Nurse Leader Breaks Through Glass Ceiling: Making History as First Air Force Nurse Major General (1999-2005)

ABSTRACT Introduction There is a gap in the nursing literature about the significant contributions of executive military nurse leaders to the advancement of nursing as a profession and into interprofessional leadership roles. Many executive military nurse leaders have demonstrated the value of nursing leadership in non-traditional roles and paved the way to expand the leadership opportunities for nurses who would follow. The purpose of this study is to explore the personal stories, experiences, leadership strategies, and lessons learned through the eyes of the first nurse to achieve the rank of Major General in the U.S. Air Force. Materials and Methods The oral history method guided the exploration of participant memories and experiences. In compliance with the Oral History Association guidelines, the investigator obtained Institution Review Board permission, informed consent, and audiotaped interviews. An expert panel provided feedback on the appropriate language use in semi-structured interview questions with Air Force nurse executives. The oral history method provided a framework for the semi-structured interview and analysis. Active listening techniques such as exploration, clarifying, and paraphrasing helped foster deep listening. A graduate research assistant transcribed the 4-hour interview verbatim. The primary investigator emailed a copy of the transcript to the participant to verify accuracy and clarify content. Analysis involved examination and interpretation of the professional, military, nursing, and participant’s personal perspective to enhance historical understanding. Three independent coders extracted prevalent themes and subthemes during analysis. Results Repetitive major themes of courage, figuring it out, and winning others over emerged during data analysis. The major theme of courage has corresponding subthemes of tenacity, risk-taking, and re-writing the narrative. The major theme of figuring it out has subthemes of optimism, creativity, connectedness, learning, and managing change. Lastly, the winning others over theme has subthemes of emotional intelligence, teamwork, role-model/mentor, and moving from outsider to insider. The leadership strategies of taking calculated risks while remaining calm, being open to opportunities that she had never considered, and spending time learning new skills contributed to repeated advancement into higher leadership positions not previously held by a nurse within the U.S. Air Force. Conclusion The interview is packed full of leadership lessons that are just as relative today as 20 years ago. This presentation will conclude with a discussion of the most effective leadership strategies, the lasting impact of the leadership accomplishments, and current implications for nurse leaders today.

Reconstruction of the Battle on the Hills in the South of Stalingrad of September 8 - September 10, 1942

Introduction. The result of the Battle of Stalingrad supersedes the course of the battle itself in a great deal of historical literature. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in recent literature Stalingrad is increasingly becoming “mythologized” (A. Isaev), “unknown” (E. Kobyakov) or “forgotten” (A. Chunikhin), the return to the actual history of the Battle of Stalingrad takes the form of criticism of a generalized view, which on examination often turns out to be incorrect. Methods and materials. The work uses the methods of microhistory formulated in 1958 by the American historian J. Stewart. The actions of Red Army units are reconstructed on the basis of documents of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The actions of Wehrmacht units are described on the basis of captured German documents from Fund 500 of the same archive. The data from the battle log of the XXXXVIII Panzer Corps and the battle log of the 24th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht were taken from the book of Australian historian J. Mark. Analysis. The terrain to the south and south-east of Stalingrad largely determined the course of battle of the operational group of Major-General N.M. Pozharsky and the right flank divisions of the 64th Army with units of XXXXVIII Panzer Corps of General V. Kämpf. The essence of this confrontation was a fierce struggle for commanding heights. Results. At 16:30 on 11 September Major von der Lancken’s group was disbanded, and the tanks returned to their divisions. As a result of the offensive of September 8-11 the Germans managed to capture key heights in the south of Stalingrad. Nevertheless, in these battles XXXXVIII Panzer Corps suffered losses that it could not make up for. This gave the defenders of Stalingrad a chance, which they took. Due to the large volume of archival materials, the author’s team was divided. A.K. Elokhina processed German sources, and E.V. Stelnik processed data from the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The concept of the article emerged in the course of joint discussions.

WIELKOPOLSKA (GREATER POLAND) MILITARY MUSEUM: HISTORY OF AN UNUSUAL MUSEUM

The beginning of historical-military museology in Poznan dates back to the mid-19th century when the Poznan Society of Friends of Learning assumed the responsibility to save historic monuments, and began to establish the Museum of Polish and Slavic Antiquities in the Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznan). The task was to collect archival, library, and museum materials, including militaria. As a result of these efforts, in 1882, the Mielżynski Museum was established which boasted an exquisite painting gallery, containing historical painting, a rich archaeological and military collection, and a sizeable collection of so-called historical mementoes: weapons, orders, decorations, etc. In the aftermath of the Greater Poland Uprising 1918 –1919, the Hindenburg Museum founded in 1916–1918 was transformed into a Military Museum. The ceremonial opening was held on 27 October 1919 by Józef Piłsudski, Poland’s Chief of State. The quickly growing collection was moved from Marcinkowskiego Avenue to the barracks in Bukowska Street, and subsequently to a new seat at 1 Artyleryjska Street in Poznan. The solemn opening of the Wielkopolska Military Museum was held on 22 April 1923 by the Commander of the 7th Corps District Major-General Kazimierz Raszewski. In 1939, anticipating the threat of war, the most precious objects were evacuated eastwards, and looted there. The items which stayed behind ended up in German museums. The mementoes connected with the history of the Polish military were destroyed, and the Museum was wound up. The first attempts at reactivating the Museum following WW II failed. It was only with the 1956 revolt that civil and military authorities changed their approach, The National Museum in Poznan undertook the first efforts. The Museum did not go back to its pre-WW II seat, but found home in a modern building in the Old Market Square in Poznan, to be ceremoniously launched on 22 February 1963 by the Commander of the Operational Air Force in Poznan Brigadier General Pilot Jan Raczkowski. Having recreated its collection, the Wielkopolska Military Museum, already as a Branch of the National Museum in Poznan, has held many exhibitions and shows. Moreover, it has released many publications, and run a broad range of educational activities. Among other projects, it has also made reference to the pre-WW II Museum. On 27 December 2019, a new jubilee exhibition ‘Wielkopolska Military Museum 1919–2019’ recording the 100-years’ history of the oldest historical-military museum in Poland was inaugurated.

The russian army in siberia in the 30–50 years of the XVIII century

The reforms of Peter I became the basis for the gradual restructuring of all the military forces of Siberia. The main role in the Russian military cavalry of the Peter's era was played by dragoons. Under Peter I, dragoon regiments were the only type of Russian regular cavalry. In the field army, Peter I ordered the formation of 34 dragoon regiments. In addition, garrison dragoon regiments were formed in the province in the strategically important cities of Azov, Astrakhan, Kazan, and Tobolsk. In the 3050s of the XVIII century, the number of field dragoon regiments of the Russian Empire decreased to 20. In 1744, 3 field dragoon regiments Olonetsky, Vologda and Lutsk, and 2 field infantry regiments Shirvan and Nasheburg were sent to Siberia to protect the region from the Dzungars. By the decree of the Senate of September 29, 1744, all the Russian troops of Siberia were subordinated to the chief commander of the Siberian Corps, who was subordinate to the Military College. Major-General Christian Kinderman was appointed the main commander in Siberia. In March 1756, the Russian army consisted of 3 cuirassiers, 29 dragoons, and 46 infantry regiments, totaling 78 army regiments, with 172,440 men. As a result, during the Seven Years ' War, the number of field dragoon units in Russia decreased by 3 times and by 1763 was only 7 regiments. As a result, if in 1754 the dragoons were 36,627 people (92.6 %), then by 1767 there were only 4,802 people (12.8%) from the Russian cavalry in their ranks.

From military hero to martyr: crafting singularity and the formation of Muslim collective subjectivity in an Iranian statist ritual

The staging of the funeral procession of Major General Qasem Soleimani (d. 3 January 2020) strengthened the Iranian state’s legitimation amidst the crisis related to intensified US sanctions. Images of his funeral parade across the country with its dense mourning crowd were circulated widely and commented on in both Iran’s official media and the international media. In response to these images, media commentaries engaged obsessively and exclusively with the biographical reviews that emphasised his heroic individuality and charismatic figure. This article engages critically with these reactions, while asking instead what his funeral tells us about the unfolding of the statist cult in Iran. I analyse two ethnographic scenes, one showing the entanglement of the official discourse of martyrdom with the statist culture, and the other, how the atmosphere of grief and veneration during the martyrs’ funeral processions unsettle the dichotomies between compliance and resistance, orchestrated and emergent affects. These observations open a new vista on the mutual processes of singularity and the collective subjectivation that goes beyond one-sided causal explanations of heroic individuality on the one hand and blatantly dramatised expressions of the state’s religious policies on the other.

Admiral Michał Aleksander Borowski, His Service and Activity in the Free City of Gdańsk in the Years 1919–1928

Michał Aleksander Borowski (1872–1939), Major General of the Russian Navy, Rear Admiral of the Polish Navy. He was admitted to the Polish Army on December 12, 1918. In February 1919, as part of the General Delegation of the Ministry of Provisions, he held the post of head of the Gdańsk port, and from July 1919, simultaneously as part of the Department for Maritime Affairs, he held the post of plenipotentiary for military and maritime affairs. In March 1921, he was deputy chairman of the Polish delegation to the Gdańsk Port Council, and from July 1923, chairman of the Polish delegation to the Port and Waterways Council in Gdańsk. He left the service in August 1927 and retired in Vilnius where he died on December 23, 1939.

The Fall of Fort Ticonderoga

This chapter discusses Burgoyne’s successful seizure of Fort Ticonderoga, the vital American position that guarded southern Lake Champlain and Lake George approach to the Hudson River and, ultimately, Albany. The significant leadership failures by the American commanders, especially Major General Arthur St. Clair and Major General Philip Schuyler, is examined in some depth. A combination of American failures—in preparation, execution, and the retreat—and the competent British conduct of operations, including the establishing of artillery on Mount Defiance, something the Americans believed was impossible, is discussed. Improperly sited fortifications, failure to secure key terrain, and an incompetently planned and executed retreat, ensured American failure to hold the fortification.

Opening Moves

This chapter sets the political, strategic, and operational context for the Saratoga campaign. Many of the key personalities are introduced to the reader including General Sir William Howe, Admiral Lord Richard Howe, General Sir Guy Carleton, General George Washington, Major General Horatio Gates, Major General Philip Schuyler, and Major General Benedict Arnold. This chapter also covers the American Revolution’s initial military operations including the battles and siege of Boston, the battles on Long Island and Manhattan, and the failed American invasion of Canada, including the attack on and siege of Quebec. The chapter concludes with Washington’s twin victories at Trenton and Princeton and his adoption of a modified Fabian military strategy.

Laying the Groundwork

This chapter discusses the preparation in Canada for Burgoyne’s expedition south to Albany. It introduces the key British leaders for the campaign including Major General William Phillips, Major General Friedrich Riedesel, and Brigadier General Simon Fraser, and the army’s organization. It also discusses the issues surrounding the use of German troops and Indian auxiliaries. Burgoyne’s overconfidence and disregard of Howe’s letter confirming that he was taking his army to Philadelphia and not up the Hudson River to Albany is covered at length. Finally, the logistics preparation for the campaign and the critical shortage of transport—horses, oxen, and carts—is covered in depth.