By John Wallace
Parkland Hospital and Health System Radiology Supervisor for Community Oriented Primary Care Clinic (COPC) Gloria D. Butler, CRA, RT (R), holds a Master of Arts in Health Administration. Her imaging career journey started via the U.S. Armed Forces.
“As a first-generation born American to my immigrant parents, I was searching for a way to get a higher-level education without becoming a financial burden to my family,” Butler explains. “I was in the middle of enrolling into college, still unsure of how I was going to pay. But then I was contacted by an Army recruiter shortly after and he convinced me to join the Army and ‘to be all that I can be’ (still my favorite motto).”
Her decision opened a path to her dream of working in health care.
“I always knew I wanted a career in health/science but was still exploring opportunities. My first choice was to be a nurse, but they were overstrength in the Army at that time and I had to pick another occupation. I scored well enough on the ASVAB that I had a wide selection of medical jobs to choose from,” Butler says. “After doing a little research, I made the decision to pursue the 68P-Radiology Specialist, Military Occupation Specialty (MOS). Twenty years later, I have no regrets in this decision. I love that the care and service we provide are key to providers in helping the diagnosis and treatment of patients. I am kind and nurturing when people are in need, and I love science and technology. So, for me, this was a perfect fit.”
Her military service is one of her top achievements.
“My greatest accomplishment so far has been my 20-year Army career. Initially, I struggled to adjust to the extreme physical fitness regiment, the long hours, and the tough love we got by the drill sergeants at basic training,” Butler says. “But once you passed basic training, you entered the next phase of your professional training. My six-year enlistment contract felt like a blink of the eye, and I never thought I would re-enlist again and again and again!”
“When you reach 10 years active duty you reach a turning point, the next time you re-enlist it is indefinite. This means you are now fully invested, committed, ‘at the needs of the Army.’ I can’t tell you how hard that decision was to make because at that time my husband and I had started our family,” Butler recalls. “Nevertheless, I stuck through the good, the bad and ugly times. Even so, I have no regrets! I grew tremendously personally and professionally. I learned to lead and train some of the finest service members in our field. That has been the greatest honor and achievement for me.”
Her military service also offered her a unique opportunity to address many different job duties and responsibilities. Today, she loves bringing her acquired knowledge to work and sharing it with others.
“While in the military, we wore many hats. You were never just one thing, you were a soldier, a leader, a technical professional, a problem solver, project manager, etc. etc. Each position comes with its own extensive job-related requirements,” she says. “There was a lot of variability to your duty day. Now that I have transitioned to the civilian side, the scope of my position is a little narrower, which means I can focus more on becoming an expert of my craft.”
“I love my job as a radiology supervisor because I can bring with me my experiences gained while in service and look to apply wherever/whenever possible. I love taking care of people, both patients and employees alike. And, I love being a part of a health system that is here to provide care to our community,” Butler adds.
She also enjoys encouraging growth in the people she works with on a daily basis.
“Leadership is neither easy nor is it simple. I feel it is important to be adaptable, resilient, competent and of good moral character when placed in a leadership position,” Butler shares. “My leadership approach has helped me keep in mind that in order to accomplish our organizational goals, you need people. People are your most precious resource, so you must invest in them and let them know they add value to our organization. There are many concepts that helped me define my leadership approach, but I’ll narrow it to three rules I try to follow daily. 1. Treat people with dignity by showing respect. 2. Communicate openly, transparently, vertically and horizontally. 3. Earn and build trust with your leadership, your peers, subordinates and your patients.”
Butler enjoys paying it forward just as mentors helped her along the way.
“I know that I would not have had as good an experience in the military had it not been for some fantastic mentors. Several people ‘groomed’ me to become the person I am today. My mentors were many, but there are a few people that I would like to recognize:
Master Sergeant (Ret) Harry Palmer. He was my first mentor in radiology who groomed me initially in all aspects of radiology clinical operations. I was a new NCO in his ranks, and he gave me a lot of autonomy to make decisions on how we managed our clinic. There was always a lesson to be learned and he trusted in my capabilities more than I trusted myself at times,” she says.
“Master Sergeant (Ret) Stefania Green is someone who inspires you and has the time and ability to help you achieve greater things. Mrs. Green was one of the first females in our field (68P) that made it to the rank of MSG. Once retired, she continued to help grow the Army radiology program and became the program director for what is now the Military Education and Training Campus (METC), Radiology Program. One very important career lesson I learned from her was ‘do not wait to get ready for the next big thing, be ready so that when an opportunity presents itself, it will not pass you by.’ To provide context, she helped me plan out my career progression in the Army radiology field,” Butler adds. “She explained what education/certifications are required, what experience is needed for the next move up, and she also mentored me in the positions I held while at METC.”
“Command Sergeant Major (Ret) Benjamin Scott was the Northern Regional CSM and mentor to our Sergeant Audie Murphy Chapter. I really appreciated his desire to lead/mentor us as senior leaders,” she says. “He presented me with a coin one day that was inscribed with ‘The Habit of Excellence.’ He always used a quote attributed to Aristotle – ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. Habits can be formed and shaped and therefore starts within the mind, with a Mindshift.’ He inspired me to continue to work at being the best version of myself, day in, day out! If you don’t get it the first time, keep trying.”
Butler is married “to my Soldier” Master Sergeant (MSG) William Butler and they have four children together: William (14), Santiago (10), and twins Amari and Amaya (6).
In Focus Nomination
