In the Line of Duty

When dedication and resilience are tested, some stand taller than the rest.

Col. Warren Stewart has stood tall through his brave actions as a first responder on 9/11, three harrowing combat tours in the Army and his leadership in health care through the pandemic. As a distinguished leader, his next opportunity to serve in his dream post in the military is not only warranted but well deserved.

Serving with Honor

Stewart, bsn ’98, enlisted in the Army at 17 right after high school graduation. After bootcamp, he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he met his wife, Lori. Shortly after earning his nursing degree from Washburn, he became a charge nurse at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. It was there Stewart began demonstrating his capabilities.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Stewart was a first responder at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks, working tirelessly to care for the wounded.

“I evacuated several patients from the Pentagon back to Walter Reed, and then spent the rest of the night in the courtyard of the Pentagon,” Stewart said. “I thought that was the most exciting moment of my life, until I experienced time in Iraq.”

During his first combat tour in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, Stewart, a brigade combat team nurse at the time, often left the base to support soldiers. Once, while visiting a police station, car bomb exploded nearby.

“I had been shot at before while taking care of casualties, but I had never been right there when it happened,” Stewart said. “A soldier who I had just spoken to was injured – missing his entire arm and in bad shape. I tried everything, but there was no way to stop the bleeding. I couldn’t save him.”

The soldier’s death left a mark on Stewart. To this day, he wears a bracelet in his honor.

“The bracelet reminds me of my purpose – to get better at providing health care and ensuring that everybody I’m responsible for is trained to handle anything.”

Over the course of three combat tours, he did just that. His mentorship of fellow soldiers impacted many, including Jeremie Gregory, bsn ’07, who served under Stewart as a medic. Stewart inspired and encouraged Gregory to get his nursing degree at Washburn after his tour was up.

“Col. Stewart respected everyone, regardless of rank, and risked his life for his country, loved ones and profession,” Gregory said. “He pushed himself beyond his comfort zone, inspiring me to do the same.”

During his second tour from 2009-10, Stewart excelled as an emergency nurse and chief flight nurse, where his expertise was crucial in high-pressure situations. By his third tour in 2015, he had risen to the role of medical resource planner in Iraq and Kuwait, showcasing his strategic thinking and enhancing medical operations. In 2020, as commander of Moncrief Army Health Clinic at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he adeptly managed COVID-19 challenges, maintaining high standards of care, implementing a new health record system and managing a Joint Commission survey, despite the unprecedented challenges.

(Col. Warren Stewart looks on as soldiers conduct trauma training for their expert medical badge.)

The Washburn Influence

Stewart frequently credits Washburn for shaping his leadership style and preparing him for the challenges of his career.

“I’ve earned degrees from Duke, Harvard and the University of Maryland, but Washburn provided the best education by far,” Stewart said. “The incredible nursing faculty, like Professor Cindy Hornberger (bsn ’78), truly invested in their students. Without them, my career might have taken a different path.”

For those he’s influenced to follow his lead, choosing Washburn was the obvious choice.

“The Army would have paid for me to go to school anywhere, but if Washburn can produce nurses like Col. Stewart, why go anywhere else?” Gregory said.

Looking to the future

Stewart is currently serving as the chief of staff for the Medical Readiness Command, East, in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he oversees all Army medical treatment facilities east of the Mississippi River. In June 2025, Stewart is set to take on the role of commander of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany – the largest U.S. military hospital outside the United States. It serves as the primary facility for injured and ill military and family members from Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

This new assignment represents the culmination of his decades-long career and his commitment to service and leadership. He and Lori will miss their daughter, Kelsey, and grandsons, Hunter and Colt, while in Germany, but the distinguished role was too hard to pass up.

“I never thought in a million years I would have the opportunity to command this medical center. It’s a dream job.”

(Col. Warren Stewart poses with a basic training graduate at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.)