LTJG Valerie Nicasio works in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps Ready Reserve Corps. She is currently stationed in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 10 which encompasses Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Her civilian position is a nurse reviewer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. She assesses the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities and develops treatment plans that allows care agencies to provide the best care for them. In addition, she serves her local community as a forensic nurse examiner for sexual assault and domestic violence cases.

Commissioned to the Ready Reserve Corps in June 2022, LTJG Nicasio knew her next step would be to make a positive impact to vulnerable populations; a commitment that she would be proud to add to her career path.

Initially, LTJG Nicasio’s interest in joining the USPHS Commissioned Corps was piqued by her father, who served in the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Once she completed her Master of Science in Nursing and gained a variety of specialty clinical experience in the fields of critical care, telemetry, mental health, and neurodevelopmental disabilities, she realized serving her country would be a win-win situation. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father and other family members before her to serve her country. She also yearned to be part of something greater and serving those in need would be humbling. “In order to make a positive change you have to take the first step in being a part of the change.” 

Thus far, LTJG Nicasio has deployed to a variety of settings. She served as a nurse on the medical surgical floor in Indian Health Service Phoenix Indian Medical Center. She said: “I was glad to get back into bedside nursing. Wearing the uniform and representing the USPHS Commissioned Corps was impactful.”

She also deployed to the Remote Area Medical pop-up clinic in Tulsa, OK. Remote Area Medical delivers no cost dental, vision, and medical services to people who are underserved and uninsured.

Another deployment was to the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) in Evansville, TN. IRTs are U.S. Department of Defense-led joint training opportunities that increase deployment readiness while simultaneously providing key services - optometry, health exams, dental, veterinary care, and public health education. These missions provide training opportunities to military units and uniformed service members and also provide no-cost health care to communities. LTJG Nicasio reflects: “To hear of the local community’s struggle with such a severe lack of medical resources and care, I knew we were pursuing the mission.”

To LTJG Nicasio, this exemplified the USPHS Commissioned Corps mission: Protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. “There’s always an opportunity to improve your skills, you just have to be ready and jump in. 

For future reservists, the Ready Reserve Corps offers a plethora of opportunities and is a catalyst for heightened skills in leadership, integrity, service, and excellence. LTJG Nicasio closes with these words: “For those who want to accept the challenge of embarking on this rewarding experience, the Ready Reserve Corps will summon your strength from within. You will grow as a person in all aspects of your life.”