by svanderwerff | 06 May 2015 [caption id="attachment_8703" align="aligncenter" width="756"] Today the Navy Nurse Corps is comprised of more than 4,200 Sailors and 1,200 civilians working in diverse health care settings around the world. By Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, commander, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command and director, Navy Nurse Corps Today marks the start of National Nurses Week 2015, which runs from May 6-12 and leads up to the 107th birthday of the Navy Nurse Corps May 13. I?d like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Navy nurses and to all nurses worldwide. It takes exceptional skill and self-sacrifice to be a nurse. Our profession requires the desire to offer care and compassion to those who are experiencing physical, emotional, or psychological pain. It is no surprise that our profession is one of the most esteemed professions in the United States and should be commemorated as such. Nurses everywhere sacrifice their own comfort to deliver safe and high quality care to those in need; anytime, anywhere. Every day, across our nation and the world, nurses perform extraordinary work. As a unified and highly-regarded team of health care professionals, nurses are educated, trained and licensed to operate in extremely diverse environments.? Across these many settings, often the first interaction a patient experiences when entering a health care setting is with a nurse.? It is the caring, compassionate and competent touch of a nurse that brings comfort, establishes confidence and sets the patient at ease. Nurses in all settings stand ready and are committed to serve others. The first nurses to formally represent the U.S. Navy as a Nurse Corps ? are affectionately referred to as ?Sacred 20.?? The ?Sacred 20? were absolutely committed to service and they established a strong legacy and foundation for nursing professionals who followed in their footsteps over the next 107 years. Today the Navy Nurse Corps is comprised of more than 4,200 Sailors and 1,200 civilians working in diverse health care settings around the world. These men and women are a valued and essential force in our Navy and Marine Corps. They demonstrate their dedication to the people they serve day after day. As a team of highly trained and skilled professionals, Navy nurses have one overall mission: to provide the best possible care for those entrusted to us. I?m honored to lead our professional Nurse Corps and share in the Navy nurse legacy. To the Navy Nurse Corps and thousands of nurses around the world, thank you for you service, sacrifice and dedication. Happy National Nurses Week!