KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — One of the most well-respected careers in the military is that of a nurse. They provide care and comfort to those in need and make a difference in the lives of those they serve. WATE’s Don Dare spoke with an army nurse who started her career a little later in life.
Lee Ann Adams began her 24-year career in the US Army in an unusual manner. When commissioned to First Lieutenant, she was a mom with two kids.
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“Having had a family and children, I waited until I was 36 years old,” Adams said. “Went to a recruiting station and said, ‘I want to join.’”
She joined the Nursing Corps having been a civilian nurse for 16 years.
“And I’m running two-mile runs, I am climbing over 10-foot tall wooden pillars,” said Adams. “I was definitely one of the older people in the class.”
As she rose through the ranks, she served as an Obstetrics and Operating Room nurse, but she had a bigger goal.