Hahn School of Nursing Celebrates Military Nurses

The University of San Diego’s Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science hosted a Military Nurses celebration in the Beyster Institute for Nursing Research (BINR) Plaza on Thursday afternoon.

The program, coming during a National Appreciation Week for Nurses, offered a wonderful opportunity to say thank you to nurses who also served in the United States military.

Nursing Dean Jane Georges, PhD, RN welcomed the audience and promptly, with the presence of the USD Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Color Guard, both the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance were recited.

A blessing and dedication were next, given by Father Robert Capone, a USD alumnus and the university’s chaplain. The blessing and dedication were for a new fountain within the BINR Plaza area that USD Nursing Professor Dr. Joseph Francis Burkard, DNSc, CRNA and his wife, donated to USD. Burkard is also a retired Commander in the Nurse Corps of the U.S. Navy.

Todd Uhlman, LCDR, NC, USN, MHA, RN, BSN, CNML, was then on hand to present two Naval Officers with Duty Under Instruction (DUINS) Awards. The awardees were Steven G. Pochop, LT, NC, USN, RN, BSN, CPN and Dehussa Urbieta, LTJG, NC, USN, RN, BSN, CPN.

Rebecca Nulty, a retired Navy Captain, NC, USD, MA, RN, was on hand to represent the Navy Nurse Corps Association. She spoke briefly and provided Dean Georges, Dr. Burkard and both Pochop and Urbieta each with a copy of the book, In and Out of Harm’s Way: A History of the Navy Nurse Corps. 

A ceremonial cake-cutting with a military sword, was done by Urbieta and another Navy Nurse, Heather C. King, Captain (sel), NC, USN, PhD, MS, BSN. Then the audience, with honored guests, USD faculty and administrators and students, mingled over lunch and cake.