavioral Health Innovation Award for “exceptional innovation and implementation of programs improving behavioral healthcare for Soldiers and families of the Army National Guard” in 2021 as well as in 2018 for a Suicide Prevention Program he created for the Missouri Army National Guard. While accepting a recent award, Dr. Fleming thanked his colleagues at Universal Health Services, Inc. for providing motivation through their Patriot Support Program and inspiration via their Innovation Hub.

Prior to joining UHS in 2018, Dr. Fleming worked his way from Director of Behavioral Health Services to Vice President, Operations at Corizon over a nine-year period, and prior to that was a Director at Coppin State University and a Psychologist for the University of Delaware.  He currently serves on the Board of Mental Health America of the MidSouth in Nashville, TN and previously on the board of Project Return also in Nashville.  He received his BA in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also went on to receive his MS in Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling. In 2002, Dr. Fleming received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Penn State University.

Mr. Laning spearheaded the Patriot Support Programs for the past 13 years and is currently sharing his behavioral health expertise abroad. He founded the Patriot Support Programs to help ensure quality behavioral healthcare was available for active-duty military, veterans and military families when needed and the initiative has been widely emulated across the industry.

He was also instrumental in the development of the Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital and the UHS, Inc. Military Advisory Board.

Before he retired from military life, Mr. Laning was the First Sergeant for Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado, and was responsible for the health, morale and welfare of more than 1,300 service members. He provided the troops with leadership, guidance and expertise on professionalism and discipline.

Mr. Laning enlisted in the Air Force in 1975 and was called to active duty in January 1976. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, in Texas, he was assigned to Chanute Air Force Base, in Illinois, where he received technical training as an aircrew egress systems specialist. Over the next 11 years, he became an expert in his field and was qualified on eight aircrafts. Extending his commitment, he retrained as a First Sergeant in 1987 and served until retiring in 2006.  He was always a mentor to those around him and has touched the lives of thousands with his dedication.

During his military career, Mr. Poitinger served as Director of Aeromedical Evacuation Operations for Air Mobility Command and completed three Medical Command tours. Additionally, he completed four deployments, providing aeromedical evacuation missions throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. A Veterans of Foreign Wars Life member, Mr. Poitinger retired from the USAF in 2018 after 28 years of service.

Mr. Poitinger holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, a master’s in Human Resource Management from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toledo.

He was promoted to Group Director in 2023. He has been in the behavioral health field for over 18 years, serving in diverse, progressively complex leadership roles.

Mr. West spent nearly a decade in the United States Army, starting his career there at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and deploying twice to Iraq, where he provided mental health services to those in combat. He later served as a behavioral health leader in the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. After obtaining his master’s degree in Social Work, Mr. West served as leader of the behavioral health clinics and service line operations in Virginia.

Following his military service, Mr. West oversaw the behavioral health operations of an inpatient psychiatric facility, emergency psychiatric assessment center, outpatient clinics, and behavioral healthcare of three acute care hospitals as administrator for the largest provider of healthcare services in Kansas. Prior roles include regional vice president at a for-profit healthcare company where he oversaw operations in five states.

Mr. Weaver is a hands-on executive who places high regard on ensuring patients and staff are provided with the best possible care in a compassionate environment. In 2019, he took on the role of Group CEO for Universal Health Services, Inc., adding operations in Louisiana and Western Arkansas to his management portfolio.

Prior to his career in healthcare administration, he was a social worker and addiction counselor serving in direct patient care roles. From 1988 to 1994, Mr. Weaver proudly served in the U.S. Army Reserves.

In addition to his significant professional career, Mr. Weaver currently serves on the board of directors for St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Shreveport, La., and the Committee of One Hundred for both the Shreveport/Bossier and State of Louisiana chapters. He leads a community involvement initiative at Brentwood that includes quarterly hands-on projects supporting agencies like The Renesting Project, Care Setting Continuum Workgroup, Highland Restoration Association, and Community Renewal International, as well as sponsorship of 40 not-for-profit agencies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science from Athens (Ala.) State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Samford University, in Birmingham, Ala. He and his wife have seven children.