'Behind the Blue': UK Nursing alum discusses military nursing career

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 22, 2024) — Col. Wendy Woodall is no stranger to spending time in new locations. Growing up in a U.S. military family and living in a variety of locations during her childhood, she calls herself a native of Princeton, Kentucky, where her father is from.

While attending high school in Virginia, her father decided to retire from military service and move back to Kentucky. She decided to attend the University of Kentucky, because she was familiar with the school due to her dad's love of UK Athletics. Little did she know that this decision would lead her to a fulfilling academic experience and a lifelong passion for nursing.

A proud alumna of the UK College of Nursing, Woodall earned her bachelor's degree in nursing in 1998. Her dedication to serving the nation as a military nurse has taken her to diverse locations, including active duty in South Korea and Iraq. Last year, she assumed the role of chief nursing officer at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a testament to her leadership journey within the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and other esteemed organizations.

On this episode of "Behind the Blue," Col. Woodall shares her insights into how her experience at UK shaped her career and prepared her for the pivotal role she holds today at Walter Reed, the world's premier military medical center.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.