NABMW Honor Roll
NABMW mourns the death of the first African-American woman promoted to General Officer in the U.S. Armed Forces and the first African-American Chief of the Army Nurse Corp.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Dr. Hazel Johnson-Brown, Ph.D., RN
BIOGRAPHY
Hazel Johnson-Brown made military history when she became the first African American woman General in 1979. She entered the U.S. Army in 1955, shortly after President Harry Truman banned segregation in the armed services. When she retired from the military in 1983, the list of credentials Johnson-Brown had accumulated was impressive. Some of the positions she held included project director at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command in Washington, D.C.; dean of the Walter Reed Army Institute School of Nursing; and special assistant to the chief of the U.S. Army Medical Command in Korea. She reached the pinnacle of her military career when she was appointed Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, with the rank of Brigadier General.
Born in 1927 in Malvern, Pennsylvania and one of seven children, she was raised on her father’s farm in nearby West Chester. Inspired by a local white public heath nurse when she was 12, Johnson decided that she too would become a nurse. She applied to the West Chester School of Nursing, but was rejected because she was black. She did not, however, let this stand in her way. She left West Chester for New York City in 1947, and enrolled in the Harlem Hospital School of Nursing.
After graduating, she went to work at the Philadelphia Veteran’s Hospital in 1953. It was there that her colleagues noticed her natural leadership abilities, and suggested she join the Army. After one meeting with a recruiter, she enlisted for what she thought would be a two-year tour. Instead, she swiftly rose through the ranks, enjoying a remarkable military career that spanned almost three decades.
As the first African American appointed as Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, Johnson commanded 7,000 male and female nurses in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves. She also set policy and oversaw operations in eight Army medical centers, fifty-six community hospitals and one hundred forty-three freestanding clinics in the United States, Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, and Panama.
While in the Army, she continued her formal education, earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Villanova University, a master’s degree in nursing education from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in education administration from Catholic University. Two years before retiring from the Army in 1983, she married David Brown.
Following her retirement, Johnson-Brown enjoyed a distinguished “second” career in academia. She served as professor of nursing at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and finally at George Mason University in Virginia. At George Mason University, she was instrumental in founding the Center for Health Policy, designed to educate and involve nurses in health policy and policy design.
She retired from teaching in 1997. She continued to live in the Washington area, serving on a variety of university and health administration boards
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/hazel-johnson#ixzz1WICIflSV
General Hazel Johnson-Brown died August 5, 2011 in Wilmington, Delaware.
The "Mother" of NABMW dies at the young age of 87
IN MEMORY OF.....
WWII Veteran PFC Gladys Schuster Carter
World War II Veteran Gladys Schuster Carter lost her battle against pancreatic cancer on July 2, 2009 at her home in Chesapeake, Virginia. Her eldest son Oscar (Tank) Carter, Jr and her youngest sister "Chickie" were at her bedside as she fell asleep crossing over to join her late husband Oscar (Tank) Carter, Sr and youngest son Charles at the gates of heaven.
Mrs. Carter lead a full life up to the last two week of her life where she met with many of her friends and gave orders to her sister soldiers for things to be done --(You have to have known Mrs. Carter to know what that meant). I visited with Mrs. Carter two weeks before she passed. Although she was a perky as usual and held long conversations with us girls, she told me she was ready to go and be with her husband "Tank" and youngest son Charles. She was happy and she had no regrets.
We call Gladys "THE MOTHER" of The National Association of Black Military Women (NABMW). The NABMW would not be here today if it was not for her passion for the existance of our organization. For the past 15 years, it has been the heart and soul of her existance and efforts in getting the organization up and running. But most important Mrs. Carter wanted to make sure the histories and heritage of Black Military Women be told to the world.
Mrs Gladys S. Carter was the Chairperson of the WAAC/WIS/Women in the Military Organizational Structure Committee" in 1996 that sanctioned "NABMW . Her task was to develop a structure and operating forum under which the organization would function. And she did just that.
We only wish that we can travel in her foot steps. Imagine what she has experienced in her lifetime!E TIME"
SGM (Ret.) B. Elaine Scott, (Scottie)
U.S. ARMY
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Vietnam Veteran
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Charter Life Member NABMW
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Vice Commander -American Legion Post 291
It is with sad note that I report to you that SGM (Ret.) Beverly Elaine Scott (Scottie) (Charter Life-Time Member of NABMW) lost her battle with cancer and was called home on Tuesday, 17 November 2009. She was 76 years young. Scottie resided in Atlanta, GA.
Military History
1951 - Basic Training, Fort Lee, VA
1952 - Advanced Individual Training, Fort Dix, NJ
1953 - Transportation Clerk, New York Port Deportation, Fort Hamiliton, Brooklyn, NY
1953 - Traffic Clerk, Provost Marshall Office, USAFE, Yokohoma, Japan
1955 - Transportation Clerk, Brooklyn Arm Terminal, Brooklyn, NY
1957 - Personnel Clerk (Admin.) Munich Sub-Area, Munich, Germany
BREAK IN SERVICE
1959 - Finance Clerk, Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN
1960 - Finance/Personnel Clerk, HQ USATCG, USARYIS, Okinawa, Japan
1961 - Personnel/Medical Clerk, Fort Riley, KS
1962 - Classification/Mobilization Clerk, CP Zama, Japan
1964 - Personnel NCO, Arlington Hall Station, Arlington, VA
1968 - Training NCO (S3), WAC Training Battalion, Fort McClellen, AL
1970 - Administrative NCO, HQ USAREUR & 7th Army, Heidelberg, GE
1972 - Personnel NCO, Command Staff General College, Fort Leavenworth, VA
1974 - First Sergeant/Administrative NCO, 18th Battalion, Company D, WAC Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, SC
1976 - Personnel NCO/Jr. Advisor to Commander, TRIDOC, Fort Monroe, VA
1976 - Administrative Personnel NCO, Office Director, WAC, ODCSPER, Pentagon, Washington (Arlington), DC
1978 - Assistant Secretary, Army Uniform Board, Pentagon, Washington (Arlington), DC
1980 - Staff Analyst/Personnel Management, HQ FORSCOM, Fort McPherson, GA, Atlanta, GA
1982 - Retired
Source: Ethel Dial and Catherine Wilson - Nov 2009
Alice Berry, chairperson of the NABMW Southwest-Region completed her journey in life Wednesday December 19,2007 about 4PM surrounded by family and friends in her home in Lake Forest California. Funeral Services was held on 27 December 2007 at The New Macedonia Christian Fellowship Church, 22600 Lambert St, Lake Forest, CA. Yvonne Lamar, NABMW spokes person read the NABMW' Resolution and spoke a few words during the funeral. Also NABMW Executive Officers - Bea Jones, (VP Operations) and Pat Jackson-Kelley (Chairperson, Reunion 2008) attend the funeral. Our prayers for her family: mother, daughter, w/ 3 young children who resided with her and a son, all who must carry on her legacy and their lives. We are grateful that we also took a few steps with our friend Alice as she made her march through life.
Source: Bea Jones, NABMW VP-Operations - Dec 2007