The Army Nurse Corps that I retired from was vastly different from the one I joined. And I am sure today's Nurse Corps is different from the one I said adios to back in 2001.
Way back when I joined, the Viet Nam War was dominating the newspapers and the TV. It was not a popular war -- there were demonstrations on college campuses -- and if you joined the military you faced some rather nasty treatment from your peers, college professors, and for some -- even their families. I was lucky as far as the family was concerned -- my Mother had been an Army Nurse during WWII (the war ended before she could go overseas) -- and my Dad was the youngest in a family that was military orientated (his eldest brother had been awarded the Silver Star, multiple Bronze Stars with V devices, and had more than his fair share of Purple Hearts -- while a cousin (who was raised as a brother) wore 2 stars) -- so I didn't get a hassle -- except I had to promise to go in as an Officer (because WAC's were -- wellllllllllllllll -- they had a reputation they didn't deserve). Female Officers -- Nurse Corps Officers -- were ladies and were well respected. So I applied for the Army Student Nurse Corps -- got accepted -- and they paid for my last year in school along with a stipend for living expenses. I did take some heat at school tho -- and to this day some of my classmates refuse to talk to the "baby killer"
It was very difficult to get nurses to join the Army back then. The political atmosphere was such that many were very hesitant to join. Also nursing salaries were just coming out of the dark ages. So the Army decided to offer several types of educational scholarships. The Army Student Nurse Corps had 2 programs -- one for those enrolled in BSN programs -- where their last 2 yrs of school was paid for and they signed on the dotted line for a 4 year obligation. The you had the diploma students who got 1 yr with a 2 year obligation. The best program financially (not education wise tho) was the one the "WRAIN Drops" graduated from. They received full tuition, fees, books, room and board plus a stipend for 4 years and only had a 3 year obligation. Plus they were commissioned with 4 years time in grade!!! It was considered the "West Point" of the Army Nurse Corps but the higher ups soon found out that the graduates exited stage right as soon as they could. They discontinued the program in the mid 70's.
Marriage was the kiss of death for an Army Nurse back then. Not for the men -- but they were few and far between -- but for the women. And if you wanted to get married -- come on -- you were out numbered 10 to 1 by eligible males. We had a glorious social life -- we partied hardy -- male Officers vied for your attention. But once you made a commitment -- grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr -- since most of the head nurses (CPT's and MAJ's) on the wards were unmarried and they controlled the schedules -- you found yourself on nights Why???? Marriage lead to pregnancy -- and the regulations stated you had to be discharged when you became pregnant unless a waiver was given -- but they were rare. So here was the Army already short on nurses -- and the young nurses they had were getting married -- and most likely after that pregnant -- so they were even shorter. It was decided in the mid 70's that allowing nurses to stay in after they had children was the best bet.
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
Oh for those buying their uniforms at a military post -- don't jump to the conclusion that it will be an in and out sort of day. Budget time!!
First you will have to get on post. Since 9/11 things have changed and just flashing your ID doesn't work everywhere. You might have to park -- then stand in line -- present your registration and insurance card for the car -- and get a pass. I have been to places where the process takes 5 minutes -- but then again have been to places where the line can be out the door.
Once at clothing sales you will be daunted by the amount of uniforms before you. You will find that Class A's -- the Greens -- come in various fabrics. You will need to buy the jacket, pants, and/or skirt in the same fabric.
Female sizing -- grrrrrrrrrrrrr -- don't know who is sizing them but even if you have been the perfect size 10 and can buy off the rack without trying things on -- don't think you can do that now!!!!!!!!!! And don't get upset if you try on a size 10 and it doesn't fit -- and you have to go up a size or 2 or 3 lolololol I've been hearing for years that the military is going to standardize sizing -- will believe it when I see it. I have never bought a uniform where I wore the same size jacket as the pants/skirt. A couple of uniforms back I had to buy an 18 jacket to make sure the bottom front closed yet the pants were a size 14 and had to be taken in at the hips and waist line. Not logical at all lololololol Also different fabrics will fit differently.
When you try on the uniform there are several things to look for. The front bottom of the jacket and the back pleat should not gap. They should hang straight -- or only be a tad off which can be taken care of with alterations. You should be able to cross your arms across your chest without it feeling tight across the back -- and if you pull your arms back there shouldn't be gaps near the buttons. Try on your jacket with the long sleeved uniform blouse. 10 to 1 your jacket sleeves will be too long -- but don't worry about that. I have never met anyone who didn't need some uniform alterations.
You will have to buy the black stripe for your cuffs and the black stripe for your pants separately. Unless you are a fabulous seamstress don't think you can sew them on yourself. To sew them on, seams will have to be open and it takes a professional to do it. Also the black stripe on the cuff needs to be placed exactly in the correct place according to the regulations -- not a 1/8 inch up or down.
Now before you panic lololol Connected to the clothing sales there should be an alteration shop. They do this all the time so they will get it right. They can do minor alterations -- your sleeve length -- pants length -- skirt hemming -- sewing on your stripes and patches -- even letting out the hips on the jacket to get it to close properly. But I have never heard of anyone having their uniform totally redone like I had to in the alteration shop. And for the younger Officers who haven't had the mature changes to their bodies -- you should be fine.
After you check out of clothing sales go to the alteration shop. They will fit you -- and tell you when you can pick up your uniform. If you only need your stripes sewn on and your pants hemmed, they normally can do it in a matter of hours. Go have lunch -- visit the PX -- have fun. But if they are ultra busy -- or it is late in the day -- you will have to come back another day.
Now for those of you who do not have a military post near by -- oh by the way -- all branches of the military will have uniforms from the other branches of the military in their clothing sales or PX/BX's -- so if there is an AF, Navy, Marine base close to you -- you can go there -- but if you are miles and miles and miles away from one -- or you just don't want the hassle -- you can order uniforms over the Internet. AFFES sells uniforms and there are other companies that do too. You will get them delivered with your stripes sewn on -- and will only have to go to the alteration shop while at OBC to tweek things. But you might also have to return your pants/skirt -- or jacket -- and reorder to get a different size. So don't wait until the last minute.
Have fun -- and realize -- the Army is changing their uniforms AGAIN lolololololololol
You forgot about the nurses uniforms,whites, starched with the hat. The nurses told me they had to put the uniform together everyday, meaning they had to put all the buttons back in after cleaning. After a few years they switched to the poly blend and the pant suit whites.
I was a Bravo on several different wards at the Army Hospital on Okinawa. I think there were about 40 beds on the average ward, with normally 1 HN (days only) 3 RNs maybe 2 Charlies and 2 or 3 Bravos a ward clerk and ward master. Our census was always full, Viet Nam and the Marines kept us busy. Our Med/Surg ward also included ICU/CCU 4 beds, and 4-6 beds for Burns.
Your mention of Ramp Tramps brought on a whole new memory of that hospital, The Camp Kue Hospital was built a bit different then most hospitals I have seen, some what 'I' shaped, with a tip on the top and bottom of the 'I'. This was a 5 story hospital with the wards on the bottom of the 'I' and clinics and OR, L&D and CMS on the top of the 'I' well the long part of the 'I' was the ramp. it was a long hall with ramps running between the floors. So now you have 4 long ramps, lots of gravity, wheel chairs and bored PTs returning from RVN with semi serious injuries and wounds.... we now have the Kue Race Way.
Marines gave a whole new meaning to Natural Selection. On rotation through Ortho, there was one Marine with casts on both arms and 3-4 fingers left, and a case of Orion sitting next to his bed, some had bet him he couldn't stop an air plane prop with his bare hands.... he did....
I returned to CONUS to Moncrief for a short then went out to the airport to become a Bravo2Foxtrot or flight medic.
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
The whites -- lololol -- they were nasty!!!!!! You were issued them -- 3 sets -- at the hospital. My first ones had been previously worn -- I didn't get a fresh out of the package set until I had been in 4 or 5 yrs lolololol Mine was a poly blend with a front zipper but it did have 2 pearl buttons on the belt that you attached with small safety pins.
Now our caps -- they were unique They are very hard to describe -- but think of a starched rectangle -- stiff as a board -- with 3 button holes on all four corners -- folded in half length wise -- then gently folded -- bowed not creased -- width wise -- with the ends together -- the button holes matching up. You then took a long -- and I mean long -- white shoe lace and did this very difficult lacing -- ending in a bow at the end. The lacing was so hard to do that there were many times -- after cleaning it -- I could not get it back together and had to visit one of the older nurses. Later we were given a new cap with pearl buttons replacing the lacing. You cleaned the cap with a toothbrush and soap -- rinsed it -- then dipped it in liquid starch -- then pressed it flat against a flat surface to dry. Then you would carefully peel it off -- 24 hours later -- and fold it. I have my original cap in the closet -- brown with age -- but it is laced.
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
Our Bravo's and Charlies were fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!! They did their jobs without us having to run after them If you had a problem gettting an IV started you asked one of your Charlies who had been in Nam to help out. It was rare that they needed more than one stick. Without our Bravo's and Charlies we would have been lost!!!!!!
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
Nurses in the states rarely wore their fatigues -- thank goodness because they were difficult to maintain and to put on lolololol But once on they were very comfortable. They were made of light weight material and had buttons -- buttons -- and more buttons. The pants had buttons on both sides. There was a triangle of material that you used your fingers to push and fold forward over your hips. Then you would button the exterior buttons. At the waist band there were several buttons going towards your back on each side that adjusted the waist by using a tab. To get your pants on you had to be a contortionist lololol The thinner you were the further back you had to reach to button the waistband. The blouse had a flap in the front. First you had to pull the flap over and then secure it with a row of "inside out" buttons -- meaning the button holes were against your body. Then you buttoned the front up. If you looked at someone you didn't realize there was a flap. Then you secured the cuffs by folding the excess material up and under and buttoning a tab. We used to call them our "birth control" uniforms because the mood was over before you got undressed lolololol
The men wore fatigues made of heavier material with button flies. They would send theirs out to the laundry (you'd hang them on the door knob of your room at the Q or the front door of married quarters with $$$ in an envelope placed in a pocket and the next day they would be back). Their fatigues came back with what was called "broomstick starch" -- because you needed a broomstick to push down the legs and arms to break the starch so you could get them on. The laundry couldn't do broomstick starch on the female fatigues because the material would actually rip apart on the creases -- so we had to starch and iron them ourselves. It would take you hours to spray starch them.
Our boots were female boots in female sizes. They were black dyed brown leather with leather soles. On the inside of the upper cuff there was a 2 digit number pressed into the leather -- and later we found it was the year your boots were made. Mine had been made in the late 50's lolololol They were not made for field exercises -- but as females we rarely went out into the field -- and were very comfortable (once broken in). They didn't shine up as well as the male boots -- and as the years passed the brown would start showing thru on the folds that occurred near the ankles.
I can't remember if I was at FLW or Devens or at Dix -- but it was before BDU's replaced the fatigues -- that it was decided that we should wear fatigues one day per week to work. At first it was fun -- but it got old. It meant that not only did you have to do up your whites on your day off but you also had to do your fatigues -- which meant you spent most of your day off standing at the ironing board
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
we now have the Kue Race Way.
Spoke with a friend who was there in 72/73 -- and she said the Marines had her in stitches most of the time. She said that when she pcs'd it was great to get off the island but sad to leave such a bunch lolololol
As before I had mentioned the young Marine that won a case of beer for 6-7 fingers, I did forgot to mention part of his room decorations was a bent and mangled airplane prop, I am sure it was perfect and working before he got his hands on it.
Then there was the Marine that was admitted for several fx and multiple lacerations, the poor guy looked like he survived the death of 1000 cuts. across from Kue, the Okinawans built a sea wall and back filled it for usable home building land. The process took several years to allow for the back fill to settle and compact. The wall looked kind of straight but was a series of 5-7 degree angles to complete a 180 degree area. This fine specimen decided to drink some beer and take his motor cycle for a ride, an unlikely and fun place to ride a bike was the top of the sea wall. Well he went faster and faster until he out run his ability to steer the small angles, off he went. The fxs was from the fall, the lacerations were from the coral that was placed at the base of the sea wall for a break water. No betadine for that one.
Serious traction case, marine gunny, rappelling instructor, in the back of a CH 46, Marine Chinook. The instructor was the first man out the door, he rigged his Swiss seat, attach the repelling line to the harness and backed out the door. About the time his butt pass the point of no return he realized he forgot to attach the rope to the helicopter, oops, the good luck for the day was he landed in a rice paddy, freshly fertilized and gushy.
Then from what I understand, there is/was an endangered species of bear call the Ryukian Bear. There was one at the zoo in Naha, pretty good life for a bear I guess, food and water, not having to worry about hunters nice secure bear habitat to live in.... until one day!!! An impaired Marine decided to go to the zoo, drink a few beers, look at the animals. What's that? A real live bear, looks like a puss to me!!! I can whoop him any day!!! Into the bear cage he goes, well Mr Bear is pretty use to seeing people, up on the rail that look into the cage, the only time people show up is when it's time to eat... chow's on. Bear 1 Marine 0
It doesn't matter if it is someone I haven't talk to in the past 30 years or so I'm sure it I'll survive.:-)
Now let me see if I can remember how our Newborn Nursery/NICU was set up.
There was two sets of double door to the ward, the first gave access to the baby gallery where new daddys could look at their new babies, the second door was entrance to the ward. First stop was a scrub station, oh boy Betadine surgical scrub sponges. There were two double nurseries on the left of the ward, and on the right was a couple store rooms, break room, and ward masters office. Both nursery units were set up alike, we just used the first on the other was for Isolette storage and in the event of overflow.
The nursery was set up so you entered into the nurses station, small desk, a sink, med locker and a small storage room. The well baby nursery was on the left, there was room for about 15-20 bassinets, a scrub sink and a small exam table. Our warmers were lamps on the wall with incandescent bulbs, no O2 or suction, photo therapy was an isolette with florescent bulbs.
The NICU side was where we had rocking chairs for feeding, and Isolettes for bad babys, there was suction,air and O2 on the wall. A scrub sink and a itty bitty crash cart. That was pretty much the Newborn Nursery.
Oh and then we had the back room saved for 'special babies' where the Docs did the circumcisions, we had these really neat plastic forms just about baby size with lots of Velcro straps, dark and dingy little room with a couple of suction machines and a lot of crying.
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
On one of the threads someone asked what you do on your time off during deployment. Time off???? What time off???? lololololol Actually you do have time off after things settle down but you are always on call.
Once our hospital was up -- which took about a week of hard work from dawn to dusk -- we divided the days and nights into 6 hour shifts. The air war was going on -- so no casualties -- but we didn't know when the lull would suddenly end. We spent the time fine tuning our wards -- setting up equipment and supplies -- training our trauma teams (we had 8 highly trained trauma doc's) -- running a 24 hour sick call for the surrounding units (you would not believe some of the problems we saw!!) -- pulling guard duty -- etc.
On our time off we tried to set up our living quarters so that we were comfortable -- or at least as comfortable as possible. Some of the guys were into weight lifting -- so they used sand bags and pipes to make barbells, etc. My tent mates were into sun worshiping so they set up a deck on the back of our tent. One of the gas passers set up a "beer garden" connected to his tent using cammo netting. Several of the male nurses were into fishing -- so they set up a mini dock and when you'd pass their tent on the way to the hospital they'd be there fishing lolololol Several of the doc's set up a putting green using artificial turf they had brought with them -- along with their golf clubs lololol The SGM wanted a pool -- and dug one -- but sadly after the first sand storm it became a mud pit. The biggest thing tho that we all looked forward to on our time off was -- taking an hour ride in the back of a 5 Ton to stand in line for hours on end to make a 15 minute phone call home :)
Our down time tho didn't last long -- maybe a week -- before the word came down that our original 150 bed hospital was not going to be large enough for our new mission. The trucks started to pull in loaded with conex's and ISO's. It was back to building. By this time tho we were pro's and put that puppy up in the blink of an eye But now we had to staff 2 distinct hospitals -- so we knew our only down time was going to be to sleep.
A couple of days before the ground war started, the casualties started to arrive just after dark -- by the truck load!!! Not US troops -- not Coalition troops -- but Iraqi prisoners of war. 100 -- 200 -- 300 the first night. Everyone reported to duty. We triaged in every available space -- including the dental tent and outside under the stars. We were lucky tho -- for the most part those first EPW's were not in serious condition -- starvation mainly -- so as we cleared them they got back on the trucks and headed to the EPW camp. Those not medically stable -- like the diabetics or those severely dehydrated -- were shipped back into the wards. By dawn things had quieted down -- people went back to their tents to grab some sleep before reporting back in a few hours to relieve those who had been originally scheduled for the previous night. We went to 12 hour shifts -- no days off for several weeks -- and after that 12 hours per day 6 days per week until the first week in March.
Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.
The circus trucks -- as they were called due to being brightly painted -- arrived and arrived and arrived -- loaded with EPW's. Apparently Iraqi soldiers -- if you could call them that since many had been forcibly taken from their families and shipped to the front -- some were as young as 9 yrs old while others were disabled -- were surrendering left and right. US and Coalition troops could not handle the influx and still make headway into enemy territory. EPW's were gathered up -- quickly triaged by the field medics for serious wounds -- given water -- and waited under minimal guard for the trucks to arrive.
On the 2nd or 3rd day of the influx -- a group of about 30 Iraqi soldiers arrived at our ER. We triaged them -- their English speaking LT acting as an interpreter -- and found several that needed immediate medical attention. The others could go to the EPW camp so we looked for the MP's. NO MP's!!!! Did they forget them????? Then we noticed that none of the Iraqi soldiers had the EPW identification bracelets on. What was going on??????? In searching for the MP's -- who normally stood at the entrance to the ER -- we found an Iraqi truck parked outside the hospital. It turns out Coalition troops had given these surrendering Iraqi soldiers water and directions -- and they drove themselves to our hospital!!!!!!!!!!! To say the least there was some quick hip pocket training on security at the gate..............................
As the war progressed we saw a different type of EPW arriving at the ER -- some by helicopter -- some by ambulance. These were actual soldiers -- many veterans of the Iran Iraqi War with old poorly treated wounds from that war. They had been stabilized forward of us -- but needed additional surgery and care at our hospital. Many stayed with us until we tore down the hospital.
The 3rd wave of EPW patients made your skin crawl. They were well fed -- and had on good boots. The first 2 types of EPW's were near starvation and were dressed in uniforms that were almost rags. When we cut away blood soaked clothing we didn't find wounds that corresponded with the bullet holes. Oh, we found wounds -- but nothing of what we expected. The atmosphere in the wards changed when they were placed in the population -- patients that had been joyful -- talkative -- suddenly became quiet. Our Kuwaiti interpreters then told us we were treating the Republican Guards..................... To hide their identity, they changed clothing with other soldiers of lesser ranking that had been killed.
They are very hard to describe -- but think of a starched rectangle -- stiff as a board -- with 3 button holes on all four corners -- folded in half length wise -- then gently folded -- bowed not creased -- width wise -- with the ends together -- the button holes matching up. You then took a long -- and I mean long -- white shoe lace and did this very difficult lacing -- ending in a bow at the end. The lacing was so hard to do that there were many times -- after cleaning it -- I could not get it back together and had to visit one of the older nurses. Later we were given a new cap with pearl buttons replacing the lacing. You cleaned the cap with a toothbrush and soap -- rinsed it -- then dipped it in liquid starch -- then pressed it flat against a flat surface to dry. Then you would carefully peel it off -- 24 hours later -- and fold it. I have my original cap in the closet -- brown with age -- but it is laced.
If you had a problem gettting an IV started you asked one of your Charlies who had been in Nam to help out. It was rare that they needed more than one stick. Without our Bravo's and Charlies we would have been lost!!!!!!
But now we had to staff 2 distinct hospitals -- so we knew our only down time was going to be to sleep.
Iworecords, RN
45 Posts
Oh for those buying their uniforms at a military post -- don't jump to the conclusion that it will be an in and out sort of day. Budget time!!
First you will have to get on post. Since 9/11 things have changed and just flashing your ID doesn't work everywhere. You might have to park -- then stand in line -- present your registration and insurance card for the car -- and get a pass. I have been to places where the process takes 5 minutes -- but then again have been to places where the line can be out the door.
Once at clothing sales you will be daunted by the amount of uniforms before you. You will find that Class A's -- the Greens -- come in various fabrics. You will need to buy the jacket, pants, and/or skirt in the same fabric.
Female sizing -- grrrrrrrrrrrrr -- don't know who is sizing them but even if you have been the perfect size 10 and can buy off the rack without trying things on -- don't think you can do that now!!!!!!!!!! And don't get upset if you try on a size 10 and it doesn't fit -- and you have to go up a size or 2 or 3 lolololol I've been hearing for years that the military is going to standardize sizing -- will believe it when I see it. I have never bought a uniform where I wore the same size jacket as the pants/skirt. A couple of uniforms back I had to buy an 18 jacket to make sure the bottom front closed yet the pants were a size 14 and had to be taken in at the hips and waist line. Not logical at all lololololol Also different fabrics will fit differently.
When you try on the uniform there are several things to look for. The front bottom of the jacket and the back pleat should not gap. They should hang straight -- or only be a tad off which can be taken care of with alterations. You should be able to cross your arms across your chest without it feeling tight across the back -- and if you pull your arms back there shouldn't be gaps near the buttons. Try on your jacket with the long sleeved uniform blouse. 10 to 1 your jacket sleeves will be too long -- but don't worry about that. I have never met anyone who didn't need some uniform alterations.
You will have to buy the black stripe for your cuffs and the black stripe for your pants separately. Unless you are a fabulous seamstress don't think you can sew them on yourself. To sew them on, seams will have to be open and it takes a professional to do it. Also the black stripe on the cuff needs to be placed exactly in the correct place according to the regulations -- not a 1/8 inch up or down.
Now before you panic lololol Connected to the clothing sales there should be an alteration shop. They do this all the time so they will get it right. They can do minor alterations -- your sleeve length -- pants length -- skirt hemming -- sewing on your stripes and patches -- even letting out the hips on the jacket to get it to close properly. But I have never heard of anyone having their uniform totally redone like I had to in the alteration shop. And for the younger Officers who haven't had the mature changes to their bodies -- you should be fine.
After you check out of clothing sales go to the alteration shop. They will fit you -- and tell you when you can pick up your uniform. If you only need your stripes sewn on and your pants hemmed, they normally can do it in a matter of hours. Go have lunch -- visit the PX -- have fun. But if they are ultra busy -- or it is late in the day -- you will have to come back another day.
Now for those of you who do not have a military post near by -- oh by the way -- all branches of the military will have uniforms from the other branches of the military in their clothing sales or PX/BX's -- so if there is an AF, Navy, Marine base close to you -- you can go there -- but if you are miles and miles and miles away from one -- or you just don't want the hassle -- you can order uniforms over the Internet. AFFES sells uniforms and there are other companies that do too. You will get them delivered with your stripes sewn on -- and will only have to go to the alteration shop while at OBC to tweek things. But you might also have to return your pants/skirt -- or jacket -- and reorder to get a different size. So don't wait until the last minute.
Have fun -- and realize -- the Army is changing their uniforms AGAIN lolololololololol