CAPT. JOCELYN FIGUEROA BLACKWELL

I'm Captain Jocelyn Figueroa Blackwell. I'm a family physician.

I work at Fort Bragg, North Carolina at Clark Health clinic and WOMACK Army Medical Center. I got my Bachelor of Arts at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut.

My senior year of college I applied to medical school, and as soon as I got an acceptance, I called an Army recruiter and said, I need a scholarship to go to medical school. I want to join the Army, like my parents. It's probably the easiest recruit they've ever done.

The scholarship is great; because it does help you concentrate on the important thing, which is schooling. I never had to worry about when my financial aid was coming in, where the next paycheck was coming from.

I graduated with people who graduated with half a million dollars in debt. I didn't have to worry about that at all. In the Army you are allowed to pick your specialty. You are not forced to pick one or the other. You can pick any specialty you want.

In the Army I think you do have more of an opportunity for travel; for vacation, for off time, for your hobbies. It's encouraged ? absolutely encouraged. I do love to travel. I get thirty days vacation a year, not including holidays.

My last travel outside the country was to the Dominican Republic to go scuba diving.

There are many reasons to join the Army as a physician. I can think of many reasons: financial support, health insurance, excellent training, excellent job opportunities, serving your country, and making a difference.