In all of America's wars, nurses have worked near the front lines of battle. Under frequent enemy fire in field hospitals, evacuation hospitals, hospital trains, hospital ships and medical transport planes, military nurses in wartime are faced with daily situations of grave danger.

Military nurses are involved in a broad range of activities. They are expected to adopt innovative solutions to a broad range of medical problems with limited support, to move and set up field and evacuation hospitals amidst enemy fire, and to teach and supervise new trainees and medical personnel to save lives under dire circumstances.