Jennifer Liriano

Through the support of the Military, Jennifer is now advancing her skills and learning more about nursing both in and out of the classroom. She’s currently furthering her education and working toward her RN (the next tier of nursing). Not only is the Army paying for her schooling, she’s able to take her skills outside of the classroom and practically apply them in the Military as a member of the Army Reserve.

In the Army Reserve, Jennifer is a licensed practical nurse specialist, which means that she has all the same duties and responsibilities as a civilian licensed practical nurse. “I do a lot of patient care, a lot of treatments, a lot of patient management too,” she says. “It’s about keeping people alive. You’re impacting the most important part of the mission, which is the Soldier.”

As an Army Reserve Soldier, Jennifer’s schedule offers a lot of flexibility. Reserve members have monthly, weekend-long training sessions called “drills” and annual, two-week long training sessions, called “AT.” Outside of her military obligations, Jennifer furthers her education as a full-time student and pursues other interests. When Jennifer isn’t studying or training, she’s honing her martial-arts skills. “I really wanted to get back into fitness, and I thought boxing was really good cardio. Jujitsu helps you build strength and cardio too. And I figured, if I ever get pummeled on the street, I can hold my own.”

Thanks to the flexibility and support of the Army Reserve, she’s only a few months away from her RN goal. “I never thought I could be doing what I’m doing in the Military,” she says. “I feel like I’ve learned and grown so much.”