Jody Austin of Pennsauken, NJ Graduates from La Salle University after Serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom

After being called to active duty in the spring of 2003 to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sgt. Maj. Jody Austin took a deep breath and wondered what she was going to do about her classes.

School may not have been first on the minds of other reservists, but Austin's textbooks were in her carry-on as she boarded a plane to Ramstien Air Base in Germany, where she and fellow airmen would build and be stationed at a medical unit to care for soldiers wounded in Iraq.

"This is my life. I have been a part of the Air Force Reserves for so long that I understand being called up to active duty is always a possibility -- especially with ongoing operations and the current global situation," said Austin, who has served in the reserves for 17 years. "It is what the mission of the Reserves is. We train year-round for it, and I am prepared to meet the goals of my organization's mission when called upon. But I had been pecking away at my degree for so many years that I really didn't want to push it back any further."

The Pennsauken, N.J., resident has been taking college classes since graduating from high school in 1986. She was unsure of what she wanted to do with her life when her father became gravely ill. "My dad said he thought I would make a really good nurse and that's what I decided to do," she said.

After her father passed away, Austin began to pursue her goal. To help finance her education, she joined the Air Force, and it was there that she became a Licensed Practical Nurse. After a six-month first deployment in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991, Austin earned a position at the VA Hospital in Philadelphia. She has also been deployed for long tours of duty for other operations in Bosnia and in the United Arab Emirates.

Austin earned a scholarship through the VA Hospital and entered La Salle University's LPN-to-BSN program in the fall of 2002.

When she received the news of her deployment for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Austin approached the faculty at La Salle to discuss the possibility of completing her coursework overseas.

As luck would have it, one of her colleagues in the reserve unit is Maj. Silvia Cabassa, a nurse practitioner. La Salle's School of Nursing agreed to allow Cabassa to proctor Austin's exams and evaluate her performance while she was deployed.

During her nine-month deployment, Austin completed two courses, Health Assessment and Pharmacology. La Salle mailed Austin's exams to her and she took them as Cabassa proctored; the exams were sent back for grading. When her unit began caring for casualties, she and Cabassa evaluated and assessed patients, while Cabassa tested Austin on her primary and secondary surveys of the wounded, and signed off on her evaluation checklists forms that La Salle provided when they sent her test materials.

Austin also completed a term paper and a PowerPoint presentation, which she also sent back to La Salle for evaluation. In addition to her continuing classes while deployed, Austin completed required career-field training exams and passed her sergeant's test.

"My tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom was much more intense than Desert Storm," said Austin. "So, while doing the classes was very challenging given the circumstances, they also allowed me to think about something else other than the situation at hand."

Austin returned to the U.S. and to regular classes at La Salle in May 2004. However, the wear and tear on her feet necessitated three surgeries upon her return.

After graduating in May, Austin said she felt grateful to La Salle for helping her continue her education under such extreme circumstances. About the time she left for Germany, she nominated the University for an Appreciation Certificate from the U.S. Air Force for the School of Nursing's efforts to help her as she fulfilled her obligations. A certificate of recognition was officially given to La Salle's School of Nursing in 2003.

According to Austin, La Salle's School of Nursing set a precedent by creating a way to allow reservists to continue courses while deployed. The School of Nursing assisted two other reservists to complete coursework while serving overseas.

"The three of us were especially happy and thankful because we all deployed for various lengths of time, continued courses, made it back safe and in one piece, and we all graduated together. That was an accomplishment and a great feeling. The three of us share a special bond," she said.

Austin returned to the VA Hospital in Philadelphia, and she plans to continue to work with the veteran population.

"Nursing is my passion, and I want to provide veterans with the best holistic care I can. Obviously, I connect with veterans on many levels, and I want to continue to care for them. Members of the Armed Forces are making the ultimate sacrifices, and we deserve the best care," she said.

Austin's goals have not come to an end. She hopes to enter La Salle's graduate program for nurse practitioners upon completion of the State Nursing Board exams.

"People ask me where I plan to attend for my graduate studies and my answer, without a doubt, is La Salle. I truly feel at home there," she said.

by: Kimberly MacAlister