Betty was an RN and Nursing Instructor at several hospitals and major universities, specializing in OB/GYN. She volunteered for Army Nurse Duty at age 42 when the Army found itself short of nurses during Operation Desert Shield and in preparation for Desert Storm in September 1989.  They raised the age limit to attract more experienced nurse as well as fill the shortage.

After completing the Medical field basic officer course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Army provided  Captain Betty additional training in psychiatric nursing skills, a field the active Army was critically lacking at that time.  This training was at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia.   This is the major mental health center in the Army.

She was assigned to Letterman General Hospital, Psychiatric Services at the Presidio of San Francisco in June, 1990 and when the Base Realignment and Closure Commission  closed the Presidio in 1992, Captain Betty closed the psychiatric inpatient unit, then was transferred Germany.  She did have great family quarters that overlooked the Golden Gate Bridge and was able to do morning runs across the bridge to the Marin Headlands.

 After completing the Officer’s Advanced Course at Fort Sam Houston, she was assigned to the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany.  While on leave in Hawaii, she was promoted to Major at Tripler Army Medical Center on Oahu.  After two years, the 97th  was another Army hospital closed after the Cold War.    She was then assigned as Nurse Manager at Landstuhl Medical Center.  Landstuhl Medical Center was the largest of all military receiving hospitals overseas and the only inpatient psychiatric unit in Europe.                    

Duty in Germany provided opportunities to see surrounding European countries, participate in winter sports, Volksmarches throughout the year, and special events such as the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Bastogne, Belgium.  Professionally, exposure to our military in need of good mental health from combat zones greatly influenced her future career goals.

After seven years of active duty, Major Betty returned to teaching nursing skills at a major university for several years, then began work with Veterans.   She went back to school to become an APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) in mental health.  Betty then worked as a Case Manager for traumatic Brain Injuries, Mental Health, and Addictions with the VA until she retired in 2014 after 46 years of nursing.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Still wishing to work with Veterans as an Advocate, Betty volunteered to support Veteran PTSD support organizations  and activities to Veterans with groups like Soldier’s Heart – Ed Tick, Ph.D., that conducted retreats and healing trips back to Vietnam;  and the 46th Special Forces Company Association Wounded Warrior cruises for warriors and families.  This activity was a break from the often-painful road to healing.   Most recently, she volunteered to provide her nursing skills with medical ministry team deployments in Vietnam first in 2017.   Betty recently participated in the legacy  deployment of the Medical Mission in October 2022. 

She chose to help with the medical mission as one of their major goals was to help provide a healing journey to our Vietnam Veterans along with providing medical care to the rural and poor minorities in Vietnam.  A unique feature of this medical mission was that it was staffed with volunteers from all different backgrounds and beliefs who paid for the opportunity to volunteer.

After 35 years of humanitarian programs & projects, ministry to the Church, and service to Vietnam veterans here and in Vietnam, Vets With A Mission began a transition year to inactive operations effective January 2, 2023.  The organization labored hard for over a third of a century in Vietnam constructing medical clinics, providing direct medical care, funds for needed major surgeries, and a continuing program of first aid training to remote hamlets.  There were many hurdles to jump with government officials, but it also left Veteran volunteers much more at peace with their past in Vietnam.  Nurse Betty continues to Support Vets With a Mission with the Katherine Grace scholarship for minority nursing students in Vietnam in memory of her Daughter.  

A story of a Vietnam Veteran’s Healing Journey to Vietnam is at: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/u-s-army-veteran-returns-to-vietnam-where-he-fought-some-50-years-earlier/article_48d27fb2-5eb5-11ed-86c0-d76fc02253cf.html.

Most of the Veteran healing programs we worked with are closed or closing for several reasons such as a government that has many corrupt officials,  but the most obvious is the advancing age of participants.  It has been hard work, but with that, the rewards have been many.  A mission accomplished.