 This is a story of military personnel. In the classical sense, however, it is not a military story. It is a story of the Army nurse, soldier of mercy, special feeling about nurses, and nursing. Me, nursing is a truly proud profession. The nurse is one of the few people in our society who measures success in terms of service and benefits to mankind rather than in the achievement of personal wealth and fame. The Army nurse embodies the fine attributes of nurses everywhere and then adds a few qualities of her own. She works and lives according to a simple code, grants that I be worthy of the sacred pledge of my profession and the lives of those entrusted to my care. Help me to offer hope and cheer in the hearts of men in my country. Hope and cheer in the hearts of men. The purpose and meaning of Army nursing. The history of military nursing is as old as our country. It is a proud story and one that illuminates some of the finest moments in our national history. George Washington was the first to recognize the importance of military nursing. On his recommendation, contract nurses were engaged at a salary of $2 per month, plus room and board. While the rate of pay has changed somewhat, the original need for Army nurses, as expressed by George Washington, remains the same. Contract nurses were used again in the Civil War. At the beginning of the Civil War, 6,000 women performed some type of hospital service under Dorothea Dix. And the record was one of service and heroism. The Army nurse corps, as we know it, was formed just after the Spanish-American War in 1901. For the first time, professional nurses were used to support the military forces in the field. In addition to caring for the sick and wounded in combat situations, these nurses, working with the doctors, became pioneers in the new fields of sanitary engineering and preventive medicine. The history of the Army nurse corps in overseas theaters or in wars of our country is a story of patriotism and devotion to duty. A story that is usually lost in discussions of military maneuvers and spectacular victories. I suppose it is a quiet story, quiet, but it illustrates human capacity for nobility. In World War I, the Army nurse corps really came of age. It grew from a meager 400 to a force of more than 21,000 nurses. They served with valor in new and dangerous situations, saving lives and bringing comfort to the sick and wounded. General Pershing bestowed the recognition of a grateful country on these soldiers of mercy who did their job so well. But some of them never saw the results of their devoted efforts. Between 1917 and 1918, 296 nurses lost their lives in the service of their country. The tradition continued in World War II when the corps grew to a strength of approximately 57,000. Eagerly they came to offer their services in what was to become the most savage struggle in history. They served with distinction in every theater of operation. They followed the first assault troops in North Africa. They nursed and sustained the morale of the embattled forces on Corregidor. They improvised wards and cared for the sick and wounded in the jungles of the town. And they brought life and comfort to the allied forces on the bitter battlefields of Europe. There was the story more thrillingly acted out than at the Anzio Beachhead. After the landing, army nurses went ashore and worked diligently during the winter of 1944. They took the same beating we did. Familiar figures in the dark, desolate winter hell. They knew their job and we knew that we could depend on them. They worked in all kinds of makeshift setups and around the clock in their effort to keep us in a good shape. They did a great job and we were all great people. Very grateful. The hospital tents were shelled regularly but that didn't stop them. They even nursed the enemy pilot who was shot down after bombing the hospital tent area. They served in the true tradition of the Corps with courage, with skill, and with devotion. After that came the Korean War. The army nurse was there. Pork chop hill, heartbreak ridge, colorful names from the colorless Korean War where there was one army nurse when the fighting started. Within two weeks, there were 57. Before it was over, the Corps grew to 5,500. 10% of them saw duty in the cold and the wind, the heat and the mud. They were clothing along Fifth Avenue but then these nurses weren't in Korea to put on a fashion show. They were there to care for the ceaseless flow of wounded men. As they went about their duties, no one cared about their attire. As one war correspondent put it, they walked in beauty. There was a chance to serve the community but these respites were few. There was a greater need for their skill and stamina. As one commanding officer wrote, when all hope ebbed, each face remained compassionate because it was often the last thing on earth the soldiers saw. And today, once again, they are answering the call to arms. Our soldiers are fighting in far off Vietnam where the suffering and injuries of war are made even more difficult because of the climate. But in their suffering, they won't be ignored. The Army nurse is where the action is in the heat of the tropics, tending to the sick and wounded in tents behind the lines. But tomorrow, these tents could be the lines in the fluid situation of such a hidden war. This canvas court is home. How high you spell it? Anywhere in the world, under any conditions, the feminine mystique is ever present and along with it, the feminine ritual. But duty in Vietnam isn't all tents and baggy fatigues. These soldiers of mercy do get to wear crisp white uniforms. As with all areas in the Army, duties vary. Here in another facility in Vietnam, the Army nurse works side by side with other members of the medical team in their mutual dedication. That of healing and preserving human life. Women of the Army nurse corps who are near the more urban areas take advantage of their off-duty time to absorb the atmosphere and the culture of the Southeast Asian corner of the world. But it does offer a chance to rest a little while getting to one's destination. They established as become part of our history a glorious part. Supporting combat troops in their effort to protect our liberty and freedom is the traditional function of the Army nurse. It is not, however, the only contribution she has to offer. The Army nurse corps has developed into one of the finest and most comprehensive nursing services in the world. These men and women of the Army nurse corps reflect the highest standards in nursing and patriotism. This did not happen merely with a passing of time or through some fortunate accident. It was result rather of careful selection, intensive training and broad experience. And it happened because of the deep patriotic and humane motivation of the men and women who have come and continue to come to offer their services to the corps. They enter service as registered professional nurses. To this basic requirement, the Army adds the intensive education and experience required to make them military nurses. And so they move forward in pursuit of their goal to help the sick and wounded and to offer hope and cheer in the hearts of men. This begins at the Brook Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Here, the nurse is educated in a variety of military subjects. These include military law, courtesies and customs, information on how to assume the responsibilities of an Army officer, and the new methods used in modern warfare. Their orientation includes the complete range of bedside nursing activities. In here, what it means to be part of the Army medical team, a role they follow as long as they remain an Army nurse. This is where their contribution really begins, their first assignment in a big state side Army hospital. The hospital is a place of value in the military as well as in the civilian community. Here, in a vast mosaic of small sounds and hurried movements, they practice their arts. This includes every aspect of general nursing and patient care. It also includes specialties such as anesthesia, room nursing, psychiatric nursing, obstetrics, pediatrics, and many others. The range of experience is complete and the opportunities to serve end use. But the creation of a military nurse includes more than merely providing diversified employment opportunities. Of equal importance is the educational process that starts with a first day in service and continues throughout the nurse's entire career. The role of men and women nurses in education has two distinct aspects. They study as pupils seeking new and better methods of patient care and they also serve as instructors for other hospital personnel. This varied experience pays off in several ways. It prepares the nurses for important duties as part of the Army medical team and it helps them in choosing the specialty they wish to follow in their careers. For example, Army nurses participated in the research that led to the development of the regulated environmental system for safety, a major advance in the prevention and control of infection. Nurses also made important contributions to the development of the Army's transportable hospital unit. This unit is designed for use in remote or disaster areas and has the potential for both military and civilian utilization. A hospital complete with ward facilities, X-ray, laboratory and operating room is set up in less than an hour. A new concept and a new atmosphere for Army nursing. And so the benefits of their education and experience move in ever widening and more comprehensive circles. Nurses also have participated in research in the use of radioactive isotopes in patient care and in the design of new hospital equipment. Such as this circle electric bed which is used for many types of injuries and diseases. It is especially useful in the treatment of burn patients. The modern Army nurse uses the latest and most complex equipment. This includes devices such as the Bennett machine which is used in the treatment of certain respiratory conditions. And the artificial kidney or peritoneal dialysis. Search for new methods and more effective nursing programs continues in a variety of ways. One such activity is the International Council of Nurses which was held in Frankfurt, Germany. Here information and ideas are exchanged on all matters relating to the healing arts. In these international meetings, members of the Army Nurse Corps offer their full and enthusiastic cooperation. Working according to the true purposes of their careers, the Army nurses serve here as teachers. Sharing their experiences and knowledge with their colleagues from nursing organizations all over the world. And learning at the same time of what other nurses are attending and achieving in their particular health programs. Congress does more, however, than serve as a forum for the exchange of technical information. It offers great spiritual value to the members of this international partnership. It provides the opportunity for cultural companionship during a visit to the opera. The purpose of the program is to help the patients for developing new and lasting social relationships. But a design to widen and strengthen friendships was a boat trip up the Rhine River. Gave the nurses a chance to view the scenery, have lunch, sunbathe and take pictures, all to the tune of a German band. Motivated by the ideals of their profession and the highest standards of patriotism, these nurses reach out and join hands to fight war against pain, disease and death. I used to have a pretty set idea on who the nurse is and what she does. The setting was always the hospital or the doctor's office and the duties never seemed to vary. This is not true, however, of the Army nurse. A study of her duties reveals that all this has been changed. The scope of her duties and the locales in which she practices have undergone many significant changes before was formed in February of 1901. One of the specialties is Army Health Nursing. The Army Health Nurse performs the public health services needed by servicemen and their families. They visit the homes of military families to give care and advice. This service is provided in both the United States and in overseas theaters of operations. The problems range from urgent health matters to the teaching of prospective parents. The Army nurse serves anywhere in the world she is needed. This may be in places such as Alaska, the tropics or somewhere in the Far East. Concerned the modern Army nurse is in the various civic action programs being conducted in the developing countries of the world. They contribute here in a different kind of war. The war against hunger, ignorance and disease. The training in civic action includes many diversified activities. Principally, it is the extension of medical and nursing care to people who desire and need health. The nurse also provides assistance where natural disasters such as the Iranian earthquake which destroyed homes and villages. In fact, anywhere our troops have a mission, the Army nurse is there, not only to administer to them, but to the people of the country as well. In Santa Domingo, the soldiers of mercy are true to tradition as they treat and heal the local civilians. Education of the people and other lands is an important part of the civic action program. This also includes the medical education of health personnel. In extending this assistance, Army nurses are not hampered by specified boundaries. They respond promptly when the need exists to the appeal for help found in the eyes of the sick, the weak and the helpless. And so they contribute in the fight for the hearts, the minds and the health of the people in the emerging nations of the world. The range of the Army nurses' activities encompasses all of life. They are concerned with the beginning of life, the preservation of life, and with the care of those who fight communist subversion in Vietnam and other areas. And with the protection of the American soldier and his allies in our own hemisphere, the Army nurse has a long and honorable history in the service of her country. Devoted to the betterment of mankind, the Army nurse is truly a soldier of mercy. The meaning and purpose of her life is clear in her every action. Very simply, it is to offer hope and cheer in the hearts of men.