Muriel Grace Softli, a U.S. Air Force Retiree and member of the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization (MMPNO), was recently recognized for her leadership and expert nursing skills, as she received the University of Washington School of Nursing Community Health Nursing Track Preceptor of the Year Award at the Washington State Advanced Practice Nursing Conference.
Softli graduated from Sacramento, California School of Nursing, earned her B.S. Degree at the University of Washington School of Nursing, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certificate, a Masters Degree in Education from Central Washington University, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington.
During her military career, she completed Squadron Officer School, Nursing Service Management courses, Air Command and other military advanced leadership courses through the Air War College.
Softli served in the Air Force Medical Corps from 1970 to 1996. She was the first African American nurse to be assigned to the 40th AES and the longest assigned flight nurse to that McChord Air Force unit. During those 24 years, she served in many military assignments, including Chief Nurse, Information Officer/Historian, Officer, Inflight Drug and Supply Officer, Career Advisor, Special Events Officer, Recruiting Committee, Equal Opportunity Officer and in Continuing Education assignments. Her last two years were spent at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA. as a Mobilization Augumentee.
Softli’s first assignment was to the 69th Air Force Medical Evacuation unit at McChord Air Force Base, where she was awarded her Flight Nurse Wings upon completion of training at Brooks AFB in San Antonio, TX. Softli later completed Flight Nurse training in 1971; completing her first flight qualifications of Yokota Air Force Base in Japan. She later returned to McChord AFB becoming a Flight Nurse Instructor and Examiner, with over 2000 flying hours until April 1994. She participated in many live patient missions, during her twenty-four years of service, but the most memorable service was when she was assigned to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in Operation Gold Flow which air evacuated military personnel back home during of Operation Desert Storm.
Softli is a highly decorated military veteran, including the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three Devices, Combat Readiness Medal with six Devices, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Medal with one Device and the Air Force Training Ribbon. She also presented three papers at the Aerospace Medical Association and is an Associate Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association. In honor of her stellar career, Softli has been inducted into the Washington State Nurses Association Hall of Fame.
In her career and military retirement, Softli hasn’t slowed down. She is an active member of the American Nurses Association, Washington State Nurses Association, King County Nurses Association, a member of the Professional Nursing and Health Care Council of WSNA, Seattle Education Association, Washington Education Association (retired), Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization, School Nurses of Washington (retired) and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Seattle Alumni Chapter. She has held various offices in all of these organizations, over the years.
Outside of nursing, she finds time to volunteer with the Health Committee of First African Methodist Episcopal church (FAME), Central Area Senior Citizen Center, RAFIKI Foundation, Inc. where she travels for medical mission work. Softli has been active e in Bible Study Fellowship and Leadership for many years.
In addition to Softli, the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization has eight U.S. veterans, including seven female African American nurse military veterans and one male nurse, in their membership and some have served in war time. They include: James H. Green U.S. Marine Corps & Reserves), Margaret Ann Jackson (U.S. Army Reservist), Vivian O. Lee (U.S. Army Reservist and Gold Star Wife), Frankie Manning (U.S. Army Retiree and Gold Star Wife), Sheryl Wilson (U.S. Army Reservist), and Rosa Young (U.S. Air Force Retiree).
