The Navy's senior nurse discussed Navy Medicine's mission and described a myriad of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career opportunities for today's women, Aug. 19, as part of Navy Week Kansas City.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command's commander and the director of the Nurse Corps, addressed an audience of Girl Scouts, parents and Girl Scout leaders and volunteers at a Northeast Kansas/Northwest Missouri Girl Scout STEM event.

The admiral explained to her audience 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 forward-deployed forces engaged in deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.

"Navy Medicine is where it matters, when it matters," she said. "No ship leaves the pier, and Marines do not go into combat, without their doc. Women are serving in key positions on these ships and beside these Marines."

The presentation included videos of young women describing their Navy jobs, ranging from three enlisted helicopter aircrew members to a diving medical technician corpsman providing care on a combat casualty care ward in San Diego. McCormick-Boyle's presentation was followed by hands-on displays, provided by the Navy Operational Support Center Kansas City and Navy Recruiting District St. Louis.

Joy Wheeler, chief executive officer of Northeast Kansas/Northwest Missouri Girl Scouts, said McCormick-Boyle's presentation directly supported the Girl Scout's push on exposing young girls to STEM.

"We have a major focus on inspiring girls to consider STEM from grades kindergarten through fifth grade," she said. "We are providing exposure to a whole array of STEM industries so they can find out what it is. We are very, very focused on this because it's where girls don't go because of negative stereotyping and lack of support and opportunities. Navy Medicine gives them exposure to another opportunity that they might have never considered or known about."

Ten-year old Adira Mongar was one of the Girl Scouts mesmerized by what she saw and heard, evidenced by the multiple questions she posed to the admiral during the question-and-answer session.

"It was great! I learned a lot, and I kind of want to be one of those researchers," the fifth grader said, referring to the Navy Medicine Medical Research Program. "I liked the videos and the questions and answers. And I like doing chemistry and looking into a microscope."

Adira's mother, Melinda Mongar, agreed and pointed out how the admiral highlighted multiple STEM opportunities for young women in the Navy.

"There are a lot of things that women can do," Mongar said. "We'll keep on pursuing different science aspects and see what [Adira]'s interested in, but I'd be OK with her being a Navy Medicine researcher."

After her presentation, McCormick-Boyle spent about an hour of one-on-one time with the girls, answering questions and posing with them for photos and selfies.

"These girls like to have their picture taken with women they aspire to be like," Wheeler commented. "It helps them realize, 'I could be like her.'"

Wheeler added that she's inspired by how much parents learn about their daughters at Girl Scout STEM activities, including the Navy Medicine presentation.

"We just kind of assume girls don't like science or technology," she said. "That's not the case. They like it. They're good at it. They're not afraid of it. They've learned tonight that there are opportunities in the Navy in STEM. That's why we do this."

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