I joined the US Air Force in 2000 with the hopes of working in the medical field. I entered at a time when many military applications were entering the digital age, so the Air Force trained me at a Communications-Computer Systems Operator instead. After five years in the IT field, I chose to retrain as a Paralegal. I worked as a Military Justice/Adverse Actions Paralegal until I separated from the Air Force in 2009.
I chose to separate from active duty after nine years of service for many reasons. I thoroughly enjoyed working in the legal field, but I still had the desire to help people as a nurse. My husband is also active duty and the deployments and mission requirements of a dual-military couple were very demanding. After our son was born in 2007, I chose to forgo my goal of retiring out of the Air Force to ensure our son wouldn’t have to deal with having both parents deployed at the same time.
I considered attending nursing school when my active duty service ended, but instead I chose to work as a government service civilian with the US Air Force while my husband was still on active duty. I worked as a Unit Program Coordinator for a very busy reconnaissance flying unit until this year. During my time as a government civilian, I learned to hone my leadership skills. This position also gave me an even greater respect for the military and those who choose to serve their country. I completed by BS in Business and earned 30 hours towards my MS in Executive Leadership while at this position.
Unfortunately, I left the service as a disabled veteran. I endured non-combat related back and neck injuries that required surgery and ongoing physical therapy. The injuries also caused nerve damage in my right (dominate) hand that cause intermittent numbness in my fingers. These ailments were aggravated by sitting behind a computer for 8+ hours per day and typing for hours on end. I have spent the last seven years working with the doctors and physical therapists at my local VA clinic to manage my symptoms, but it become apparent that I was not going to be able to keep working in the field that I the Air Force had trained me in.
This is when I decided to pursue my nursing degree once and for all. I have always wanted to help people and my time spent at the VA clinic showed me there are many veterans in need of such help. Even though I may have medical issues that can be taxing at times, my pain is manageable, and I know there are many veterans that aren’t as lucky. I have spent hours talking to veterans of all ages; sharing stories, listening to their complaints about the lack of treatment available to them, and reinforcing my desire to help them.
While I haven’t decided which nursing specialty I would like to go into, I do know that I plan to work with the underserved veteran population. The World War II and Vietnam era veterans were not awarded the same disability treatment that today’s Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are receiving. This population is aging quickly and their medical needs are growing by the day. Today’s veterans are capable of receiving top notch PTSD treatment that wasn’t available to veterans 40-50 years ago. I know that my combination of military experience, empathy towards those with debilitating conditions, and desire to help with make me a great nurse in the VA community. I hope you will help contribute to that goal by providing me with the financial peace to attend school without incurring a large education debt.
