A North Carolina surgeon shares why he chose to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve while continuing to care for patients at home.
For Cmdr. Hadley Wilson, MD, MS, becoming a physician and serving in the military were never separate ambitions. He knew from childhood that he wanted both.
“I knew since I was a child that I wanted to be in the military,” Wilson says. “I also knew I wanted to be a doctor.”
While completing his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wilson participated in the Navy Reserve’s Training in Medical Specialty program, allowing his military career to develop alongside some of the most rigorous years of his surgical training.
Today, Wilson balances a demanding career as an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Novant Health with service in the U.S. Navy Reserve—an experience he says continues to challenge, fulfill and sharpen him as both a physician and a leader.
“I chose the Navy Reserve so that I could maintain my clinical skills in a busy civilian practice and still be called upon to serve in a critical wartime specialty. For me, it was the best of both worlds,” he says. That choice has given him experiences extending far beyond his civilian surgical practice.
He has served in multiple leadership roles, participated in field exercises in austere environments, provided healthcare to underserved populations and trained Navy corpsmen and fellow physicians. He also became an Advanced Trauma Life Support instructor, training military physicians from across the services in trauma care.
“I look forward to my time with the Navy more than just about anything else I do for work. I knew that I always wanted to join, but I didn’t know how fulfilling and exciting it would be for me.” —Cmdr. Hadley Wilson, MD, MS
The experience has shaped his civilian work as well.
“I work in a busy civilian practice and have to stay sharp,” Wilson says. “I think the Navy has helped me manage my time better. It has also broadened my skill set and kept some of my general surgery training fresh by working with other Navy physicians.”
What he did not anticipate was how personally rewarding service would become.
“I knew that I always wanted to join, but I didn’t know how fulfilling and exciting it would be for me,” he says. “It’s an excellent challenge and keeps me sharp both physically and mentally.” Balancing that commitment with a demanding surgical career takes planning and support. Wilson credits both his institution and his partners with making it possible to succeed in both roles.
“My partners have been very supportive, as has my institution, and I wouldn’t be able to succeed in both civilian and military careers without their support,” Wilson says. “I find that with sufficient notice I can pretty much make anything work.”
The same is true at home. Wilson and his wife are raising four daughters, and he acknowledges that military service can ask a great deal of the families behind those who serve.
“As much as I hate to be away from them, I know what I’m doing is important, and so do they,” he says. “They’d obviously rather have me home all the time, but they’re proud to have a Navy dad and husband.”
For Wilson, the “best of both worlds” has become something even more: the ability to pursue two callings without having to choose between them.
The U.S. Navy Reserve became the intersection where both callings met.
Navy Recruiting Reserve Command LCDR Kathleen Dale, MSM, BSN, CCRN-TNCC Navy Reserve Healthcare Officer Recruiter (Carolinas) Nurse Corps Officer – Critical Care [email protected] 919-971-8268
A North Carolina surgeon shares why he chose to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve while continuing to care for patients at home.
For Dr. Andres Fleury, service extends beyond the walls of the operating room.
As a general surgeon at Sampson Regional Medical Center, Fleury spends his days caring for patients in eastern North Carolina. On drill weekends, he serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, combining a successful civilian medical career with a commitment to military service.
His journey to the Navy Reserve began with gratitude.
After immigrating to the United States in 2004, Fleury built a career, a home, and a family in the country he now proudly calls home. Joining the Navy Reserve became an opportunity to give back to the nation that provided those opportunities.
“My family and I moved to the United States in 2004 and were welcomed with open arms,” says Fleury. “Since then, I’ve always felt a strong desire to give back to the country that gave us so many opportunities.”
For Fleury, serving in uniform was never simply an extension of his medical career—it was a personal commitment to something larger than himself. “Patriotism is not merely about enjoying the benefits of citizenship, but about taking on the responsibilities that come with it,” he says.
That commitment is deeply personal. As a husband and father, Fleury wanted to demonstrate the values of service, sacrifice, and responsibility through action rather than words.
“I want my children to see that through my actions. Being part of the Navy Reserve allows me to uphold those values while contributing to my community and country.”
While the commissioning process was detailed and time-intensive, Fleury credits strong mentorship and guidance for helping him navigate it successfully while balancing a demanding civilian career.
Since joining, some of Fleury’s most meaningful experiences have come from working alongside Sailors and learning their stories.
“Beyond the clinical aspects, I’ve had the opportunity to hear incredible deployment stories and gain a much deeper appreciation for the sacrifices and realities of military service,” he says. “It’s opened my eyes to everything that happens behind the scenes to ensure our country remains safe.”
Today, Fleury is pursuing assignment to an Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System team that provides trauma care in operational and austere environments.
“I am excited by the prospect of collaborating with military medical personnel and contributing to the mission of saving lives, whether on the battlefield, in humanitarian operations, or during national emergencies,” he says.
Balancing medicine and military service requires planning and discipline, but Fleury says the structure of the Navy Reserve makes it possible. Drill weekends are typically scheduled well in advance, allowing him to coordinate patient care responsibilities while maintaining his Reserve commitment.
His family and colleagues support and recognize that the leadership, teamwork, and adaptability developed through military service positively influence his work as a surgeon and leader.
For physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals seeking opportunities to serve beyond their civilian practice, the Navy Reserve offers a unique way to contribute while continuing to care for their local communities. For Fleury, that opportunity has provided a meaningful way to give back to the country that gave him so much—and he hopes others will consider answering that call as well.
“Joining the U.S. Navy Reserve is my way of paying that gratitude back.”
Navy Recruiting Reserve Command LCDR Kathleen Dale, MSN, BSN, CCRN-TNCC Navy Reserve Healthcare Officer Recruiter (Carolinas) Nurse Corps Officer – Critical Care [email protected] 919-971-8268
