Military spouses live a capricious life. They often move away from everything familiar to support their active duty spouse. Honor, courage, and commitment are values military spouses need to assist them in being strong and resilient. Effective coping skills aid in the various roles these spouses assume, which may cause personal sacrifices to be made in support of the service member.

It has been said that we learn much from war. Not only how to conduct it and to be successful, but we learn how the body works and how to assist in regaining function. Without our veterans, much of today's medical knowledge would not be nearly as complete. We have learned how to care for and celebrate our veterans when they return from the war. Vietnam veterans can share what it is like to come home to a country that is not only entirely different, but even antagonistic, to the veteran as a person. This article will consider the types of homecoming experiences veterans have encountered while also introducing examples of the medical knowledge that has been gained from the struggles of those who have fought, and often died, for our country.

Agent Orange, an herbicide widely used during the Vietnam War, has been linked to various health risks, including urologic malignancy. Exposed veterans are at risk for prostate cancer and may be entitled to compensation if diagnosed with prostate cancer. Current research studies are aimed at mitigating prostate dysplasia and prostate cancer

During World War II, Army Nurses of the 156th Army Evacuation Hospital delivered care while under attack, demonstrated incredible bravery, endured extreme hardships, and unknowingly defined advanced nursing practice as we know it today. First Lieutenant Edythe (Goldstein) Pallin, BS, RN, was a 23-year old registered nurse who served in the Pacific and was stationed near the front lines on the remote island of Ie Shima in the Ryukyu Island Chain near Okinawa. This article, as told to Edythe's daughter, draws heavily on her memories and her military photo album stored in the attic of her home for over 50 years. Edythe only acknowledges her military experience by saying, "We did the best we could." Yes, these nurses not only did the best they could, they also changed nursing from a subservient position to an independent practice long before nurses even understood their professional possibilities. Edythe passed away October 26, 2012.

On February 23, 2007, Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, "Our nation is truly blessed that so many talented and patriotic young people have stepped forward to serve. They deserve the very best facilities and care to recuperate from their injuries and ample assistance to navigate the next step in their lives, and that is what we intend to give them. Apart from the war itself, this department and I have no higher priority" (p. e1). Veterans and active duty Armed Forces personnel operate in a complex continuum that often requires being in harm's way to perform their duties. In doing so, their injuries encountered can be complex. Caring for those with more common injuries, such as injuries to the extremities (30% to 39.6%), is difficult; caring for those with less common injuries, such as genitourinary (0.5% to 8%), takes on an added level of complexity (Fisher, 2009). A complete picture of the injury can only be gained by visualizing their entire record of care. Traditionally, members of the health care team have not been able to link the episodes of care together seamlessly, preventing the ability to see the entire picture. The electronic health record enables better continuity of care and enhances quality (Menachemi, 2008). The availability of a system to document health care provided in austere environments and connect these data with care provided in tertiary military medical care centers using records available throughout the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will enhance the care provided. Members of the Department of Defense, the VHA, and private sector organizations are collaborating to provide world-class seamless health care. Although the end goal of a completely integrated record has not been reached, the advent of several recent initiatives has placed military health care firmly on the track to reach those goals.

Military women's urination patterns and practices can be affected when deployed to austere environments. Current measures utilized for urination difficulties predispose women to dehydration, urinary symptoms, and/or urinary tract infections. This article explores the current issues related to this topic.

Cranberry products, especially cranberry juice, have been posited to prevent or treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) in females. Antimicrobial resistance has been correlated to repeated antibiotic treatment. Thus, evaluating cranberry products as a possible alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy is appropriate. This review of the literature evaluated research in which cranberry-based products are used to prevent or treat UTIs.