April 3, 2003

Indiana State nursing professor
joins Army Reserves

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — When an Army Health Care recruiter met with Indiana State University nursing students last year, Mary Bennett, assistant dean of the School of Nursing, stepped into the room "just to see what he was saying."

A 1985 Indiana State graduate and a member of the university's faculty since 1990, the 43-year-old Bennett quipped that she was "too old" to join the Army. To her surprise, she learned that 45 is the age cut-off for health care professionals.

That's when Bennett realized what she could do to fulfill her growing desire to serve her country. On Thursday Bennett was commissioned as a captain in the Army Reserves during a ceremony in the new Landsbaum Center for Health Education, a joint venture between Indiana State, the Indiana University School of Medicine and Union Hospital's Midwest Center for Rural Health.

"Part of it was the aftermath of Sept. 11 and wanting to do something but not knowing what I could do," Bennett said of her motivation for joining the reserves with no prior military experience. "And part of it was working with young people and seeing them go into the military. When I was young during the Vietnam era people were saying how it wasn't fair that old people wee deciding to have a war but the young people were having to fight it. Whether war is right or wrong, somebody's going to be hurt and they're going to need nurses."

The Army routinely recruits experienced nurses but "for someone to be a dean of a nursing school and to have all the accomplishments that Mary Bennett has is very unique and we are thrilled to have her on board," said Col. Ann Richardson, chief of the Army Nurse Corps at Fort Knox, Ky.

Having embarked on a vigorous diet and exercise program before deciding to enlist, Bennett's decision to join the Army Reserves made her even more committed to working out and achieving her goal.

She lost 70 pounds over the past three years and is now able to run two miles within the 20 minutes required by Army regulations.

"There was no way I could even consider joining the Army if I hadn't lost the weight and gotten into shape," she said.

"We're very proud of Dr. Bennett," said Bonnie Saucier, dean of the nursing school. "She has expended the leadership that's indicated for being a good role model for students as well as for faculty and colleagues. We know this is something that she feels passionate about."

Saucier said she and Bennett have already discussed plans to cover her duties in the event she is deployed beyond the normal Army Reserve duties of one weekend a month and two weeks a year.

"We feel there can be an appropriate smooth transition as long as we can do the cross training that is needed in the advance stages," Saucier said.

While it is possible Bennett could be deployed overseas, it is unlikely that will happen until she completes a formal leadership program, said Sgt. 1st Class Trevor Bethel of Army Health Care Recruiting in Indianapolis. Bennett has no previous military experience.

She will initially be assigned to the 914th Combat Support Hospital in suburban Cincinnati and will work with a Veterans Administration hospital in Cincinnati "helping retirees and veterans during weekend drills," Bethel said.

Bennett's decision will benefit the country by providing the Army with a skilled nurse and should benefit Indiana State nursing students by exposing one of their professors to different experiences, she said.

"Being in the Army is going to help me be a better teacher, help me get back in touch with the clinical aspects of nursing and to give me some contact with patients that I have missed," she said.

A Rosedale native, Bennett resides in rural Paris, Ill. with her husband, Don, and the couple's 16-year-old daughter.

NOTE:  Photos from Thursday's commissioning ceremony are available by contacting Tony Campbell, ISU Public Affairs photojournalist, at (812) 237-3788 or devcampb@isugw.indstate.edu

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Contact:
Mary Bennett, ISU School of Nursing, (812) 237-2320 or m-bennett@indstate.edu

Writer:
Dave Taylor, ISU Public Affairs, (812) 237-3743 or devtaylo@isugw.indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu