David Roberts
Manager, Radiology Business Services
US Air Force | 1981-2001
I started basic training two months after graduating high school. I chose the air force because it’s the branch my dad was in. And of course because it’s the best branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Since I was just out of high school and didn’t know what to do, the air force positioned me as a radiology technologist. For much of my military career I was managing radiology services for various military hospitals and clinics. My service took me to Texas, D.C., Washington, Guam, Alabama, Turkey, and Mississippi.
In 1991, we provided support for Filipino refugees during the Mount Pinatubo eruption. Then we did the same thing in 1992 after Typhoon Omar. These were some of the highlights of my military career. In addition, I received the Meritorious Service Medal, AF Commendation Medal, AF Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the AF Good Conduct Medal—all service awards.
I retired after 20 years in the air force. Coming to UVA was no stretch. My wife grew up in Crozet, and we love the area and all its amenities. I worked as a technologist for the first three years then accepted the PACS Application Analyst position. The position required a bachelor’s degree, which I pursued through Florida Hospital College of Health Science. This program was online and I worked fulltime while pursuing my education. Later, I was promoted to Radiology Support Services manager. After this promotion I pursued my graduate degree in business.
David Roberts, US Air Force
The air force taught me the value of strong leadership and the ability to motivate your teams. People are the backbone of any successful team. You must engage them and give them direction with a positive influence to achieve results.
I love working at UVA, and I’ve been here 15 years. We work hard and ensure a safe environment for our patients and staff. Many times the work can be challenging and stressful. Yet being surrounded by smart, educated, and experienced people who know they can get the work done better than any other organization is what I like about it.
This article is part of the Department of Radiology’s Veteran’s Day series “A Tribute to Our Veterans”, honoring the men and women in our department who have served. To see the entire series, please click here.
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