(WXYZ) — He's served veterans in military hospitals for 25 years. Now, he's serving metro Detroiters at Henry Ford Hospital.
Dr. Daniel Ouellette is the chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He started at Henry Ford in 2006 after retiring from the Army in 2005.
He started his day on Veterans Day as he usually does: at the hospital doing what he loves.
"What drew me to medicine was a love of science for one thing," Ouellette said. "I wanted to have a career that involved interactions with people and using the things that I knew to help other people."
He remembers it was his love for medicine that drew him to enlist as a physician.
"I was going to have to be in a disciplined environment," he explained.
While he was never on the battlefield, he saw the aftermath up close treating veterans and active duty. He particularly remembers helping the injured at Brooke Army Medical Center after the invasion of Panama in 1990.
"The casualties from that operation were sent back to our hospital arriving within a couple hours of having been on the battlefield,” Ouellette said.
Rising from a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve to colonel and serving as the senior adviser on pulmonary and critical care to the surgeon general.
In his role as senior adviser, he helped prepare the country for possible negative outcomes to citizen's health.
“When you’re in the middle of that to realize how many of these things actually go on that most people don’t even know about, the kind of planning, the kind of thoughtfulness, the kind of foresight that’s required to keep America safe and to protect our liberties,” Ouellette said.
His awards include:
- Legion of Merit
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation Medal
- Distinguished Unit Citation
- Army Achievement Medal
- Army Reserve Medal
"I think of the experiences that I have all the time. They have shaped who I am as a person and so they're constantly at the forefront of my thoughts," Ouellette said.
They are a constant source of inspiration for him at Henry Ford.
"Having those responsibilities and being involved in some really important decision-making, I think has allowed me during the remainder of my career to be in a position where I can provide some leadership and that's been really important," Ouellette said.
Visual reminders as he walks through what he hopes will end up as at least 25 years at Henry Ford doing what he loves — serving people who may never know about his past as an unsung hero.
"There are many hidden heroes amongst us. There are many people who you wouldn't think would have served their country but who have," Oullette said.
