05/02/2023
“Since retiring from the Army in 2018, my wife and I opened our own healthcare business. Watching my wife work as an RN has given me more exposure to the needs of people's health issues. I have seen people's health deteriorate and decline instantly over the years. Too many people's lives have ended too soon because of the lack of healthcare education. Our society has abandoned being health conscious. We are getting unhealthy and disease prone due to the lack of self-care. Many veterans leave the military with injuries and cannot get the appropriate care they need as they age. One reason I have decided to pursue nursing is to help others. I want to give back to my society and help those in need. I have the utmost respect for what nurses do, and they do not get enough credit for their sacrifices. They are the boots on the ground and always the first to treat. Watching nurses mobilize during the Covid-19 era, many have traveled to places of need, being in the thick of disease. So many have lost their lives and now have health issues themselves. They never had an easy task, and the numbers diminished afterward. Nursing reminds me of the Military Non-Commission Officers Corps of NCOs. They are always the ones called on to make things happen. Their passion and care for human life make them unique. They are the backbone of the medical field. Without them, nothing would get done”.
- Ronald Lawson, Licensed Practical Nurse Scholarship Finalist (Charlotte, NC)
