Williamsbridge Center Nurse Practitioner a Proud Veteran Who Cares

Reflecting upon her time in the U.S. Army reserves, then being deployed to Iraq doing detainee healthcare, and finally retiring as a U.S. Master Sergeant, Williamsbridge Center Nurse Practitioner Chrysti Mincey is a hero, both foreign and domestic. She retired after nearly 25 years of proudly serving the United States of America in the Army from November 1998 to July 2022. Ms. Mincey follows in the footsteps of her family, as her mother was on active duty the whole time until her retirement. Her sister started from college, was a reservist, and then went into active duty. Chrysti followed in her sister's footsteps, and she says, "They were my role models."

Chrysti Mincey came from her love as a nurse at various nursing homes in Queens. Chrysti did almost everything, such as being a clinical care provider, in-service coordinator, and supervisor, even filling in as Director of Nursing in some instances. Before her military enlistment, she had worked at what was once called Booth Memorial Hospital (now known as New York-Presbyterian Queens) and Wycoff Hospital, both in the Emergency Department.

When Ms. Mincey enlisted, she was stationed at what was once Fort Polk (now known as Fort Johnson) in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. Four years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, she learned that she was being deployed to Iraq under the 344 task force, a unit that’s no longer present since the flag has since been removed.

Holding a title as a medic in nursing, it was then in 2005 that she was activated doing detainee healthcare at Saddam Hussein’s prison Abu Ghraib, the same prison that also housed Saddam's brother. Chrysti served one U.S. Army 12-month tour from 2005 to 2006 in Iraq, which gave her the best education of her life. It was educational but scary at the time as she and other medics held the oath of also helping the enemy even after they were injured in the fighting.

"Detainee healthcare is difficult because it’s caring for the same people we’re fighting against," said Mincey. "It's very tough that we would get their soldiers that killed our soldiers, so it’s very difficult because, being a healthcare provider, you can’t take sides, and you have to take care of everybody. You gave an oath."

Following her service in Iraq, Chrysti returned to New York to return to the nursing homes as a nurse, but the journey from military to civilian life wasn't easy at first.

"The skill set level of being in the military is higher than being a civilian," explained Mincey. "By working in the military, you got to do more procedures, such as putting in catheters, doing very hands-on medical procedures as you can imagine. Returning, you needed to readjust your thinking, so you had to slow down. It all works out."

Chrysti received her Nurse Practitioner certificate and started working for Dr. Peyman Younesi (PY Medical Group), an office with various locations throughout New York City. She started at the Sutton Park location in New Rochelle. This is where she met Williamsbridge Center’s Director of Nursing Sandra Solomon. It was this connection that brought Krysti Mincey to the 77-bed skilled nursing facility on Tomlinson Avenue in the Bronx only two months ago, on September 9, 2024. She has made Williamsbridge Center her professional home.

“We have a good team, a great Administrator, a great Director of Nursing and people are courteous and kind," said Mincey. "Ms. Solomon and I work together well. We are a great team here.”

All in all, Krysti Mincey will never forget the time she spent in the U.S. Army, where she later became and retired as a Master Sergeant.

“Serving my country was very rewarding; it was one of the greatest things I have ever done. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it all over again. I learned a lot, had great leaders, and had a great experience. It was scary at times, but I learned so much. Today, I encourage kids to go into the military. I talked to them and told them what it was about. I have bought books for them, and I’ve taken them to the recruiters. Help guiding these kids has also become a very rewarding experience.”