Queens Courier Newspaper New York : CPT Maria Garcia

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Captain Maria Garcia serves as a
neuropsychiatry nurse in the U.S. Army's largest military facility
outside the United States in Landstuhl, Germany. She works in the in-
patient psych unit, caring for soldiers who have served in Iraq and
Afghanistan before they head home.

When she is home in Howard Beach, Garcia works as a nurse at Jamaica
Hospital, where she has been for 16 years. She also serves at a Center
of Influence for the United States Army Recruiting Command.

Garcia and her husband, Major Carmine Annunziata, own and operate
Armed Forces MCSS, a "Logistical Support Center" for service members
and law enforcement agents located in Jamaica. The couple speak to
young people they meet wherever they go.

"We'll talk to them, tell them about our lives and make sure they're
going on the right road," she said. The Captain visited Hillcrest High
School's nursing students last year to talk to them about a possible
military career.

PERSONAL: Garcia, 51, has been married to Annunziata for 12 years and
has two adult children who live in Yonkers. She has lived in Queens
since she was 12 years old. After the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001, Garcia joined the military. She also has a service
background: Garcia's grandfather served in the Army and her brother
served in the Air Force.

PROUDEST MOMENT: "Having soldiers or people we've influenced come back
and say 'thank you' and hearing how their lives changed" is something
that makes her proud, she said. Also as a nurse, Garcia takes pride in
"talking to these soldiers and being there when they need help."

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: "I don't think anything is impossible," Garcia
said. "Something might seem like a challenge but when you tackle it,
it's not. Everything is possible in life. I've always tried to
conquer."

INSPIRATION: “"My inspiration is the people around me," she said.
"Carmine is a good example, my family. Just surrounding yourself with
people who love and care about you, that motivates you and keeps you
going. I'm missing that a little now that I'm far away from everyone,
but I'm meant to do my duty over here [in Germany]. My family now is
the military while I'm here."

- Stephen J. Bronner


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