Personal History:  Karena Bracey Tarrant, is a native of Sanford, Florida who graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 1979 from Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, Florida; Master’s Degree in Health Management. Karena joined the United States Army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps in 1979. She retired from the military in 2000 and continued to support the military at Ft Belvoir Community Hospital in the capacity as a Department of the Army Nurse Case Management/Consultant for 14 years retiring in 2019. She had a total of 36 years of distinguished combined military and civilian service. Karena met and married her husband presently of 40 years, LTC(R) Kenneth Tarrant, US Army Signal Corps in 1981. They have two adult daughters, Kendria Valle, Certified Counselor and Dr. Kiana Tarrant, Doctor of Physical Therapist, DPT. 

​

Duty Assignments:  Served over 22 years of military service in the Army Nurse Corps, working as a registered Nurse in acute, administrative and ambulatory care settings. She served in a variety of key assignments to include Chief Clinical Nursing Administration, and Chief of Hospital Education, Operations and Training, Dewitt Army Community Hospital. Assistant Chief Ambulatory Nursing, Walter Reed, Head Nurse of the 1st established Ambulatory Procedure Unit, and Out comes Manager Walter Reed; Chief Ambulatory Nursing and Med-Surgical Supervisor, Raymond W. Bliss, Ft Huachuca; Head Nurse, ICU, Raymond W Bliss, Ft Huachuca,  Flight Nurse and ICU Staff Nurse, Institute of Surgical Research, Brook Army Medical Center, Clinical Nurse Instructor, Practical Nurse Course, AMEDD Center and School, Brooke Army Medical Center; Post Anesthesia Care Unit Head Nurse, Brook Army Medical Center, Head Nurse Recovery Room, 130th Station Heidelberg, Germany to include  numerous clinical Medical Surgery Staff Nursing Assignments. 

​

Organization/Positions/Assignments in which you were a FIRST:   

​

Deployments: 

​

Awards: Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Flight Crew Member Badge, National Capitol Region, National “Case Management Week” Leadership Award. 

​

Other Professional Affiliations:  Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; Old Dominion Virginia Chapter, the Links Incorporated.