Taking Command of His Careers

Read time: 4.5 minutes

Not many people can juggle two demanding careers at once – but that’s exactly what Jeff Oman is doing.

Jeff is both a senior contract compliance analyst at McKesson’s corporate headquarters in Irving, Texas, and a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

“It’s great to work for a professional healthcare leader that gives me the opportunity to build my civilian career,” he says, “while also supporting me in serving our country and advancing through the ranks.”

Jeff always knew he was going into the military. It was an ambition inspired by his father, an Air Force pilot, as well as his own interest in military history and the idea of serving others.

He started his Navy career in 2002 as a medical administrative officer handling purchasing and logistics at Balboa Hospital in San Diego, Calif. After 13 years and several stops, including in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Afghanistan, he completed his active duty as a lieutenant. For the past seven years, he has been a drilling reservist with the Navy, first as a lieutenant commander and, since 2018, as a full commander.

Jeff on deployment in Afghanistan

“Being a Navy officer is demanding,” he says. “I serve for at least one weekend a month and another two to four weeks of active duty each year, and I’m also doing military work five to 25 hours a week, on top of my McKesson role.”

McKesson is Jeff’s first civilian job. He first learned about the company in 2015 from a friend who had also been in active duty and had subsequently started a government contracting company. That friend helped coordinate an interview with McKesson for a government compliance role – an ideal match, as Jeff had Navy experience in that area. He was hired and stayed in government compliance until 2018, when he moved to audit compliance, where he ensures the terms of McKesson’s major strategic customer account contracts are met.

“I like that McKesson provides high-quality medical support for our country,” he says. “In our department, I can directly see that what we’re doing to ensure and confirm McKesson is meeting our contractual obligations and supporting our customers.”

About five years ago, Jeff went to his first McKesson Military Resource Group (MMRG) meeting, and he was hooked.

“It’s good to collaborate and network with people outside of your direct work environment,” he says, “and to highlight what members of the military can bring to McKesson.”

Jeff began attending MMRG meetings regularly, and believes he may be the only member who also serves on active Reserve duty. Soon he was invited to join the MMRG board as activities director, which has led to some of his favorite moments as a McKesson employee.

“It’s great to work for a professional healthcare leader that gives me the opportunity to build my civilian career while also supporting me in serving our country and advancing through the ranks.”

In 2019, he brought Don Graves – a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II who was just steps away when the iconic flag-raising photo was taken – to speak at McKesson’s annual Veterans Day event.

“I took my young sons,” he says. “It’s humbling to realize what those who fought at Iwo Jima had to endure, and at such a young age. I've been serving for 20 years in the Navy with several deployments and time away from family. I’ve sadly lost friends and seen others suffer terrible injuries in the line of service, so I recognize how fortunate I am to be able to stand there with my sons and pay tribute to those who made great sacrifices fighting for our country.”

He also arranges for MMRG members to place wreaths at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery military memorial each year on Veterans Day and at Christmas.

“It’s inspiring to see the whole cemetery with that many wreaths laid out,” he says.

Jeff also enjoys organizing and participating in MMRG speed mentoring events, both in-person and more recently in a virtual format. He recalls one speed mentoring event that was held in partnership with the ABILITY employee resource group for people with disabilities.

“Everyone has about five minutes one-on-one with each of the directors and vice presidents who attend,” he explains. “It’s a terrific opportunity to have a direct conversation with senior leadership and get some perspective on how they got where they are, and some of their career advice. Hearing from those who took jobs outside of their comfort zones, especially since my current job was out of my comfort zone when I first took it, has been incredibly helpful as I grow in my role.”

Jeff today in his role at McKesson

His MMRG experiences also represent the kind of support Jeff has grown to appreciate at McKesson, both in his corporate career and also for his military service.

Last year, for example, he was deployed with three Reservists to South Korea for a month, including two weeks of quarantine with the other Reservists in a small barracks room.

“It was like being locked in jail for two weeks, and they’d bring us our meals,” he recalls. “We had to get a negative COVID test before they’d let us out. And then we did our two-week exercise. My manager was very supportive and accommodating, and that made the whole experience easier to manage.”

Indeed, he credits his ability to achieve the rank of commander to the flexibility and support he has found at McKesson.

“I have never felt my Reserve duty is a hardship for the company, even when the schedule changes or it’s more than the typical two weeks,” he says. “I don’t have flexibility on when I go, but I just tell my supervisors when I’ll be gone, and they and the rest of my colleagues work around that. I’m grateful that McKesson so clearly supports me and my service to our country.”