Brigadier General Carmelita Schimmenti is chief of the U. S Air Force Nurse Corps, Office of the Surgeon General; Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General Schimmenti was born in 1936, in Albuquerque, N.M., and graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1954. She received her nursing diploma from Regina School of Nursing, Albuquerque, in 1957, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966 and a master of public health degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1974. Both degrees were sponsored under the Air Force Institute of Technology Program.
After joining the U.S. Air Force in 1958, the general served as an operating room nurse and general duty nurse at the USAF Medical Center Wright-Patterson, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, from August 1958 until September 1960. During this time she completed the flight nurse course at Gunter Air Force Base, Ala. She was then assigned as a general duty nurse at USAF Dispensary, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. In May 1962 General Schimmenti transferred to the 9th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, where she was a flight nurse until August 1964 when she left to attend the University of Pittsburgh. Following completion of her studies in July 1966, she was assigned to the USAF School of Health Care Sciences, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, as an instructor in the Medical Service Specialist Course. In June 1968 General Schimmenti become the charge nurse in the school health program and primary care screening nurse at USAF Dispensary, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. She returned to the United States in January 1971 and was assigned to David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., as charge nurse emergency services and primary care clinic, charge nurse oncology clinic and home care service.
Following graduate studies at the University of North Carolina from August 1973 until August 1974, the general transferred to Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where she served as charge nurse, clinical coordinator and facility design coordinator during the major construction project there. In October 1978 she transferred to the Medical Inspection Directorate at the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, Norton Air Force Base, Calif. She returned to Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in May 1981 as chief, Division of Nursing. In March 1983 General Schimmenti was selected as command nurse, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. She assumed her present duties in October 1985.
Her military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with five oak leaf clusters.
The general is a member of the American Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, National League for Nursing, Air Force Association and the Aerospace Medical Association.
She was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 1, 1985, with same date of rank.
(Current as of May 1986)