Lisa Loewus served as a Hospital Corpsman with a specialty of Pharmacy Technician in the Navy from 1989 to 1995 then in the Navy Reserves from 1995 to 1997. She started her career at Jefferson Lab in 2019 and now works as a Project Control Analyst for the Program Management Office.
"I have many skills which I can attribute to learning from the military," said Loewus. "Leading, attention to detail and valuing your teammates for what they bring to the table are just a few things."
Q&A with Lisa Loewus, U.S. Navy and Nay Reserves
What did you do for the military?
I was trained to work as a Hospital Corpsman with a specialty of Pharmacy Technician (HM2 – 8482).
What made you decide to join the military?
A friend invited me to a delayed entry program meeting when I was in the 11th grade. Since I didn’t know what I wanted to study in college, it was a good way to “see the world” plus I could have the benefit of the GI Bill.
Why did you choose the branch of service that you did?
The recruiting office had the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. It was a combination of stereotypes and what I like that helped me decide to join the Navy. I associated the Army with camping/marching, the Marines with hand-to-hand combat, the Air Force with flying and the Navy with swimming. I liked swimming the best, so I picked the Navy. Of course, the military is more diverse than those simple stereotypes, but I was 17 and it made sense to me at the time.
What was your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job was in helping others. It’s a service oriented job helping your shipmates and their family.
What was your most interesting/favorite deployment or duty station and why?
The first few years, I went to various duty stations, then I ended up in Norfolk at Sewells Point Medical Clinic. Three of my most memorable experiences were as follows:
- Getting to meet sailors from the Soviet Navy Destroyer Boyevoi while in San Diego, CA. Their ships were visiting and my class was part of the group hosting the visiting sailors.
- While providing standby medical assistance for a submarine evolution I was allowed to spend half a day on a submarine.
- I provided medical support on a dependent’s cruise from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown to Norfolk which brought in the aspect of family. This cruise was especially memorable because the following week, I ended up doing stitches on one of the crew members I had met while on the cruise. It was memorable because it was the first time I realized how the shipmates see their “docs”.
The regional home of Jefferson Lab, Hampton Roads, has a rich military history. Located in Southeastern Virginia, the region is currently home to more than 80,000 men and women in uniform, representing every branch of the armed forces. Throughout November 2019, Jefferson Lab is celebrating the region's military ties by highlighting some of our veteran employees who have served in the armed forces and who continue to serve their nation by supporting the research efforts carried out at the laboratory.