ALUMNI NEWS

Nursing Grad Takes Flight in Iraq

By Pam Roe

Air Force 1st Lt. Bruce C. Schlager is currently deployed to Qatar for Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a flight nurse with the 932 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., his unit's primary responsibility is to fly in to the field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan and transport patients to a secure definitive-care facility.

“Roller coasters are nothing compared to the C-130 or C-17 planes we fly in,” Schlager says.

Although they primarily fly at night, they still take quite a bit of fire both when taking off and landing. “My hat is off to the pilots that fly these planes,” he says. “My heart goes out to all the military men and women who I transport to safety. Their lives are forever changed by the experiences they are going through.”

Schlager's wife, Paula, says she hears about how tired he is of seeing brown sand — no green or color of any kind anywhere. “One of the things he misses most is just a cold glass of water,” she laughs. “Temperatures are currently running 115-120 degrees on a daily basis.”

He's been in the military for more than 25 years and when not on duty he's a nurse in the University Hospital emergency room in Columbia. He received his nursing degree from MU in 2001. Schlager answers questions in the following section.

Why did you join the military?

Schlager: 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, be able to see the world and travel. It's a unique way to meet people of all walks of life while having a rewarding job.

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

Schlager: My nursing career goes very well with the military because I am a flight nurse. My experiences from working in the Med/Neuro ICU and in the ER at the University has been invaluable to me in dealing with the sick and injured soldiers who 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?

Schlager: 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 difficult readjusting to civilian life?

Schlager: 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 moment's notice. It will be nice to have the freedom, though, to do what I want whenever I want.

How do you think military nursing differs from civilian nursing?

Schlager: 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 we're at war and have only each other to rely on.

How did you prepare yourself for your deployment?

Schlager: I've had to deploy before (Desert Storm '91), but not for quite awhile. 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. 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, thinking of worse case scenarios that you might come across and being ready to act.

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

Schlager: I've been in the military for more than 25 years and have always enjoyed it, whether it was working on fighter jets or treating patients in the air. I jumped at the chance to become a flight nurse because it's a 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 at 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?

Schlager: 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 both fly and treat fellow soldiers. It's a combination of doing critical care and ER nursing.

What aspects do you dislike?

Schlager: In military nursing you can 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?

Schlager: 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 same luxuries. For example, I have a bed to sleep in and hot food to eat versus being shot at every day. I can't imagine what it would be like mentally to be in that situation, knowing you may not be here tomorrow.

What is your work environment like?

Schlager: My work environment is not a fun one. To begin with, when we are alerted to go fly a mission, we are dressed in hot, fire-resistant flight suits that don't ventilate well. 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 degrees on the ground, then it's usually over 140 in the back of the aircraft, so you can overheat quickly. Add that to the exhaust of the engines that you have to breathe and you get an idea of what it's like. 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 that 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 more than four hours. Talk about miserable!

How long do you expect to be overseas?

Schlager: 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?

Schlager: Most have dealt well with their situation over here. You learn to adapt and overcome and take 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 died due to an unexpected illness that caught everyone by surprise. He was only 30 years old and had a family. That's hard to deal with.

What would you tell future nurses about military nursing?

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

Additional comments?

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

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Last Update: November 15, 2007