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Parachuting into re-commissioning

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joshua King
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST- --  Getting to jump out of the back of a CH-47 Chinook would normally be the highlight of anyone's day, but for Capt. Jennifer Wertz, the highlight of her day was being re-commissioned by her husband when they landed.

Wertz, who currently serves as a 404th Civil Affairs Battalion team leader, aiding in foreign humanitarian relief, was selected into an Army Nurse Corps schooling program last year.  After two years of schooling, Wertz will become a nurse in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, a specific branch in the Army.

"Every time you are appointed to a new rank you should take the oath of office again," said Wertz. "And in my case, I am switching into a medical branch, so I took it to switch over to the medical side of the house."

The 404th Civil Affairs Battalion is an Airborne unit and Capt. Wertz was lucky enough to have her re-commissioning on the same day as a jump, completing this chapter of her career doing something she loves. Wertz and her husband, Maj. Anthony Wertz boarded a CH-47 Chinook and did slack line jumps over a drop zone on Lakehurst here June 12.

"I got to combine two good things today," she said

Major Wertz serves at the Special Warfare Education Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was able to make the trip to jump with his wife and, once they were on the ground, held her re-commissioning ceremony.

"It's almost indescribable," said Major Wertz. "I've been lucky enough to re-enlist people and promote people but no words can express the pride, the happiness I have doing this for my wife."

"It was amazing," said Wertz. "He is a great officer that I really look up to; it meant a lot for me to have him do that for me.

"We've been through a lot together, it makes us a strong couple. I can't say it's not hard, but we cherish our time together so much," she added.

Wertz is headed to Duke University where she has already started her Doctorate of Nursing program, specializing in anesthesia.

"I will graduate in 2017," she added. "After that I will be back as an active duty Army nurse.
"I came into the Army as a Nurse and switched to Civil Affairs and now it's like I have come full circle. Its honor to provide our Soldiers and families quality health care."

Leaving her unit and becoming a nurse, Wertz will possibly never get to jump again.

"It's sad to think of that. But wherever I end up, I will always cherish those memories."