Nurse Marilyn Avila helped me greatly and helped me through a night when I was suffering from various symptoms of my 80% service-connected PTSD resulting from my combat experiences with A Battery 1st Battalion 11th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division in Quang Nam Province (Dodge City) Rep of South Vietnam in 1969.

My main problem with my PTSD is that I cannot sleep. I lay awake counting the hours of the early mornings. Nurse Marilyn found a sleep/noise machine the VA had provided and placed it near my bed. She first turned it to a surf noise and then to a simulated rain noise. Nurse Marilyn then asked me some intelligent questions about how my time in Vietnam had affected my negative sleep pattern, which turned into a sleep disorder. The calming effect of the rain noise and Nurse Marilyn’s caring and understanding of my PTSD and my sleep disorder allowed me to get some deep sleep finally. I am a retired VA therapist, and I have met many VA nurses, and Marilyn is one of the best. Her devotion to the care of her patients and her duty deserves a service award.