2010.12.18: December 18, 2010: Brazil RPCV Susan Luz writes "The Nightingale of Mosul"
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Brazil:
Peace Corps Brazil:
Peace Corps Brazil: Newest Stories:
2010.12.18: December 18, 2010: Brazil RPCV Susan Luz writes "The Nightingale of Mosul"
Brazil RPCV Susan Luz writes "The Nightingale of Mosul"
Colonel Susan Luz, who was the highest-ranking female soldier in the Army Reserve's 399th Combat Support Hospital when she was called to active duty and was awarded the Bronze Star in 2007, followed in the footsteps of a storied family history of military service. Her father fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, and her husband George's father, George Luz senior, was a Fall River native whose experiences in World War II were featured in the book and HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers." It didn't take very long for Luz to experience the danger of being a nurse serving "behind the front line" in war zone firsthand. On her forth day at the hospital in Mosul, a nurse who was scheduled to leave within a couple days of Luz's unit taking over was hit by mortar fire and seriously injured. It was the first MASCAL (code for mass casualty) of 14 MASCALS that her unit would handle during their year in the Middle East. In all, they treated more than 30,000 wounded soldiers and endured 300 mortar attacks in Mosul and Al Asad, where they relocated to open a Level I hospital when the United States Military ramped up forces in 2007. As a public health nurse with certification as a psychiatric nurse, Luz's mission in Iraq included helping soldiers with emotional trauma, and providing comfort to dying soldiers. Luz formed her own "Band of Sisters," a group of nurses who were not only dedicated to treating wounded soldiers, but also maintaining morale among the troops, especially during the unit's time in the middle of the desert in Al Asad.
Brazil RPCV Susan Luz writes "The Nightingale of Mosul"
WOMAN OF WAR: For Susan Luz, being a nurse has meant a life during wartime
By Linda Murphy
Special to The Herald News
Posted Dec 18, 2010 @ 03:09 PM
TIVERTON -
The guiding force that drove Susan (Corry) Luz through the University of Rhode Island's rigorous five-year nursing program was her desire to become an Army nurse in Vietnam. Inspired by her father, a decorated World War II combat veteran, Luz avoided the college party scene, and the anti-war sentiment on campus, and focused intently on her plan to serve in the war.
But her father, Patrick Corry, who saw a military nurse killed in World War II, and silently lived with the resonating images of the horrors of war, wouldn't hear of his young daughter joining up. Instead, she joined the Peace Corps, but her chance to serve came decades later: At age 56, Army Reservist Luz left behind her husband and family in Rhode Island to serve as a nurse in war-ravaged Mosul, Iraq.
Colonel Susan Luz, who was the highest-ranking female soldier in the Army Reserve's 399th Combat Support Hospital when she was called to active duty, will be discussing her experiences and signing copies of her book, "The Nightingale of Mosul, a Nurse's Journey of Service, Struggle and War," at an upcoming event sponsored by the Friends of Tiverton Library.
Luz, who was awarded the Bronze Star in 2007, followed in the footsteps of a storied family history of military service. Her father fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, and her husband George's father, George Luz senior, was a Fall River native whose experiences in World War II were featured in the book and HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers."
It didn't take very long for Luz to experience the danger of being a nurse serving "behind the front line" in war zone firsthand. On her forth day at the hospital in Mosul, a nurse who was scheduled to leave within a couple days of Luz's unit taking over was hit by mortar fire and seriously injured.
It was the first MASCAL (code for mass casualty) of 14 MASCALS that her unit would handle during their year in the Middle East. In all, they treated more than 30,000 wounded soldiers and endured 300 mortar attacks in Mosul and Al Asad, where they relocated to open a Level I hospital when the United States Military ramped up forces in 2007.
As a public health nurse with certification as a psychiatric nurse, Luz's mission in Iraq included helping soldiers with emotional trauma, and providing comfort to dying soldiers. Luz formed her own "Band of Sisters," a group of nurses who were not only dedicated to treating wounded soldiers, but also maintaining morale among the troops, especially during the unit's time in the middle of the desert in Al Asad.
Though her desire to serve the medical needs of combat soldiers came much later than she anticipated, Luz has devoted her life to serving others as she states in the book: "Serving others has been my life priority, and the blessing has been mine. The more you give, the more you get. That's the purpose I've found in life. That's the nightingale's song I always wanted to sing."
When book collaborator, Marcus Brotherton approached her about telling her wartime experiences she said at first she turned him down because she felt her military service was one facet of her life. But she eventually agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to raise awareness of issues that are important to her: women in the military, volunteering to help veterans and cystic fibrosis. Three of her nephews have cystic fibrosis, an incurable disease that affects the lungs.
The book details Luz' lifelong commitment to give of herself to others starting with her time as a nurse in the Peace Corps in Brazil, where she was brutally attacked. Unable to have children of her own after the attack, Luz worked part-time jobs throughout almost her entire career as a public health nurse working at one of Providence's toughest inner city schools and the Institute of Mental Health to give money to her nieces and nephews. "The attack in Brazil made me stronger than ever - it made me more determined than ever to serve people," she said. "It made me realize there are bad people in world, but if it wasn't for the good people of Brazil, I wouldn't have survived."
Luz, who retired from the military in May, still works full-time at Gateway Health Care, an acute residential treatment center in Johnston, R.I., for teens experiencing intense emotional stress. She also volunteers at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Providence and speaks at conferences to raise the awareness of issues related to women in the military. "When people think about the military they usually just think of guys, but women have been serving as nurses since World War I. Our unit was right in the middle of a war zone and constantly getting hit with mortar. Some of my female friends are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder."
Luz, who proudly sports a bumper sticker on her car reading: "We Served Too" said female veterans are also less likely to avail themselves of the services at VA hospitals to deal with issues related to wartime service but she hopes to change that though speaking engagements such as one she gave recently at a conference in Washington, D.C.
She also hopes the book will inspire others to live a positive life and give of themselves to the community and veterans and soldiers. A graduate of St. Mary Bay View Academy, she just kicked off a yearlong service project with the young women at the Catholic school, who will be volunteering their services to women veterans.
"One of the focuses of the book is that I have had a wonderful life - just like Jimmy Stewart in the movie, I never thought I made an impact on people's lives until I got to the end of writing the book. I feel like I have touched people's lives," she said.
Luz will appear at the VFW Hall located at 134 Shove Street 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, Jan. 26. Admission is free. If inclement weather occurs, the program will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
Copies of her book will be available to purchase and Luz will autograph copies after her presentation. Attendees are encouraged to bring spare paperback books, which the American Library Association will send to soldiers as part of their "Operation Paperback" program.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: December, 2010; Peace Corps Brazil; Directory of Brazil RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Brazil RPCVs; Nursing; Military; Iraq; Writing - Brazil
When this story was posted in January 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Support Independent Funding for the Third Goal The Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to "bringing the world back home." Senator Dodd addressed this issue in the "Peace Corps for the 21st Century" bill passed by the US Senate and Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter proposed a "Peace Corps Foundation" at no cost to the US government. Both are good approaches but the recent "Comprehensive Assessment Report" didn't address the issue of independent funding for the third goal at all. |
| Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Wicked Local
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Brazil; Nursing; Military; Iraq; Writing - Brazil
PCOL46452
66