Air Force Veteran finds sense of purpose at Houston VA
Meet Sonja White, an RN at the Houston VA. As an Air Force Veteran, she says she is particularly honored to care for those who have served.
“I feel a special bond that ties me to my fellow Veterans,” she said. “I really understand their sacrifices, their silent battles and their struggles.”
Looking back over her career, White says she followed a less-than-traditional path into the nursing field. Back in the 1990s, she was a senior airman working for the 7th Security Police Squadron at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas. At the time she felt confident in her life plan and it did not involve nursing.
“My sights were set on joining the local police department back home once my Air Force days were over,” she said. ” But life had other plans for me.”
It was during this time that she found herself taking care of her grandmother and mother, both battling through multiple medical conditions. Always one to put family first, White poured her dedication and heart into caring for them and found it surprisingly rewarding.
“The struggles, the resilience, and the unwavering spirit of my family members sparked something within me,” she said. “My husband noticed it and dared me to channel that into something bigger. The whole experience became a catalyst for me to leap into the world of nursing and I’ve never looked back.”
White says she knew immediately that nursing wasn’t just going to be about earning a paycheck or finding a new career path – it was about something bigger.
“I really feel a calling to be there for those who need care, support, and compassion the most,” she said.
After working a few years in the private sector, White landed at the Houston VA in 2011 and never looked back. In addition to being a long-time employee, she is also a proud VA patient, choosing to get her healthcare at the Houston VA.
“At the Houston VA, I’ve found a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging and a sense of pride in what I do,” she said. “Every day brings new challenges, new victories and new stories that remind me why I chose this path. I am very grateful.”
While White began her VA career as a staff nurse, over the years she has worked her way up through the ranks and today she is the Nurse Executive in Charge of the Office of Integrated Veterans Care. Just a few months ago, she completed her doctorate in Healthcare Administration from Virginia University of Lynchburg. Although some of her colleagues are now calling her “Doctor White”, she says she prefers being known as a nurse.
“I never imagined myself wearing nursing scrubs but being a nurse is who I am,” she said. “Working at VA isn’t just a job to me…it’s a true privilege. Veterans are my people.”