The United States Cadet Nurse Corp ( CNC ), established by the Nurse Training Act for Women was created on 15 June, 1943 and later signed into law by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1 July that same year. The sole purpose of the law was to alleviate the nursing shortage that existed during World War II. Women between
the ages of 17 and 35 were recruited to be trained as nurses. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt insisted that the act be amended to prevent racial
discrimination. As a result, more than 3,000 minorities served as cadet nurses, including Japanese women recruited from the relocation camps that had been set
up during WWII. The United States Public Health Service ( USPHS ) was named as the supervisory agency and answered to Thomas Parran Jr. who was the surgeon '
general of the United States. The USPHS created a separate division to administer the CNC program and named Lucile Petry, a registered nurse (RN), as the director.
All nursing schools located within the U.S. were eligible to participate in the program but first had to be accredited and approved by the American College of
Surgeons. The course was then cut down from 36 months to only 30 and had to train each student in medicine, surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics. The students came
from all across the US and from all backgrounds. The CNC allowed the cadets to serve their country in uniform and protected them against discrimination.
The Air Force Nurse Corp was later established on 1 July 1949 as part of the Air Force Medical Service ( AFMS ) from nurses who transferred over from the US Army.
Since then, the Air Force nursing service has provided dedicated care to their Air Force members, families and retirees.
In February 1945, Surgeon General Thomas Parran Jr. testified before the House of Military Affairs:
The US Cadet Nurse Corps has been highly successful
Our best estimates are that students are giving 80% of the
nursing in their associated hospitals. By replacing graduate
nurses who already have gone into the military, the US Cadet
The United States Cadet Nurse Corp ( CNC ), established by the Nurse Training Act for Women was created on 15 June, 1943 and later signed into law by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1 July that same year. The sole purpose of the law was to alleviate the nursing shortage that existed during World War II. Women between
the ages of 17 and 35 were recruited to be trained as nurses. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt insisted that the act be amended to prevent racial
discrimination. As a result, more than 3,000 minorities served as cadet nurses, including Japanese women recruited from the relocation camps that had been set
up during WWII. The United States Public Health Service ( USPHS ) was named as the supervisory agency and answered to Thomas Parran Jr. who was the surgeon '
general of the United States. The USPHS created a separate division to administer the CNC program and named Lucile Petry, a registered nurse (RN), as the director.
All nursing schools located within the U.S. were eligible to participate in the program but first had to be accredited and approved by the American College of
Surgeons. The course was then cut down from 36 months to only 30 and had to train each student in medicine, surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics. The students came
from all across the US and from all backgrounds. The CNC allowed the cadets to serve their country in uniform and protected them against discrimination.
The Air Force Nurse Corp was later established on 1 July 1949 as part of the Air Force Medical Service ( AFMS ) from nurses who transferred over from the US Army.
Since then, the Air Force nursing service has provided dedicated care to their Air Force members, families and retirees.
In February 1945, Surgeon General Thomas Parran Jr. testified before the House of Military Affairs:
The US Cadet Nurse Corps has been highly successful
Our best estimates are that students are giving 80% of the
nursing in their associated hospitals. By replacing graduate
nurses who already have gone into the military, the US Cadet