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I came to the United States as a young girl when my family emigrated from Poland to escape political persecution under the Communist government. My father found an opportunity to chase the American Dream and pursued it relentlessly, though it meant leaving his wife and three children behind. After all, it was only meant to be a short-term academic exchange - until the Solidarity strikes of the early 1980’s spurred the Polish government to declare martial law and revoke passports, leaving my father stranded away from his family with uncertain prospects. The American government, realizing the dire circumstances unfolding behind the Iron Curtain, granted him political asylum. He persevered through a litany of adjunct professorships until he was able to secure our passage - leaving behind all of our possessions, we boarded a ship and set sail for America. Through his tremendous efforts, I was given the chance to grow up in the land of opportunity.

Excellence in education was prized in my academically inclined family, and I strove to meet the high expectations that were set. As a result, I qualified as a National Merit Scholar and received a scholarship to attend the George Washington University in Washington, DC - quite a change from the small Oregon town in which I had been raised. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in International Affairs, supplemented by concentrations in European History and Economics. I wanted to understand how the world worked, and it was clear to me that both the ramifications of the past and the power that wealth bestows upon a nation were to key to this understanding. After working for cultural institutions and then for the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, I felt privileged to find employment with the Department of Defense.

In my current position in Military Health Diplomacy at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, I have been fortunate to have as my mentor a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington’s Protocol Officer Training. The knowledge, wisdom, and insight I have gained from her expertise in protocol is priceless. In my position, I have the opportunity to help our allied nations struggling with how to best support their own people, just as the United States government helped my family when our native country was in turmoil. This is a great honor for me, as is having the opportunity to interact with our own wounded military service members, who selflessly gave of themselves to uphold American ideals throughout the world.

If selected to receive The Protocol School of Washington’s complimentary Protocol Officer Training course, my hope is that the expertise and skills I gain would enhance my ability to facilitate knowledge exchanges, encourage relationship building, and ultimately increase awareness and appreciation of the incredible work that is done in American military healthcare. I have the extraordinary opportunity to work with our nation’s heroes and those who care for them, and realize that the more understanding I have of the intricacies and nuances of protocol, the better I can serve those who have served in the past and will serve in the future.