The Navy's top nurse kicked off Kansas City Navy Week for Navy Medicine, Aug. 19, with a visit to the University of Kansas Hospital and University of Kansas School of Nursing, both located on the hospital's campus.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, Navy Medicine Education and Training commander and director of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, also visited with female business leaders in the landlocked city, which has a very limited Navy presence.

The admiral delivered a Navy Medicine informational presentation in the morning to 16 nurse leaders from the University of Kansas Hospital, that included the hospital's executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer.

McCormick-Boyle spoke of the Navy's importance, explaining that 70 percent of the world is covered with water, 80 percent of the world's population lives near the water, and 90 percent of the world's trade travels by water. She also described how Navy Medicine supports the Navy's mission of keeping the world's sea lanes free lanes.

"We are a global network of 63,000 medical professionals providing care to our nation's Sailors and Marines, their families, and our Navy and Marine Corps retirees," she said.

Later that afternoon, the admiral described, to approximately 40 female business owners, leaders, and nursing professors attending the Kansas City Kansas (KCK) Area Women's Chamber of Commerce luncheon, how Navy Medicine personnel deploy to support the Navy and Marine Corps missions.

"We are where it matters, when it matters," she said. "When we're told to pack our bags and be down on the pier, we are ready, and we go. Navy Medicine deploys to support and provide care to our most valuable assets; your sons, your daughters, and your grand-kids serving our nation in the Navy and Marine Corps. Our job is to make sure they are cared for, remain ready to go and remain ready to do their jobs."

The admiral's presentations also described how readiness, value and jointness are supported in six key areas of Navy Medicine: expeditionary medicine, garrison healthcare, wounded warrior care, biomedical research, medical education and training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Arlana Coleman, president of the KCK Area Women's Chamber of Commerce, said McCormick-Boyle's afternoon presentation left a lasting impression on the women attending.

"It's always great to see a woman doing beyond what we normally think of women doing," Coleman said. "Her presentation was fantastic. People were very interested in what she had to say. Any time you have that many additional questions asked after a presentation, there's interest."

For more news from Navy Medicine Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmsc/