More than four decades later, that same principle instilled by Bob and shaped by his time in the military continues to influence Cassling and its employees. It’s no surprise that the organization’s mission to strengthen community healthcare attracts those with a military mindset and a dedication to service: our nation’s veterans.
Today, nearly one-quarter of Cassling’s entire workforce, and one-third of our service team, have served in our nation’s armed forces. Our veteran employees bring discipline, problem-solving and technical precision, along with an unmatched mission-focused commitment that helps Cassling provide world-class service to the providers, patients and communities we serve.
New Mission, Same Mindset
That mission-first mentality doesn’t end when military service does. For Cassling’s veteran employees, it simply takes a new form: supporting healthcare providers and the patients who depend on them.
A passion for patient lives is at the heart of Cassling’s mission to strengthen community healthcare. That mindset is something that draws many veterans to Cassling. Veterans like Josh Gahn, a project manager for the University of Iowa, who served in the Air Force for ten years.
“The military taught me early on, from a leadership perspective, that you can’t sweat the small stuff,” said Josh. “I think a mission-oriented mindset is something that a lot of soldiers have, and it can really help you in your daily life in whatever job you have.”
Translating Military Precision into Patient Impact
Many military skills directly transfer to the work Cassling’s Service team delivers. Yaribett Lashley, an FSE based in Omaha, served in the Air Force for four years, working on large cargo planes. She says hands-on problem-solving is what led her to Cassling.
“I didn’t want to give up tools. I didn’t want to give up working with my hands,” said Yaribett. “Being in the military teaches you how to improvise a lot and do the best you can with what you have.”
Brent Newland, an FSE in Des Moines, Iowa, who served in the U.S. Army for six years, agrees that improvisation is a critical skill, especially when servicing the complex imaging equipment used to provide dependable care.
“Sometimes we get in stressful situations, you really start to think on your feet. You start to ask yourself, ‘What can we do to fix this problem?’ or ‘What tools do I have available right now that can help me out?"
A Passion for Teams and People
Beyond benefitting from a direct transfer of their skills, many of Cassling’s veteran employees are also drawn to the people and teams they connect to through their work.
“Building relationships and building rapport with customers is something that I enjoy a lot,” said Yaribett.
Crafting those customer relationships is something that Josh is also committed to.
“Everybody has a passion,” said Josh. “And if you can figure that out and be connected, you work better as a team. That drives into customer service because you see each other.”
Teamwork is a notable source of pride for many veteran employees. Through the round-the-clock nature of the job, Cassling service teams rely on one another to get the job done. That trust and reliability has a profound impact on how the Cassling service team shows up for customers.
“It's really important that you feel purposeful when you're going to work,” said Yaribett. “And when you're a part of a team like Cassling, it makes it so easy to show up.”
“I loved the time that I served in the military,” said Josh. “And I'll always be proud of that. But I really appreciate Cassling and the opportunity to be on a winning team again, and to be able to provide services that really matter to people. And I'm grateful for that.”
A Customer Relationship Rooted in Shared Purpose
As the FSE who maintains New West Sports Medicine’s X-ray equipment, Nate Pierson is there to make sure Robin’s day runs smoothly. Nate is a former Air Force aircraft electrician who spent over 13 years maintaining military aircraft. For him, the transition to Field Service Engineer maintaining life-saving imaging equipment was seamless.
“In the military, lives are on the line. And in this job, that happens too,” said Nate. “Patient lives are affected if we don’t have machines working.”
Nate’s and Robin’s shared military background results in a relationship grounded in precision and mutual respect. There’s a special kind of understanding when veterans work together, a sense of shared purpose that transcends roles or titles.
“There’s a camaraderie that we have that took no time to develop,” said Nate. “We both grew up on the same mindset.”
Robin agrees, saying it’s something she noticed from start.
“When you’re in the military, you learn how to respect everybody because you’re there for a shared purpose,” said Robin. “Cassling has the utmost respect here. They’re professional, they’re on time, they’re [respectful]. They’re like family.”
Providing Premier Patient Care with Patience
Robin credits her own success to the patience she learned while serving in the military. “When they say you go into basic as a kid and you come out an adult, it’s true,” said Robin. “You learn respect. You learn patience. It just helped me to interact with patients of all ages. You have to take your time and try to do what’s best for the patient to get the job done.”
Dr. Heber Crockett, an attending surgeon at New West, sees and appreciates Robin’s ability to get the job done while taking care of people, it’s something he views as truly unique.
“Robin is unbelievably smart, unbelievably fast,” said Dr. Crockett. “I went to UCLA medical school, I was in New York City, I was in Birmingham, Alabama…And I'm telling you the truth when I say there were none as good or as fast as she is in any of those places.”
That speed comes in handy when serving the upwards of 100 patients New West sees daily. The facility’s location in the middle of rural Nebraska makes it a hub for patients from around the state. New West operates as a one-stop shop where patients can get necessary scans and surgery scheduled in the same day.
“The typical day is really busy,” said Robin. “The MRI schedule might only have 4 or 5 patients on it, but since we do them same-day, I’ve done as many as 25 in one day. We’ve done as many as 120 X-ray patients in a day.”
The facility’s volume speaks to its commitment to not only the community, but patients themselves. And it’s why Robin loves what she does so much. “I’m a people person,” said Robin. “I enjoy the interaction with them. We see patients from two years old to 92 years old.”
With her military training as a guide, Robin is able to provide an outstanding level of care and understanding, enabling New West to achieve their mission of being the premier provider of orthopedic care.
Continuing Our Mission
At Cassling, service isn’t just a job. It’s an ongoing mission to strengthen community healthcare. From veterans who once served our country to those dedicated to supporting the healthcare facilities we serve, our Cassling team meets every interaction with initiative, integrity and humility.
We’re proud to carry forward a commitment to excellence shaped by military values and strengthened by compassion. The expertise and dedication of our veteran employees ensure that every scan, every diagnosis and every patient experience reflects the quality our customers depend on.
We’re honored to partner with the many veteran-led organizations and healthcare professionals who share our values of service and teamwork. To every veteran, we extend our deepest gratitude for your selfless commitment to a mission greater than yourselves.