Being a diver is a rare speciality, and it's as diverse in its skills, environments, and importance as most of the other ratings in the U.S. Navy.

The USNS Mercy is the lead ship in her class of hospital ships for the United States Navy.

The Coast Guard is the oldest continually operating sea service in our country's history -- and women have played a role since the beginning.

These women are of every rank and MOS. Some of them are still new to the Navy, but others are clearly "old salts" who are in leadership positions as enlisted sailors or as officers.

The National Guard will provide lots of very skilled services in this effort including: keeping supplies going, building facilities to help care for patients, as well as providing some of their own medical people to help out directly in the medical care efforts.

The combined power of Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps pilots kept the North Vietnamese Army forces under constant pressure with various kinds of bombing missions. More importantly, they kept us supplied with food, ammunition, water, and medical supplies.

They are being deployed in an effort to provide further space, beds and high-quality medical help to those areas.

She had handed in her retirement papers in 2001, but when 9/11 happened she requested that her retirement papers be withdrawn and she stayed in to continue her service.

"I don’t think I’ve had something like this happen to me,” the veteran said.

The DFC is an award second only to the Medal of Honor.