Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11th to honor veterans that have served in the United States Armed Forces. To celebrate Veterans Day, we reached out to some of our resident ProviderTrust veterans, Tom Dulin and Sean Geddis, to ask about their time in the service and what it means to them.
Tell us about yourself and what you do for ProviderTrust.
T: I’m a husband with a 19 year old son. I’ve been in the military for 23 years and counting. I love hiking, running, biking, old cars and traveling. I’m the security engineer at PT and help keep our customers and employees data safe.
S: My name is Sean Geddis, and I’m a Territory Lead for the Provider Sales team.
How long have you worked at ProviderTrust?
T: I’ve worked at PT since June of 2021.
S: November marks my 7th month at PT!
What is your favorite memory at ProviderTrust?
T: Before I even started working at PT I was invited to TopGolf with team Argus and I knew right then I was making the right decision to join PT.
S: The first time I visited the office and had the opportunity to meet everyone in person! It’s a challenge building relationships with people being a full time remote employee, but this team makes it a breeze.
What is something you’re proud of?
T: Helping Corey clean up the network closet in the office. It needed some love!
S: I’d have to say the thing I’m most proud of is the relationship my wife and I have with my daughter, Dylan. Her mom and I have been divorced since she was 6 months old, and she recently chose to come live in Charleston with my wife Brittany and I due to the bond we’ve formed over the years.
What is your favorite value at ProviderTrust and why?
T: “Tell the Truth and Do What is Good”. This value lines up with an Air Force core value I’ve followed my entire adult life which is “Integrity First”. Being able to trust the person next to you is critical and the foundation of any great relationship, especially when lives can be on the line.
S: I really appreciate all of them, but “Tell the Truth and Do What is Good” hits home for me. I was raised in a military family where your word was the most important thing you had and integrity wasn’t an option. It’s a value that we discuss and practice as a family. There are times when it’s not easy to tell the truth or do the right thing, but integrity is what you do when no one else is watching, and doing the right thing is always the right decision even when it may not work in your favor.
What branch of the military were you in and how many years did you serve?
T: I’ve served eight years on active duty in the Air Force, six years with the Illinois Air National Guard, and am currently serving in the Tennessee Air National Guard. I have 23 years of service and counting.
S: I was in the United States Coast Guard for six years, and was a Machinery Technician by trade, but spent most of my time working in Search and Rescue and fisheries enforcement as a Boarding Officer.
What inspired you to join the service?
T: I followed in my Dad’s footsteps and I’ve always had pride in defending the country and keeping everyone safe.
S: My father is a retired Sr. Master Sergeant in the Air Force, My grandfather on my fathers side fought at Guadalcanal as part of the 1st Marine Division in WWII, and my grandfather on my mothers side was a F4 pilot in Korea and Vietnam and an instructor at the Air Force Academy. I wanted the opportunity to serve my country, but help people at the same time and the Coast Guard performs its mission daily whether the country is involved in a conflict or not. I wanted to be able to travel, help people, and protect our country at the same time.
What would you like people to know about serving in the military?
T: I owe a lot to the military and helping shape the person I am. The comradery and friendships I‘ve made in the military are unlike anything I can describe in the civilian workplace. PT is pretty close though. The military has taken me all over the world and experiences you can’t get anywhere else.
S: It truly takes all kinds of people to serve! The military is composed of all kinds of people from all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, beliefs, and cultures and there is no “type” of person that chooses to go into the service.
How can we support folks that are or were in the military?
T: The biggest thing for me is just being acknowledged for my service. Anytime someone says “thank you for your service” I always say back to them or think to myself “you are worth it and it’s been an honor to serve”. I’ve even had people buy my lunch when I’ve been in uniform and that is an awesome gesture. Most military folks don’t do it for the money or the spotlight.
S: While it’s appreciated when people say “thank you for your service” I think it’s more meaningful to ask people about their time, what they did, where they served, what they enjoyed the most, etc.
Looking back on the last year, what is something significant that has happened to you?
T: Being activated to support the Afghanistan refugee operation. I spent a month and a half helping the refugees in process into a pop up village at Joint Base McGuire/Ft. Dix in New Jersey. Being able to help the guests we welcomed was at the core of helping people in a humanitarian aspect. There is nothing greater than being able to help those in need and make them feel safe and welcomed.
S: I joined PT and made it through my first global pandemic!
What does smarter and safer healthcare mean to you?
T: Smarter and safer healthcare means that patients are cared for and safe from fraud and abuse. Being able to reduce the cost of healthcare is huge and allows those that can’t afford it better care.
S: I feel like access to healthcare is a basic human right and we need to do a better job of helping people in this country and abroad that are less fortunate than us get access. Having a hand in ensuring that that happens, and that people are protected when they seek care is something I’m proud to say I play a part in.
