By Airik Myers, Northwest Region

When Red Cross Nurse John Jockers talks about his path to service, he doesn’t describe a single defining moment. Instead, he shares a lifetime of experiences that gradually shaped him into the responder he is today.

Before becoming a nurse, John served as a SERE instructor at Fairchild Air Force Base, teaching survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. As he approached reenlistment after eight years of service, he began thinking about what life after the military might look like. A career advisor reminded him of an EMT course he had taken in the Air Force and how much he enjoyed it. That suggestion set him on a new path.

John enrolled in nursing school, worked as a nursing assistant at the VA, and later became an ICU nurse at Deaconess. Early into his career, he joined the flight teams and spent three decades responding to critical emergencies across the region. He also continued serving in the Air National Guard, ultimately retiring from the military after 36 years.

When he retired from flight nursing, John hoped to continue supporting military communities. To do that, he needed to join the American Red Cross. What he found there expanded his world.

“I found that, there’s more to the world than just the military,” he said. “I started working in Disaster Cycle Services and have completed over 35 disaster responses. That’s how I came into the Red Cross.”

Helping Families Start Again

For John, the heart of Red Cross nursing is helping people rebuild after losing nearly everything. “I really enjoy going on disaster responses,” he said. “Most of the time, people have lost everything. It’s encouraging to see them start to become successful again. When they’re successful, that means I’ve been successful in helping them.”

After decades of trauma and cardiac nursing, shifting into the Red Cross’s public‑health model required a steep learning curve. Instead of responding to individual medical emergencies, he now works alongside county public health departments, shelter teams, logistics, and mass care teams.

“Nursing is a catch‑all,” he said. “We do a little bit of everything. Sometimes mental health isn’t available, and you’re pulled in to support someone who’s distraught. You work with everyone as a team.”

The Power of Teamwork

While National Nurses Week recognizes the impact nurses have on communities, John is quick to emphasize that the work is never done alone.

“We’re a big team,” he said. “There are days I’m not on the top of my game, and other nurses help me. And there are days when I help them. There’s no one nurse who’s more important than the others.”

John serves as a manager on deployments, but he sees his role as one of support. “I make the assignments, but I work for the team,” he said. “When they’re successful, clients are getting helped. That’s what matters.”

Why He Encourages Others to Join

For nurses or healthcare professionals considering Red Cross service, John describes the work as both challenging and deeply meaningful. “You went into nursing to help people,” he said. “With the Red Cross, you’re continuing to help people through the knowledge you’ve gained throughout your career.”

Disaster deployments bring their own challenges. Shelters may lack air conditioning. Humidity can be high. Conditions can be physically demanding. And every client brings unique needs. “But it’s extremely rewarding,” he said.

A Broader View of Service

John’s time with the Red Cross has reinforced something he already believed: no one does this work alone. “You work with teams inside the Red Cross, and you work with external partners,” he said. “We can’t do it all, and they can’t do it all. We help each other. That’s the heart of it.”

After more than 35 disaster responses, decades of military service, and a lifetime of caring for others, John still finds purpose in every deployment, every client interaction, and every moment of teamwork.