Elis Salamone began her military career not as an Airman but as an Army Soldier. Within three years of doing Army personnel work, Salamone knew she was destined to walk in the footsteps of her mother, a nurse, and commissioned as a nurse in the Air Force. Salamone proved herself not only as a nurse but as a leader by managing multiple medical staff members in Germany where she tended to injured troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. She was responsible for treating and saving countless coalition service members’ lives. After retiring in 2014 as a lieutenant colonel, Salamone wanted to continue doing what she knew best, helping the military community. She now uses her nursing skills to treat service members and their dependents. Salamone hopes to continue to use the skills she learned throughout her 27-year military career, healing military members and their families. Despite daily life challenges, she says she’s living the dream and feels that her service was a huge gift that will always be a part of her. Veterans in Blue is a multimedia collection showcasing men and women who have contributed to the legacy of the Air Force.