Whereas, on February 2, 1901, the Army Nurse Corps was established, marking the entry of the first nurses and the first women into the United States military;

Whereas the establishment of the Army Nurse Corps was a culmination of decades of service by American women in caring for wounded soldiers, dating back to the Revolutionary War;

Whereas, during the Civil War, volunteers, including notable figures like Dorothea Dix and Harriet Tubman, served as nurses and paved the way for future generations of professional military nurses;

Whereas the Army Nurse Corps has served with honor and distinction in every major conflict since its inception, including World War I, World War II, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, and the conflicts in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan;

Whereas, during World War I, over 10,000 Army nurses served overseas, with many receiving distinguished service awards for their bravery and dedication;

Whereas, during World War II, Army nurses landed in North Africa and Italy, cared for soldiers on the beaches of Normandy and on the Pacific islands of Japan and the Philippines, and treated the wounded shortly after the Normandy invasion;

Whereas, during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, over 5,000 Army nurses provided lifesaving care, advancing the practice of nursing and serving with courage and tenacity;

Whereas, during the Cold War and the Global War on Terrorism, Army nurses answered the call, serving with valor and honor in forward medical units and combat support hospitals and conserving the fighting strength; and

Whereas the Nation honors the sacrifices of Army nurses, with 653 interred in Arlington National Cemetery’s Nurses Section and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial standing as a testament to their service: Now, therefore, be it