Fall 2007
Vol. 14/ No. 2

Q&A with First Lt. Bruce Schlager

Why did you join the military? (What's your branch and current rank?)   

I joined the military in March 1981 and entered Active Duty in October 1981. I'm in the Air Force Reserves and currently a First Lieutenant at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois and work in the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. I joined the Air Force because I wanted to do something exciting and to be able to see the world and travel. It's a unique way to meet people of all walks of life and have a rewarding job as well. 

How do you feel your nursing career choice meshes with your military career choice?

My nursing career goes very well with the military as I am Flight Nurse in the military. The experience that I have gotten from working in the Med/Neuro ICU and in the ER there at the University has been invaluable to me in dealing with the sick and injured soldiers that we transport and take care of on a daily basis. With the volume of trauma that we see over here, it helps tremendously to have a heads up on what's going on and to be able to know how to act in certain situations.

What do you hope to accomplish through your service?

I hope to accomplish the goal of knowing that I helped to do my part for our country and to be satisfied with what I've done when it comes time for me to retire.

Do you think it will be hard readjusting to civilian life?

In ways it will be an adjustment as I've grown accustomed to everyday life here and of always being ready to go on a moments notice. It will be nice to have the freedom to do what I want to and whenever I want to.

How do you think military nursing differs from civilian nursing?

I feel that military nursing is more rewarding in that, we all have a common background and therefore, tend to have a closer bond with one another, especially when you're at war and have only each other to rely on.

What had you done to prepare yourself for your deployment? (emotionally, physically, intellectually)

I've had to deploy before (Desert Storm '91) but not for quite a while. It's always a challenge to leave home and wonder in the back of your mind if you are one of the unfortunate ones who won't come back alive so you try to comfort your loved ones by assuring them that you won't be gone long. Physically, I'm an avid runner and always work out a lot so I wasn't intimidated by the physical portion of deploying. Intellectually speaking, it's a matter of trying to keep your skills up and to think of worse case scenarios that you might come across and be ready to act.

Why do you choose to put yourself in harm's way when you could be helping people in a safe environment?

I've been in the military for more than 25 years and have always enjoyed what I do, whether it was working on fighter jets or treating patients in the air. When I chose to become a flight nurse, I jumped at the chance because this is one way I could help out fellow soldiers and do my part. It's an adrenaline rush as well in that, when you land in a foreign country in the middle of the night on a small runway in the middle of nowhere and are waiting for an injured soldier to arrive at the aircraft, you are keenly aware of what could happen to you at any time and that the bad guys are all around you waiting for you to mess up. It's hard to experience that in the civilian sector.

What aspects of military nursing do you most enjoy and appreciate?

I really enjoy doing flight nursing the most as it had always been a dream of mine to fly, and this way I get to fly and treat fellow soldiers both. It's a combination of doing both critical care and ER nursing together in the air.

What aspects do you dislike?

The part of military nursing that I dislike the most is the fact that you could be deployed for months away from home and away from family. It can be really stressful on both you and your loved ones and fortunately, I've got a very supportive wife and family who allow me to pursue my dreams.

What things most concern you about your current situation?

As corny as it may sound, I'm most concerned about those who are not as fortunate as I am here and don't have the luxuries that I have; that having a bed to sleep in and hot food to eat or being shot at every day. I can't imagine what it would be like mentally to be in that situation and knowing I may not be here tomorrow.

What is your work environment like?

My work environment is not a fun one to be in over here. When we are alerted to go fly a mission, we are dressed in hot, fire-resistant flight suits that don't ventilate well to begin with. When you fly on the C-130 aircraft, there is no air conditioning to speak of until we're airborne and the temperatures can be extremely high. When it's 120 on the ground, then it's usually over 140 in the back of the aircraft and so you can overheat quickly. Add that to the exhaust of the engines that you have to breathe in when you start engines and you get an idea of what we have to deal with.  Recently we had a situation where we were stuck on the ramp in Iraq  in the afternoon heat with an aircraft full of patients and had to close the doors due to a severe dust storm which prevented us from taking off. We could not get anyone to come get our patients so we all suffered in the 140 plus degree heat for over four hours. Talk about miserable!!!

How long do you expect to be overseas?

Our deployment is for 120 days or four-months.

How have your friends in the conflict area dealt with the emotional demands of their situation?

Most have dealt well with their situation over here. You learn to adapt and overcome and take it one day at a time. It's hard when you lose a friend who was a fellow flyer as we did 10 days ago. He passed away due to an unexpected illness that caught everyone by surprise. He was only 30 and had a family. That's hard to deal with.

What would you tell future nurses about military nursing?

I would let them know that it's a very rewarding career and one that I would recommend highly. It's just like anything else, it's what you make it out to be. It's not all glamorous or else everyone would do it. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. 

Please add any other comments about topics I might not have asked about.

As rough as it may sound over here, I do want to acknowledge the spouses that are left back home and having to deal with all the everyday problems that come about. They too, are to be commended for their support for us over here and for taking care of our loved ones back home as well. I couldn't do it if it weren't for my wife and daughters who again, allow me to pursue my dreams.