“I got into ROTC when I was registering for classes. I wanted to only take courses that would count toward requirements. I needed a gym credit, so they said go see ROTC. They go repelling off the stadium with ropes and go camping a few times. I didn’t know what I was getting into. It was rigorous, but it was fun.”

“I only planned to do my four years of military and get out. But 22 years later, here I am. I have worked at Fort Polk, Fort Hood, Walter Reed Medical Center, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office and now working on interoperability of data and purchasing an electronic health care record system for Department of Defense. In the Army, sometimes you don’t have choices. Sometimes you do. Be flexible, but plan deliberately. I never thought I would be working in infomatics, but I used the tools around me to expand my skills.”

“You never know who you’re going to work for. So don’t burn bridges. Be open to learning something from anyone. Always try to cultivate the relationships you have with the people you work with. You never know what may help you late in life.”

“I learned from good and bad leadership styles. You can benefit from both. I’ve seen consensus-building styles and dictatorial styles. Both have merits and drawbacks. It’s valuable to see different styles.”

“Retain the basic nursing process: Assess the situation, figure out the problem, make a plan and implement it, see if it works. The basics of nursing have been very helpful in my career. It’s applicable to nursing, the military and life in general.”