Army Nursing has provided me the opportunity to increase my nursing knowledge and add skills to my practice. My civilian specialty is oncology nursing, but in the Army I am a generalist and am expected to care for those in intensive care to the "walking wounded".  I know how to provide battlefield care to wounded soldiers, how to treat chemically and biologically contaminated soldiers and how to plan and evacuate the wounded-whether by ground or air ambulance.

Army Nursing has provided me with the opportunity to grow as a leader. I have learned how to build teams, solve problems, plan major training events and mentor others. The Army may have Arank," but the best leaders know how to mentor and develop leaders across all ranks and to encourage them to work together as a team to plan training events. I have been encouraged to grow intellectually through attendance at Army educational programs and have learned to be a better teacher and communicator by virtue of my military education.

The "intangibles" are the best part of being an Army Nurse. It is awesome to be a part of a group that is "bigger" than I and with such a proud legacy. I attended the 100^th Birthday Party of the Army Nurse Corps last year and was overwhelmed with the sense of patriotism and pride I felt for being a part of this "larger than life" American institution. I count my Army friends as some of my best friends; they are friends in ways that my civilian friends can never be. We have sweated and frozen together, we have cried together and we have shared many an MRE together. Army nursing is "value-added" nursing, and Army nurses stand out in a crowd for their leadership and their commitment to caring.  I have friends from all over the country who have helped me to grow, think and care about America and her future and who have led me to "Be All I Can Be" and continue to encourage me to keep growing!