On Saturday, November 2nd, the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) was proud to support the inaugural U.S. Air Force Heritage Ball. Sponsored by the 911th Air Wing and the 911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, the event was hosted by the Heinz Field Club in Pittsburgh.
More than 650 military and civic leaders attended this inaugural event. PANA Board Member, Lt. Col. (R) Laura Wiggins, DNP, MSN, CRNA, represented PANA. Speaking to the longstanding history and legacy of CRNAs in the military, Laura highlighted the contributions that Pennsylvania CRNAs make to military surgical teams.
Additionally, Lt. Col. Chuck Giordano, DNP, CRNA was lead planner of the Air Force Heritage Ball Event. The U.S. Air Force Museum Curator also attended with many military artifacts from the museum on display. One featured artifact was a parachute constructed for a military working dog during the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949). This rarely seen artifact allowed military dogs to actually “jump” from the aircraft.
PANA was honored to serve as the headlining sponsor of the Air Force Heritage Ball, which helped defray costs for the junior enlisted members that were in attendance. Several non-military CRNAs attended to represent PANA’s continued support of all military members.
CRNAs were the first professional group to provide anesthesia in the United States and are the oldest recognized group of advanced practice registered nurse specialists in the country, with a history that spans to the Civil War.