I work in the only military hospital on the island of Okinawa. Our OR suite consists of four rooms with a separate OB suite with two additional rooms. There are five staff nurses here that handle approximately 250 cases per month. There is a large contingent of Marines stationed here and due to the nature of their active jobs, we see a lot of orthopedic injuries.

We have seven general surgeons, six ortho surgeons and one podiatrist, two neurosurgeons, one urologist, two ENT surgeons and 6 OB-GYN surgeons. We do not have a cardiology department or a cardiac surgeon. Critical cases such as neuro/thoracic trauma are sent to either Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, or USNH Balboa in San Diego.

Besides our regular duties in the hospital, four of the five staff perioperative nurses, myself included, are assigned to a medical unit which will accompany a Marine Expeditionary Force should they be deployed into harm's way. Recently, one of our nurses was deployed on a ship to places unknown to provide medical care for the Marines.

This month, another nurse will be going to Thailand to support joint field exercises between the US and Thai military. I was fortunate to be able to attend this exercise last year. Experiences such as these are what drew me to join the Navy back in 1991.

One of our nurses spent six months in Iraq at the beginning of the conflict in 2003, prior to being assigned to Okinawa. So far, we here in Okinawa have not been tasked with supporting that mission. However, should we be given that assignment, each and every last one of us would go willingly. We took an oath to "support, defend, and protect our country from enemies both foreign and domestic." Please keep that in mind when you hear the "spin masters" of the media trying to undermine the dedication and conviction of those of us who support our president and are proud to serve our country.