BS, Morgan State Univ., 1960
MS, Trinity Univ., San Antonio, TX, 1965
MHA, Baylor Univ., Waco, TX, 1971
Ph.D., Univ. Texas, Austin, TX, 1975
Army War College
Diplomate, American Board of Professional Psychology
President, CEO, Washington-Harris Group, Inc., Mitchellville, MD, 1994 to present
President, CEO, HFL Healthcare, PA, Bethesda, MD, 1997 to present
President, CEO, Harris, Fishburne, & Lamont, P.A., Rockville, MD, 1991-97
President, CEO, General Psychological Services, 1988-92
Dir. Govern. & Admin., American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 1987-88
Dep. Commander Admin., Silas B. Hayes CH, Ft. Ord, CA, 1986-87
Dep. Commander Admin., 5th Gen. Hosp., Stuttgart, Germany, 1982-86
Psychology Consultant, OTSG, Washington, DC, 1979-82
Chief, Community Mental Hlth. Ctr., Silas B. Hayes CH, Monterey, CA, 1976-78
Faculty, U.S. Army-Baylor Univ., Acad. Hlth. Sci., Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 1971-74
Resident, BAMC, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 1970-71
As a DMG psychology major, the AMEDD was my top choice. Although promised that the AMEDD would send me for the doctorate, I had been accepted into the program at the University of Iowa, I wound up in the 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division in Germany. I did eventually, receive my doctorate in psychology, after 15 years and numerous acceptances into other doctoral programs, my doctorate was obtained from the University of Texas at Austin. There was much less success with the AMEDD Doctoral Boards. My career preparation as a healthcare executive developed as I picked up behavioral medicine preparation simultaneously. My masters in psychology was completed via "bootstrap" at Trinity University while commanding a training company and later assistant PO & T staff officer at the U .S. Army Medical Training Center, Ft. Sam Houston, TX. After the Advanced Course and the Personnel Officers Course, I was off to the Republic of Viet Nam (RVN).
In RVN I was initially the personnel officer at the 6th Convalescent Center, Cam Rahn Bay. Selected for "Top Secret" operation (Task Force Oregon) in the middle of the night I wound up relieving the marines as S-1 of the task force medical BN., and eventually became Deputy G-l for the 23rd Infantry Division (AMERICAL) formed out of the task force assets. LTC Charles Anistranski, who later became the Division 0-5 and I were the only AMEDD officers serving in such general staff with troops positions in an engaged combat division at the time. Following RVN it was back to USA Medical Training Center where I served as chief of personnel for the second largest personnel division in the AMEDD. Tired of rejection by AMEDD Psychology, I applied for graduate social work training and that career field. To my amazement I was invited to withdraw that application and apply for the Baylor course. I was accepted for the class starting 1969.
My residency was at Brooke Army Medical Center, under COL Milton Cohen as X0/Preceptor. My thesis, "Motivation-Hygiene, An Empirical Study of the Psychiatric Aide at St. Louis State Hospital, St. Louis, MO" was awarded the Boone Powell prize at my graduation in 1971. To my surprise I was assigned to the Baylor faculty upon completion of my residency.
The appointment was a big surprise as many of us African American AMEDD officers had long considered that the quota for Black officers in the Baylor course was one or two a year and zero for selection as primary faculty. Well, Jack Lanier and I became the Jackie Robinsons for the faculty. As a 15-year retiree I have not kept up with the African American Baylor headcount. I hope the numbers have improved. It would be a great hypothesis to put to test to at least rid ourselves of the myth. I would not trade my Baylor association for anything. I hope more officers of color- all colors, and females too, have attended in much greater numbers than one believed in the "good old days".
When I took Dick Harder's Personnel Development Seminar as a Baylor student we had to prepare our own career progression plan. I still have my copy. I was a major with nine years commission service at the time. Plus, I had already been frustrated by rejection for doctoral training a number of times by then. Notwithstanding, my vision was that I would be Psychology Consultant, OTSG, and a MEDDAC DCA. I even visualized becoming a MEDDAC Commander. Unlike the Navy and the USAF I don't believe we've reached that in the AMEDD yet. Please tell me I'm wrong! Anyway, with some luck, that career progression plan did come true as I did become the Psychology Consultant to TSG and DCA at two MEDDACs, 5th General Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany and Silas B. Hayes, Army Community Hospital and MEDDAC, Ft. Ord, CA. While I didn't get to command a US Army hospital, my career progression beyond the AMEDD did include a four year stint as President and CEO of a national managed care (PPO), General Psychological Services, Inc. (GPS) which operated in all fifty states in the early days of managed care.
While on the Baylor faculty I matriculated at the University of Texas at Austin and completed the doctoral program with my 1971 entering class in four years, using my "bootstrap" year to complete my dissertation: “Explorations In the Social Psychology of Health Related Behaviors.” My post doctoral clinical psychology internship (APA Approved) was at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX. My first assignment in AMEDD psychology was as a teaching chief, Psychology Internship Program (APA Approved) and Chief Community Mental Health Activity,(CMHA), Ft. Ord MEDDAC, CA. It was sixteen years reaching this AMEDD dream. But dreams do come true if you really believe them and believe in yourself.
While selected for Alternate 05 command, I opted for subspecialty training, at the risk of my 06 competitiveness. I wasn't about to give up psychology just yet. I competed for and was selected for the child and adolescent fellowship in psychology, Dept. of Psychiatry, Walter Read Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C. Upon graduation from the fellowship in 1979 I was assigned to the medical psychology faculty at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) with simultaneous selection as Psychology Consultant, OTSG, HQ. DA. Shortly after, I was selected for the Army War College corresponding series course from which I graduated in 1984.
With my promotion to 06 in 1980 I had one more hurtle to climb and that happened in 1982 when I was assigned as DCA , 5th General Hospital, Stuttgart. Germany. After four wonderful years in Germany it was back to Ft. Ord, CA., ten years after my first assignment there, this time as DCA. A very satisfying and lucky active military journey ended after that assignment. I retired and accepted the position of Director of Governance and Administration, Provider Directorate, for the 110,000 member American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
Since leaving APA I have been exercising my entrepreneurial urges in healthcare. When we moved General Psychological Services (GPS) from Washington, D.C to New Jersey I stepped down as President and CEO as my other growing business interests kept me in the D.C. area. The Washington-Harris Group, Inc. (WHG) a health care consulting, contracting and information technology firm, now in its l6th year of operation, was co- founded, by Col. (Ret.) Charles Washington, and I and we continue to run this local, regional, national and international healthcare establishment.
Harris, Fishburne, and LaMott, P.A. the forerunner of HFL Healthcare, P.A., a comprehensive health care practice, now in its l6th year of operation was co-founded by COL (Ret.) Francis J. Fishburne, Dr. Jamcs LaMott. (former AMEDD) and I. This midsize healthcare professional association serves a catchment area over two states, six counties, and the District of Columbia. I am President and Chief Executive Officer of both firms. In addition, Fishburne, LaMott and I are co-founders of Head Injury Rehabilitation and Referral Services. Inc. (HIRRS), Rockville, MD which is a regional leader in the metropolitan and state-wide area, now in its 10th year of successful operation. Charles Washington is current chairman of the board for HIRRS. Fishburne, LaMott and I have long rotated out of our board positions for this non-profit enterprise.
I am aware of a few specific contributions of Baylor colleagues: COL (Ret.) Charles Washington has already been mentioned. It should be noted that following his tour as DCA, Ft. Ord when I was his chief of CMHA 1976-78, he retired to a spectacular 10 year career with Kaiser Permanente where he ran three hospitals, a hospice and a home nursing operation for this grandfather of managed care organizations. LTC (Ret. ) Lloyd Mallory was Associate Administrator for Greater Southeast Medical Center, Washington, D. C. and later George Washington Medical Center, Wash., DC before his retirement. COL (Ret.) Brodus Hartley, has been holding forth in Miami, Fla. in a number of high level healthcare executive positions. LTC (Ret.) Charles Delane is likewise retired in south Florida in Ft. Lauderdale, and now heads his own healthcare consulting/contracting business, after very successful healthcare executive positions in Atlanta and South Florida. LTC (Ret.) Gordon Dowery "broke new ground" as a cutting edge healthcare construction executive for national and international firms. COL (Ret.) McLain Garrett has been Chief of the Student Health Service at Howard University, Washington, D.C. for many years, member editorial board for ACHA and an inspector for the Joint Commission for years and is still active. COL (Ret.), Eloise Strand, AMSC, was Chief of the Corps and worked for years as an executive for the Association of Occupational Therapists, until her second retirement. Of course, COL (Ret.) Jack Lanier continues to not only break new ground but set an example in healthcare for all of us Baylor Bears to follow.
Thanks for this opportunity for an old AMEDD Baylor Bear to roar.