Well, I’ll preface this whole post with a happy dance!  The Army has chosen to promote a female as its Surgeon General.  Add to that the fact that this woman is a NURSE, and the happy dance gets a little happier!

Surgeon Generals (SGs, for purposes of this post) come in several forms.  The Army, Navy, and Air Force have these SG officers that oversee medical issues in each of their departments, and the US has a Surgeon General as well, one that functions in the Public Service Health Commissioned Corps (PSHCC) branch of the uniformed services.  The US SG is not that heavily involved in policy-making, but has a presence and a voice regarding health issues that affect those in the US and around the world.  Most of us should be familiar with the “Surgeon General’s Warning” on every box of cigarettes warning people of the hazards of smoking.

On the other hand, the SGs for the military branches seem to have a lot more clout regarding the care of our soldiers.  Case in point, the man Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker that Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho replaces has been quite influential regarding reforming care for traumatic brain injuries, blast injuries, and pain management.

Because of this recent promotion for Horoho, I have great hopes for the ongoing improvement for healthcare for our troops.  She stated the Army would “sharpen its focus on prevention, wellness and healing troops’ physical and psychological scars.”  I like it.  I like her.  I was reading her bio, and this woman gets her hands dirty in true nurse fashion.  She’s been to Haiti and Afghanistan, was lauded for her actions at the Pentagon during 9/11, has received all sorts of medals, has worked as a staff nurse, has taught nurses, and has counseled nurses.  I can only assume she understands nurses, especially those who work with our troops.  What could be better?

May the care of our troops get better and better, because those dedicated Army nurses are cared for and understood as well. I cannot speak from experience, but I expect Army and other military nurses see the devastation that war wreaks on healthy bodies, even if the devastation is only in the mind. Any Army nurses out there that can weigh in on this?  What is your outlook on Horoho and her plans for Army medical care?  Are you doing the happy dance with me?

Tags: Army Nursing, international care, leadership, military, nursing care, surgeon general