Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD  –   Hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) in 2006 while on his third combat tour in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Col. Kenneth Dwyer said, “I am only here today because of the dedication, excellence, and commitment of practitioners of military medicine, and especially, nurses.”

Currently the Commander of the Leader Training Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Colonel Dwyer was at Walter Reed on May 9 to help recognize nurses as “the heartbeat of health care.”

“I have a special place in my heart for nurses,” said Dwyer, who lost his left hand and left eye in the RPG blast. The blast also sent metal through his neck, lacerated his right arm, tore through some of his esophagus and trachea, pierced his brachial artery, and knocked out many of his teeth.

Within two days of being wounded, Dwyer was at Walter Reed.

He said everyday nurses encounter patients who are experiencing their worse moments in life. “While you care for their bodies, you also have the opportunity to point them towards a path where they can take the obstacles that we face in life and turn them into opportunities. I know that you have this impact on people because you had that level of impact on me, and thousands like me who have showed up broken in body, mind, and soul. By way of your infectious, positive outlook and steadfast commitment to excellence, you gave us all a new direction in life. I cannot express in words how proud I am in each of you for the commitment you have made to serve others,” Dwyer shared.

During the nurse appreciation event at Walter Reed, the nursing team recognized U.S. Army nurse 2nd Lt. William Trantum with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. A colleague nominated Trantum for the award, stating, “I was deeply impressed by this nurse [who] recognized the severity [of the patient’s] situation and activated the rapid response team without hesitation."

Also, during the program, U.S. Army Col. Wendy Woodall, Walter Reed’s Director for Nursing Services and Chief Nursing Officer, received the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award for her distinguished career as a nurse for nearly three decades, which has included mentoring, role modeling, advocating for patients, exemplary clinical practice, administration, education, and research.

Jean Ward, supervisory nurse specialist in the Outpatient Hematology/Oncology Clinic, earned the Nursing Leadership Award. Registered nurse Amarilys Patterson, of 4 Center, received the Nursing Innovator Award for “contributing to the improvement of the quality of patient care delivered in a clinical setting.” U.S. Navy nurse Lt. Peter Lam, of 7 East, received the Nightingale Award recognizing his “ambition, courage, commitment, outstanding patient care, professionalism, and teamwork.”

U.S. Army Col. Jodelle Schroeder, deputy chief of the Army Nurse Corps, attended the event and also recognized Woodall as the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Army Nurse Corps Officer of the Year. “She exemplifies what it means to be a nurse – heart, mind, body, soul.

The ceremony served as a great bookend to Nurses Week. This year’s theme, “Nurses Are the Heartbeat of Healthcare,” resonated clearly throughout the auditorium during the program. Each recognition and heartfelt tribute underscored the vital role nurses play every day, not just within the walls of Walter Reed, but across the entire Military Health System.