Photo By Sgt. Kelsey Simmons | Sgt. Carla Brown, assigned to the Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH), U.S. Army...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colo. — There is a huge difference between touring the country with the Children’s Theatre Company and touring the world with the Army on deployment. Not every Soldier has the ability to easily transition from makeup and microphones to camouflage and cadences; However, according to her peers, Sgt. Carla Brown, assigned to the Evans Army Community Hospital, U.S. Army Medical Department Activity — Fort Carson, is one of a kind.
“She’s very impressive, talented and skillful,” said Rhonda Burton, clinical nurse officer in charge of the medical specialty clinics at Evans Army Community Hospital. “To me, she walks on water.”
She traded the stage for a stethoscope and has since been working diligently to be a leader and role model others can depend on — whether it came to the hospital or the Army, she says.
“I pride myself on being a good Soldier, a good medic, and being a good noncommissioned officer,” she stated.
Before she enlisted into the Army, Brown worked as a performer.
“I have acted for as long as I can remember, but I started doing it professionally around age 21,” said Brown.
She toured northeast America with the Children’s Theatre Company visiting schools, teaching them about anti-bullying and anti-drugs. Brown said she also worked on the Fox television show, “Sleepy Hollow,” as a stunt double for their first season when she was 27 years old.
In 2014, she gave birth to her and her husband, Christian’s, first child, Corra. She quickly realized her job as an entertainer wasn’t the most stable occupation to have while helping support a family. Brown decided it was time to join the military.
“Sometimes people think of the military as a last resort,” she said. “Some people do intentionally choose to be a part of the military because it means something to them.”
Her parents were both service members, so growing up, Brown said she had always respected the military. They both served in the Navy— her mother as a nurse and her father as a pilot. Brown, on the other hand, decided the Army would be more of a challenge for her than the Navy or Air Force.
In 2015, she spoke with a recruiter and followed her mother’s footsteps into the medical profession.
As a young woman just starting out in the military, Brown said she soon noticed how other women in the Amy made an impact towards her career.
“As females, you’re drawn to leaders who are similar to you,” Brown said. “Especially when you’re a private and brand new to the Army, it’s important to find a good female role model.”
With the help of so many capable leaders who believed in her, in just four years, Brown is now the noncommissioned officer in charge of multiple clinics at EACH.
Brown works as the NCOIC of the gastroenterology clinic, sleep lab, neurology clinic and endocrinology clinic.
With the bright fluorescent lights, the many winding hallways and the invasive thoughts reminding you of the sick people surrounding you, going to a clinic can be an uncomfortable experience. However, when you step into Brown’s office, you are immediately greeted with a warm presence as comforting as the room itself.
She proudly displays a collection of toddler-made arts and crafts her children made. Custom-painted mugs and colorful drawings make her office as bright and cheerful as her dimpled smile.
She shows off her whimsical side, not only with her office decor, but also with the colorful surgical cap and “I love tacos” pin she wears with her operational camouflage patterned scrubs. Brown says being a woman in the medical profession definitely helps when it comes to dealing with patients’ sensitive issues, especially those involving mental or physical abuse.
“It can be intimidating for a lot of females,” Brown said. “I think it's nice for them to have someone who understands what they’re going through as a Soldier and as a female.”
Even with so much to keep track of as the NCOIC, she still goes out of her way to help with other sections. Although she claims it's not a big deal to bounce from one clinic to another, her coworkers admire her for it.
“I think she has a tremendous impact on the hospital, because when we have a need, she meets them,” Burton said. “She’s a force multiplier.”
According to Burton, Brown is the epitome of a U.S. Army Soldier and NCOIC.
“She’s always above and beyond,” Burton said. “I pray that she gets promoted soon because she is functioning beyond where she’s at right now. She really should be a staff sergeant or sergeant first class. She’s excellent.”
Brown is scheduled to leave Fort Carson soon.
“I don’t want her to leave,” Burton said. “She’s very dependable. She’s everything.”
Although her peers will miss her, Brown says she is looking forward to this exciting change in her Army career.
“It’s going to be a grand adventure,” Brown said. “I’m sad to be leaving here, but I’m excited to start something new.”
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2020 15:58 |
| Story ID: | 364092 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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