Happy Veteran’s Day to all vets out there. And in keeping with the theme of this blog, I will specifically acknowledge healthcare workers who have served in the military.

Nurses became a formal part of the military following the Spanish-American War, after about 1500 civilian nurses had been contracted to serve in Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, as well as to the Hospital Ship Relief.

The Army Reorganization Act of 1920 gave nurses a little more status–and granted military nurses the status of officers with “relative rank” from second lieutenant to major (but not full rights and privileges). It wasn’t until after WW II that nurses were given permanent commissioned officer status.