this is the last allnurses.com post from josh harmon, usa. he was killed in action in august 2007. his father's tribute follows this post. we at allnurses want to extend our condolences to his friends and family.
how long after a new nurse graduate commissions before they will deploy? also, with med/surg experience only where would one likely deploy? i am very curious about where i might deploy, (anticipate graduating in june).
finally, if you do not mind answering, how many times have you deployed and were you able to get the "full" two years off in between them?
well i am a combat medic from what i see of the nurses it is not as common for them to deploy to iraq as much as germanyor kuwait. we have one army nurse here at a level2. but we have a lot of physician assistants and a couple mds. but they do come to iraq just not very many big hospitals all over fr a nurse to work at. for the deployment time every unit is different but the majority of most infantry unit that have medical battalions attached with them will rotate just like the infantry just like i do. one year on one year off. ahh! after you graduate i am not positive how long until you deploy but from what i have heard i am pretty sure they will at least put you in a hospital for a year or so. it is rare in the army but some units go 6 months. my first deployment almost done with one 12month tour and we will be back it looks like 10-11 months before we redeploy. ahh! i hope some of this helps... but being a nurse on deployment really you are not put in any danger like us line guys are that are with the infantry and level 1. you will sit in a clinic and a lot of clinics in iraq are kinda quiet and slow which is good(means people are not getting hurt) i hope any of this helped sorry for he rambling i am really exhausted lol later ~ josh
thank you all for your kindness, i am not able to contain my emotions when writing about my son. so i choose to let joshua and those who know him best to share their thoughts. this is a rather long post, but only a fraction of the man my son became. each section ends with the person's name that was quoted.
rich harmon
this excerpt is from one the last notes that joshua had written to his family. he had just described the long hours, the temperature in excess 125 degrees and his motivation that kept him going.
"i just stay focused as platoon medic to make sure my soldiers are taken care of night and day. sometimes it is a tiring job, but a job i have found great pride and satisfaction in." cpl. joshua scott harmon.
it was a fitting tribute for an army medic who wanted to be a doctor.
the medical center at the schofield barracks in honolulu has been renamed the joshua s. harmon aid station after the lake county man who died while serving in iraq. harmon received the hawaii medal of honor.
harmon received the army medal of commendation for valor and the combat medic award when he saved the life of sniper fredrick "freddie ray" meyers. on may 3, meyers was struck in the head with a bullet. harmon jumped into the line of fire and pulled him to safety.
harmon resuscitated meyers twice in the back of a bumpy humvee. meyers survived and was one of the soldiers who greeted harmon's family members when they arrived on oahu.
joshua harmon was 20 when his helicopter malfunctioned and crashed aug. 22 in multaka, outside of kirkuk. he had been taking biology classes online and preparing for his medical college admission test while serving as the medic for the 2-35 scout sniper platoon. excerpt from the lake county news herald 03/29/2008
joshua was a wonderful soldier and medic; he quickly became part of our air force medical family as well. he was always seeking info and feedback to better care for his fellow soldiers. he was a true hero and will be missed.
captain donna strait
it brought a lot of sadness to us all when we heard of joshua being involved in this incident. we all liked him here; he made a big impression on v-3 and on me.
ken dolitz, m.d., surgeon
we got to know joshua because he routinely came in with casualties. he was always so energetic and compassionate for what he did and always seemed to make you smile.
he will truly be missed and it was such an honor to work with him over here in iraq.
sgt. libby richardson
i had the great pleasure of working with josh at the emeds in kirkuk on a few occasions. i would first like to tell you that he was a well-versed soldier eager to help out where he could. even when exhausted he pushed forward. he helped save the lives of many soldiers. i did not have the privilege to know him on a personal level and for that i am sad, but i would like you to know what a wonderful soldier and kind person he was. i will never forget him. i am incredibly sorry for your loss! spc emily devries (denver, co)
in my interaction with joshua, he was a very poised and humble young man, always putting others first, he cared deeply about his fellow soldiers and was a hero to all of us. may god bless joshua and grant you peace during this time.
major nathan taylor, m.d.
cpl "johnnie" harmon, he was such a unique and loveable kid. he was full of joy and love. while he was a little quirky and strange, that was a quality that endeared him to you. he was one of those guys who made friends with everyone. everyone loved harmon. he was one of the rare individuals who i've heard many people call "his best friend." that is a rare quality and i've honestly had to say, i've never met anyone like him. not only was he an intelligent medic, he had a passion for medicine and was filled with compassion and care for his soldiers that were second-to-none.
josh, "johnny" harmon was a compassionate and caring medic, i will miss you. thank you for your passion for medicine, caring for your troops, and being a friend. my only regrets are that i didn't spend more time with you. i know you are in heaven, in his glory. i will definitely see you again. robert oh md. battalion surgeon for 2-35 infantry
whether you are a member of the military, law enforcement, emergency medical or fire fighting force, you have chosen the path of service to others. corporal joshua harmon demonstrated his commitment to serving as a way of life.
joshua's choice to join the army, as a health care specialist was a reflection of his need to give aid to those already serving. his charity to his fellow soldiers and the downtrodden people of iraq showed that service and compassion were not a job to joshua, but the very essence of his character. michael anderson md, university hospitals, rb&c
he was not only a great soldier but a great friend, son, brother, husband, student and mentor to those that knew and loved him. he was the type of guy that brought a smile to all as he walked into a room and even when i was not feeling at my best he had the ability to start one of his many motivational discussions and it would get me all charged up to deal with all that came my way. josh touched the hearts of so many and shall always be remembered for his ability to put others before himself and to go above and beyond in all that he did. he also loved his mission as a medic, which he took very seriously and it showed in the very caring way he took care of his troops. his aspirations to be a medical professional were always spoke of as his future goal for he and his wife.
he and i being close i was able to get the requested medication and he made sure his troops that needed help with sleep would get the meds as soon as possible and then come in for refills. yes, he for sure put others before his own needs and was able to balance it all and maintain himself at the same time.
i wear a id tag just about 24/7 in his honor and for the great friendship which we had. i thought/think highly of him and feel blessed that i was able to know such a kind and giving person. i really feel my getting to know him has made me a better person and that some of his compassion has grown within me. major keith washington joshua's commanding officer
joshua's path of service began in august of 2005, when he chose to join the army, as he truly believed that we were safer in america because we had troops overseas. he joined the army as a medical specialist to take care of the troops.
joshua was a caring, courageous, energetic and dedicated healer and soldier, whose young and promising life was cut too short. over the past year, the well-documented awards, tributes, and testimonies speak well to joshua's caring and compassionate soul.
however, the most meaningful tribute to joshua is how he touched the lives of his fellow soldiers, and in several amazing cases whose lives joshua saved. these brave americans will forever be a tribute to his caring and healing soul. robert coleman, md. university hospitals of cleveland
on august 22, 2007, our nation lost 14 wonderful young men, when their black hawk helicopter crashed during a nighttime mission in northern iraq.
helicopter crew: 4th squadron, 6th u.s. air cavalry regiment, fort lewis, wash
army capt. corry p. tyler, 29, of camden county georgia
army chief warrant officer ii. paul j. flynn, 28, of whitsett, north carolina
army sgt. matthew l. tallman, 30, of groveland, california
army spc. rickey l. bell, 21, of caruthersville, missouri
in the past year working with the northeast ohio medical foundation we have created the "cpl. joshua s. harmon memorial scholarship" the following is the eligibility criteria. we are very excited to have picked our first recipient; this young lady is a living example of the path set forth by joshua.
eligibility criteria. the cpl. joshua s. harmon memorial scholarship will be awarded to an individual who meets the following criteria:
ohio university college of osteopathic medicine student with demonstrated financial need and from one of the following northeastern ohio counties: cuyahoga, lorain, medina, summit, portage, geauga or lake.
consistently demonstrates a commitment of community service; and a desire to help others who cannot help themselves; as exemplified in the character of cpl. harmon.
has a deep passion to heal others through kindness, caring, and the science and art of medical knowledge.
aspires to emulate cpl. harmon's ability to not be only a healer, but also a friend to humanity. as with the generous spirit provided through this specific scholarship, charity, service and compassion should be the essence of your character.
shall always seek knowledge to provide better care for others.
to maximize the potential for a recipient to receive this scholarship for 4 consecutive years, preference for the scholarship recipient will be given in this priority order:
past harmon scholarship recipients who are enrolled and in good academic standing at ou-com with financial need.
incoming year one students with financial need.
enrolled ou-com students in good academic standing.
past experience as a military medic with financial need that meet the above eligibility criteria.
it is the intention of the donor that each student receive $10,000/year, and that the student remain in good academic standing for the duration of the scholarship. if no eligible recipient is available in any given year, the college of osteopathic medicine scholarship committee will contact the northeastern ohio healthcare foundation and determine whether the foundation trustees wish to expand the eligible recipient geographic area to include other specific counties in the northeastern ohio area.
thank you all once again, your kind words mean a great deal to me. please be safe and thank you for your service to humanity.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I am so sorry for your family's loss. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your sacrifice. It was the ultimate sacrifice any family could make and I cannot fathom your grief. Thoughts with you and yours.
My deepest condolences to you, your family and everyone that knew and loved your son. Thank you for sharing his story with us. He was a true hero in this world.
Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.
Mr. Harmon,
I'm so sorry for you and your families loss. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you to Josh who helped protect and serve our country to keep all of us safe at home. He truly is a hero. God bless.
My deepest condolences to you and your family on the loss of your son. Thank you for allowing us to better know Josh. It sounds like he was truly one of the good guys.
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harmon642
6 Posts
thank you all for your kindness, i am not able to contain my emotions when writing about my son. so i choose to let joshua and those who know him best to share their thoughts. this is a rather long post, but only a fraction of the man my son became. each section ends with the person's name that was quoted.
rich harmon
this excerpt is from one the last notes that joshua had written to his family. he had just described the long hours, the temperature in excess 125 degrees and his motivation that kept him going.
"i just stay focused as platoon medic to make sure my soldiers are taken care of night and day. sometimes it is a tiring job, but a job i have found great pride and satisfaction in." cpl. joshua scott harmon.
it was a fitting tribute for an army medic who wanted to be a doctor.
the medical center at the schofield barracks in honolulu has been renamed the joshua s. harmon aid station after the lake county man who died while serving in iraq. harmon received the hawaii medal of honor.
harmon received the army medal of commendation for valor and the combat medic award when he saved the life of sniper fredrick "freddie ray" meyers. on may 3, meyers was struck in the head with a bullet. harmon jumped into the line of fire and pulled him to safety.
harmon resuscitated meyers twice in the back of a bumpy humvee. meyers survived and was one of the soldiers who greeted harmon's family members when they arrived on oahu.
joshua harmon was 20 when his helicopter malfunctioned and crashed aug. 22 in multaka, outside of kirkuk. he had been taking biology classes online and preparing for his medical college admission test while serving as the medic for the 2-35 scout sniper platoon. excerpt from the lake county news herald 03/29/2008
joshua was a wonderful soldier and medic; he quickly became part of our air force medical family as well. he was always seeking info and feedback to better care for his fellow soldiers. he was a true hero and will be missed.
captain donna strait
it brought a lot of sadness to us all when we heard of joshua being involved in this incident. we all liked him here; he made a big impression on v-3 and on me.
ken dolitz, m.d., surgeon
we got to know joshua because he routinely came in with casualties. he was always so energetic and compassionate for what he did and always seemed to make you smile.
he will truly be missed and it was such an honor to work with him over here in iraq.
sgt. libby richardson
i had the great pleasure of working with josh at the emeds in kirkuk on a few occasions. i would first like to tell you that he was a well-versed soldier eager to help out where he could. even when exhausted he pushed forward. he helped save the lives of many soldiers. i did not have the privilege to know him on a personal level and for that i am sad, but i would like you to know what a wonderful soldier and kind person he was. i will never forget him. i am incredibly sorry for your loss! spc emily devries (denver, co)
in my interaction with joshua, he was a very poised and humble young man, always putting others first, he cared deeply about his fellow soldiers and was a hero to all of us. may god bless joshua and grant you peace during this time.
major nathan taylor, m.d.
cpl "johnnie" harmon, he was such a unique and loveable kid. he was full of joy and love. while he was a little quirky and strange, that was a quality that endeared him to you. he was one of those guys who made friends with everyone. everyone loved harmon. he was one of the rare individuals who i've heard many people call "his best friend." that is a rare quality and i've honestly had to say, i've never met anyone like him. not only was he an intelligent medic, he had a passion for medicine and was filled with compassion and care for his soldiers that were second-to-none.
josh, "johnny" harmon was a compassionate and caring medic, i will miss you. thank you for your passion for medicine, caring for your troops, and being a friend. my only regrets are that i didn't spend more time with you. i know you are in heaven, in his glory. i will definitely see you again. robert oh md. battalion surgeon for 2-35 infantry
whether you are a member of the military, law enforcement, emergency medical or fire fighting force, you have chosen the path of service to others. corporal joshua harmon demonstrated his commitment to serving as a way of life.
joshua's choice to join the army, as a health care specialist was a reflection of his need to give aid to those already serving. his charity to his fellow soldiers and the downtrodden people of iraq showed that service and compassion were not a job to joshua, but the very essence of his character. michael anderson md, university hospitals, rb&c
he was not only a great soldier but a great friend, son, brother, husband, student and mentor to those that knew and loved him. he was the type of guy that brought a smile to all as he walked into a room and even when i was not feeling at my best he had the ability to start one of his many motivational discussions and it would get me all charged up to deal with all that came my way. josh touched the hearts of so many and shall always be remembered for his ability to put others before himself and to go above and beyond in all that he did. he also loved his mission as a medic, which he took very seriously and it showed in the very caring way he took care of his troops. his aspirations to be a medical professional were always spoke of as his future goal for he and his wife.
he and i being close i was able to get the requested medication and he made sure his troops that needed help with sleep would get the meds as soon as possible and then come in for refills. yes, he for sure put others before his own needs and was able to balance it all and maintain himself at the same time.
i wear a id tag just about 24/7 in his honor and for the great friendship which we had. i thought/think highly of him and feel blessed that i was able to know such a kind and giving person. i really feel my getting to know him has made me a better person and that some of his compassion has grown within me. major keith washington joshua's commanding officer
joshua's path of service began in august of 2005, when he chose to join the army, as he truly believed that we were safer in america because we had troops overseas. he joined the army as a medical specialist to take care of the troops.
joshua was a caring, courageous, energetic and dedicated healer and soldier, whose young and promising life was cut too short. over the past year, the well-documented awards, tributes, and testimonies speak well to joshua's caring and compassionate soul.
however, the most meaningful tribute to joshua is how he touched the lives of his fellow soldiers, and in several amazing cases whose lives joshua saved. these brave americans will forever be a tribute to his caring and healing soul. robert coleman, md. university hospitals of cleveland
on august 22, 2007, our nation lost 14 wonderful young men, when their black hawk helicopter crashed during a nighttime mission in northern iraq.
helicopter crew: 4th squadron, 6th u.s. air cavalry regiment, fort lewis, wash
army capt. corry p. tyler, 29, of camden county georgia
army chief warrant officer ii. paul j. flynn, 28, of whitsett, north carolina
army sgt. matthew l. tallman, 30, of groveland, california
army spc. rickey l. bell, 21, of caruthersville, missouri
2nd battalion, 35th infantry regiment, 3rd infantry brigade combat team, 25th infantry division, schofield barracks, hawaii. 35th ranger sniper patrol - recon
army capt. derek a. dobogai, 26, of fond du lac, wisconsin.
army staff sgt. jason l. paton, 25, of poway, california
army sgt. garrett i. mclead, 23, of rockport, texas
army cpl. jeremy p. bouffard, 21, of middlefield, massachusetts
army cpl. phillip j. brodnick, 25, of chicago, illinois
army cpl. joshua s. harmon, 20, of mentor, ohio
army cpl. nathan c. hubbard, 21, of clovis, california.
army cpl. jessy g. pollard, 22, of springfield, missouri
army spc. michael a. hook, 25, of altoona, pennsylvania
army spc. tyler r. seideman, 20, of lincoln, arkansas