Veteran Honoree

By Christine Baldwin, Librarian

Michelle Busch was born in Kentucky; one of ten children. While working and going to college full-time, Michelle stopped in at a recruiter’s office one day in Silver Spring, Maryland and decided to join the US Navy. This way she could see the world! She attended Boot Camp in Orlando, Florida (her 1st plane trip) and went to San Diego, California for Dental Technician School. Michelle had put down for either overseas or the West Coast for her assignment, but ended up in Anacostia, Washington, D.C., just miles away from her Silver Spring start! After three years, she did end up at Okinawa, Japan and loved living on the economy and getting to know the people there.

Michelle left the service in 1983 and joined the Naval Reserves at Bremerton, WA. She was married by then and her husband wanted her to reactivate. So in 1988 she reenlisted as a Combat Medic at Fort Sam, Houston and was later stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It was here that she earned the EFMB (Extra Field Medical Badge). Michelle was sent to Florida for the cleanup during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and was on the first plane going into Somalia for Operation RESTORE HOPE.

In 1994, Michelle was severely injured in a Humvee accident in Haiti. She was sent to Walter Reed, where they told her it would be years before she went back to duty. That was November 29th. The following February Michelle was sent to Fort Drum, New York, where she had to call in everyday until her next assignment. She left the service as an E-7. It was at an appointment at (the old) Walter Reed that Michelle met Christine Engle, a resident at AFRH-W. Christine convinced her to apply and Michelle came on board in June of this year! Michelle enjoys the swimming pool and helping residents by escorting them to their medical appointments. She has also joined the resident drivers to take them to the golf course and pond.