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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby, left,
a laboratory technician for the 4215th U.S. Army Hospital, draws
blood from a Soldier during Warrior Exercise (WAREX) 78-13-01 in the
Troop Medical Center at Fort McCoy, Wis., May 4, 2013. (U.S. Army
photo by Sgt. Christopher Bigelow)
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FORT MCCOY, Wis. – Taking care of the force is something Army
Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby feels is her lifelong calling. The
30-year-old Army veteran of 11 years, serving both on active duty
and in the reserve as a laboratory technician, has aspirations of
being a medical doctor specializing as an obstetric gynecologist.
The native of Lisbon, Iowa, is currently assigned to the 4215th U.S.
Army Hospital command based in Richmond, Va.
Appleby says her
passion for helping people started when she was very young.
“When I was little, the doctor that delivered my sisters and me was
actually our doctor until we were 18 years old. Having that doctor
who knew you from inside your mom's stomach and have that connection
is really amazing,” said Appleby.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
was Appleby's first duty station from 2002-2006 and where she
attended undergraduate school earning a bachelor's of science degree
in microbiology. In mid-2006 she transferred to the Army Reserve and
began attending battle assemblies with the 7229th Medical Support
Unit. She then transferred to the 4215th USAH.
Appleby was
deployed to Kuwait in 2003 and she says that being in an environment
where there is a feeling of constant danger was scary, but knowing
that around her every day are medical experts who could take care of
her if she sustained any injuries, allowed her to focus on her job
of caring for patients arriving for lifesaving care. According to
Appleby, this realization is the driving force behind her pursuit of
a medical career in the military.
Appleby is taking her medical school entrance exam and applying
to the Uniformed Health Medical School to continue her service and
military career. According
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