Air Methods Champions Inclusion by Hiring Veterans and Service Members

Today marks National Hire a Veteran Day, and one company is leading by example.

Air Methods, a provider of medical air services to Lake Havasu City, employs 1,400 veterans and active duty service members nationwide. Paul Williams, vice president of talent acquisition at Air Methods, emphasized that hiring veterans aligns with the company’s mission. “The experience our veteran teammates bring to Air Methods inherently serves a similar mission to those in the armed forces — a dedication to protecting and saving lives,” Williams explained.

U.S. Air Force veteran Stephanie Welton joined Air Methods at its Lake Havasu City location in September 2023 as a flight nurse with TriState CareFlight. Following her high school graduation in Chino Hills, California, Welton enlisted in the military and was discharged in 2010. She pursued nursing in North Carolina before relocating to Havasu in 2018 with her husband, also a veteran, to be closer to family.

“Right out of nursing school, I started working in the emergency department and worked there for two years until we decided to sell our house. Our first child is what brought us closer to family when we settled in Lake Havasu City,” Welton shared.

Becoming a flight nurse has been a long-term aspiration for Welton. “Already having a civilian career, the transition to Air Methods wasn’t difficult. As I did most of my military time in the ICU, it was during my deployment that I gained an admiration for the flight nurse/medic profession,” she said.

Welton appreciates the structured, team-oriented environment at TriState CareFlight. “We have a strong sense of teamwork, dedication, and commitment to the job we do. The skills and experience we bring to the workplace are an asset to any employer,” she continued.

TriState CareFlight has been serving Lake Havasu for nearly two decades. Williams noted the company’s 28 rotor-wing base at Havasu Regional Medical Center and its 80 fixed-wing base at Havasu’s Municipal Airport. “Last year, TriState CareFlight’s fixed-wing aircraft relocated from Yuma, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ to better serve the tri-state region. About a quarter of our teammates at our Lake Havasu base(s) are veterans or active/reserve service members,” Williams added.