Daniel Inouye: “today I introduce an amendment that would change the existing law regarding the designated position and grade for the…”

“today I introduce an amendment that would change the existing law regarding the designated position and grade for the Chief Nurses of the United States Army, the United States Navy, and the United States Air Force. Currently, the Chief Nurses of the three branches of the military are one-star general officer grades; this law would change the current grade to Major General in the Army and Air Force and Rear Admiral (upper half) in the Navy. Our military Chief Nurses have an awesome responsibility--their scope of duties include peacetime and wartime health care doctrine, standards and policy for all nursing personnel within their respective branches. They are responsible for 80,000 Army, 5,200 Navy, and 20,000 Air Force officer and enlisted nursing personnel in the active, reserve and guard components of the military. This level of responsibility certainly supports the need to change the grade for the Chief Nurses which would ensure that they have an appropriate voice in Defense Health Program executive management. Organizations are best served when the leadership is composed of a mix of specialties--of equal rank--who bring their unique talents to the policy setting and decision-making process. I believe it is time to ensure that military health care organizations utilize the expertise and unique contributions of the military Chief Nurses.”