UHS Leadership in the Military

In addition to his civilian business career, where besides his work with UHS, he’s also held leadership positions 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.

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. Board certified in healthcare management, he is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

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 his most 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.

He founded the Patriot Support Programs because he wanted to ensure quality behavioral healthcare was available for active-duty military, veterans and military families when needed. Chief Laning spearheaded the programs, trainings, core standards, best practices and outcomes of this successful initiative that has the full support of UHS, Inc.

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 aircraft. 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.

Prior to joining Holly Hill Hospital, Kevin was the Nursing Director of Medical Services at Womack Army Medical Center of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During his military career, Kevin 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, Poitinger retired from the USAF in 2018 after 28 years of service.

Kevin 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.