The decision to serve in the United States armed services is a choice that resonates uniquely with each individual who eventually raises their hand and takes the oath of office.

For Ensign Janiece Davis, the path to becoming a Navy Nurse Corps officer wasn't a sudden decision, but a natural progression and culmination of her childhood. In her opinion, it was the easiest choice she ever made and cites her family as the main inspiration for joining.

Her mother was a U.S. Air Force Airman and her father retired as a U.S. Navy First Class Petty Officer after 22 years of service.
Interestingly, her birthplace was National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, now named the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, because at the time, her mother experienced a complicated pregnancy and prematurity of labor and Andrews Air Force Base could not accommodate a high-risk pregnancy.

“We were medically evacuated to National Naval Medical Center Bethesda where both my sister and I were successfully delivered,” said Davis. “With out the care given at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, both my sister and myself may not be here today.”

Davis has a long history tied to Naval service through her family going back as far as her grandparents. During her formative years, Davis was a typical military child moving often between different duty stations.

“Throughout my life my family has constantly been on the move,” said Davis. “It was through them and our many travels and duty stations that I saw an opportunity for myself. I joined the Navy to excel at not only my job but also as a nurse and a leader.”

Davis started her military journey in high school. Throughout high school she completed four years of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, however, she suffered a significant knee injury just before her high school graduation.
Following high-school, Davis completed an associate’s degree in nursing locally in Maryland while maintaining a dual enrollment scholarship at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She eventually began her journey as an ER Trauma Nurse at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

“I enjoyed my experience of learning to be a new nurse yet, I wanted more opportunities to grow and learn in the profession and as a person” said Davis. “After two years of civilian nursing, I applied to the Navy to be credentialed as an ER Trauma Nurse.”

Following a series of interviews, submitting resumes and transcripts, and physical preparation, her application was accepted and took the oath of office in September 2024 to join the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. She completed Officer Development School in Newport, RI last month and reported to the Navy Medicine 101 course (NM-101) at Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command (NMLPDC) in Bethesda, MD as an intermediate stop enroute to her first duty station at Naval Hospital Guam.

NM-101 is designed to provide newly commissioned Naval Medical Department officers across all Corps with an introduction to Navy Medicine, covering fundamental knowledge, skills and abilities related to personnel management and operational readiness.

“As a new junior officer, I am thrilled and privileged to have taken the course of Navy Medicine 101,” said Davis. “After taking the NM101 course, I have a strong foundational knowledge base of my expectations as a junior officer in Navy Medicine. Not only did this course introduce new innovative ways of thinking as a junior officer in Navy Medicine, but it also provided connections to people and resources that will be useful in the near future.”

In addition to fundamental knowledge related towards operational readiness, NM-101 includes leadership topics about character, ethics, critical thinking and decision making. For Davis, her favorite topic was the section on Get Real, Get Better.

“My favorite brief from NM 101 is "Get Real Get Better" because it challenges leaders to take initiative to achieve the mission and improve performance using critical thinking to solve problems,” said Davis. “I believe the goals of Get Real Get Better can be achieved through accountability and integrity.”

Throughout her life, a sense of service to her country was instilled in her and one that she stands by proudly today as she recalled her oath of office.

“When taking the Oath of Office, the portion that resonated with me the most is ‘...I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion…’,” said Davis. “I truly did volunteer for the calling of the United States Navy, and I have no doubt that I made the right choice to better myself, the people, community, US Navy, and the mission. “

NMLPDC is the cornerstone of Navy Medicine's professional training and leadership development; maintaining collaborative relationships with more than 120 military and civilian higher learning institutions while annually supporting 4,500 Federal uniformed services, civilian, and allied foreign military service members.