---
title: Why Service Members Make Great Nurses
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/why-service-members-make-great-nurses/"
type: post
date_published: 2024-07-16
date_modified: 2025-08-01
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 734
reading_time: 4 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/why-service-members-make-great-nurses/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Laura-Jonsson.webp"
categories:
  - Newsroom
---

# Why Service Members Make Great Nurses

[**Reserve + National Guard Magazine**](http://publications.reservenationalguard.com/second-quarter-2024)
, 2nd Quarter \| 2024By Laura Jonsson, RN, MS, ANP-C

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![Laura Jonsson](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Laura-Jonsson.webp)![Laura Jonsson](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Laura-Jonsson.webp)
If you come from a military background, you understand the concept of service
from a very young age. My father served in the Air Force and inspired me to
choose the same path. The spirit of service is something that drives veterans
outside of our military careers as well – whether it’s service to our
communities, our families, or other commitments.

We are in a great moment of opportunity for those who feel called to serve
others. An aging population, evolving patient needs, and a persistent shortage
of nurses nationwide means there is demand for dedicated, service-minded people
to enter the nursing profession.

My own career in nursing has been a natural extension of the same
service-oriented mindset that led me to the Air Force. I often speak with
veterans and nurses about our shared experiences, and I am struck by the
similarities between these two paths. Nursing is dynamic, essential, and offers
many of the same opportunities to help others that kept me in the Air National
Guard for more than two decades.

I loved my time in the military as well as my time as a practicing nurse. Having
a purpose bigger than myself helped inspire me throughout my life and career.
Many service members transitioning into civilian life seek the same sense of
purpose as the military for their next act. Nursing is a rewarding, fulfilling
career, and service members make excellent nurses!

During my 22 years as a supply technician, the values of dedication, teamwork,
and resilience were deeply ingrained in me. These values and qualities are just
as vital in nursing. Nurses are tasked with making life-saving decisions under
pressure, working collaboratively within diverse teams, and tirelessly serving
others — often putting patients’ needs before their own.

Pursuing nursing alongside my military service offered a clear parallel. Nurses
sacrifice for others in significant ways, often unseen, just as service members
do. Ultimately, we do this to help those who cannot help themselves. We lean on
each other for camaraderie and community – something many people miss from the
military and struggle to find in civilian life. I have forged close
relationships with other nurses by facing challenging situations together and
sharing in our sacrifice for others. I left the military 13 years ago, and I am
still connected with my military family – my nursing family is no different.

For military members considering a new path, nursing offers more than just a
paycheck – it is a continuation of service. It calls on your ability and
leverages your experience to stay calm under pressure, think critically, and
care for others in their most vulnerable moments. Nursing is also a great
career, with high demand nationwide and dynamic opportunities for future growth.

My own story shows how many directions a nursing background can take you. I was
a bedside nurse in ICU and cardiac settings for 10 years before returning to
school to become a nurse practitioner. Practicing in cardiology and home care
led to roles in management – where my military experience was invaluable.
Combining a background in clinical practice with operational experience from my
service has created opportunities I couldn’t have dreamed of when I started as a
nurse. Now, as a leader at Arizona College of Nursing, I get to help shape
educational opportunities for the next generation of nurses – continuing in a
role where I focus on serving our students and their needs.

The healthcare landscape in the U.S. is changing, driven by an aging population
and new challenges that demand a new generation of nurses to lead us. The need
for skilled, adaptable, and dedicated nurses will only grow. For those of us who
have served in the military, we are already equipped with many of the same
values needed to excel as nurses. Service is about more than just what we do –
it’s who we are. A career in nursing allows us to continue and expand our
commitment to service.

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_Laura Jonsson, RN, MS, ANP-C is Senior Vice President of Operations at [Arizona College of Nursing](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/). She served 22 years in the Ohio Air National Guard, including active duty in Iraq._

**Categories:** Newsroom