Taking women’s health beyond borders: an Army OB/GYN’s story.

Hi, my name is Ernesto Cardenas. I'm an OB/GYN and Captain in the U.S. Army. Right now, I'm stationed at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas, working out of the Brooke Army Medical Center.

I was born in Colombia and came here at age five. Growing up, I wanted to serve the country that had given me and my family so much. Medical school was a logical choice. The amazing thing is that I was actually paid to go to school and learn to do more.

The rewards of service — like being deployed to my native Colombia to help those in need, and when [hurricanes] Katrina and Rita hit, delivering babies of displaced people — getting them car seats and housing — it's just indescribable.

For recreation, well, my dad and I were car mechanics and I still like to rebuild engines and race motorcycles.