Courtesy Photo | Walter Reed's Director of Nursing Services, U.S. Army Col. Wendy Woodall recently...... read more read more
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By Bernard S. Little
Walter Reed Office of Command Communications
U.S. Army Col. Wendy Woodall, Walter Reed’s Director for Nursing Services and Chief Nursing Officer, received the Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Outstanding Army Nurse of the Year Award during a recent ceremony at Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Memorial Continental Hall in Washington, D.C.
“Colonel Woodall is an exceptional example of the drive, determination, compassion and professionalism of Army nurses,” said U.S. Army Col. Jodelle Schroeder, Deputy Corps Chief of the Army Nurse Corps (ANC). [Woodall] embodies what it means to bring together the profession of nursing and the profession of arms. There is something special about an Army nurse - the depth of dedication and understanding that brings makes Army nurses and Colonel Woodall a special breed,” she added.
The Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Award is presented annually by the DAR to an Army nurse who has shown exceptional contributions to military nursing, continuing in the legacy of McGee, a physician who established the DAR Hospital Corps and played a key role in creating the ANC. The DAR established the award in 1967.
Selected from among the ANC’s more than 20,000 medical professionals, the recipient of the Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Outstanding Army Nurse of the Year Award “must demonstrate expert clinical practice, effective leadership and a commitment to advancing the science of nursing,” according to Ginnie Storage, DAR First Vice President General.
“Colonel Woodall has served in the Army for nearly three decades [with] an illustrious career of service to her country [that has included] a variety of officer and leadership positions,” Storage added.
“During my active service, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing extraordinary courage, resilience, and unwavering dedication of our nation’s service members, both on the front lines and in our hospitals,” said Woodall. “I’ve seen firsthand the profound impact that compassionate, skilled nursing care can have, [and] every assignment that I’ve had has reinforced my belief in the power of teamwork, the importance of empathy, and the indispensable role of the Army Nurse Corps in ensuring the wellbeing of our fighting force.”
She described the award as “truly a testament to the incredible nurses, medics, corpsmen, doctors, and support staff who I’ve had the honor of serving with. They are the ones who taught me resilience, refined my skills, and constantly reminded me of the profound privilege we have in caring for our service members. This recognition is as much theirs as it is mine.”
Nominated for the award by U.S. Navy Cmdr. Teresa Dent, Woodall described Dent as her “Navy battle buddy. This reminds all of us that while our uniforms may be different colors, our mission is the same – to serve our nation with honor and distinction.”
In nominating Woodall for the award, Dent stated that as the director for nursing services and chief nursing officer at Walter Reed, Woodall “successfully led her team in increasing bed capacity by 60 percent, to sustain a ready-medical nursing force and support [the medical center’s] mission as a casualty-receiving facility. She provided oversight for the institution of training agreements with local civilian hospitals to enhance both Trauma and Pediatric critical care skills in the nursing team. [Her] focus on readiness and safety impacted the frequency and structure of nursing skills fairs, ensuring trending topics in Patient Safety Reports were included, reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) by 28 percent and central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) by 40 percent in 2023.
“Her ability to navigate complex challenges with grace and achieve exceptional results while prioritizing the well-being of her team and patients truly sets her apart as a remarkable health care professional,” Dent concluded.
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2025 13:39 |
| Story ID: | 542129 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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