Photo by Sharon Renee Taylor Capt. Ingrid Pacowski, a staff internist in Walter Reed’s internal medicine clinic (Ward 74), catches up with her former supervisor, Brigade Surgeon Col. Lisa Black of the Warrior Transition Brigade.

‘‘This is Walter Reed, America’s hospital. It’s where America says ‘Thanks,’ and it’s our job to be caretakers of that mission of saying thanks, and each of you do that day-to-day,” said Col. Gordon R. Roberts, Medical Center Brigade commander.

Roberts, a Vietnam war veteran and the only Medal of Honor recipient still on active duty, explained the brevity of his remarks was not meant to diminish the sacrifice of those returning from deployment.

‘‘For those of you who are returning heroes, literally heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan, we just want to say how proud we are of you. There isn’t really anything I can add that the Army’s already done for you, and that’s the right shoulder patch. You truly stand a bit taller in our eyes upon your return here,” Gordon said.

The right shoulder patch, also referred to as a combat patch, signifies a Soldier’s participation in combat operations and identifies the units they deploy with. For many, the patch will take on extra meaning in later years.

Capt. Ingrid Pacowski, a staff internist in Walter Reed’s internal medicine clinic (Ward 74), returned to the hospital Feb. 1 wearing her first combat patch. Pacowski deployed to Iraq Aug. 1, 2009, with the 47th Combat Support Hospital out of Fort Lewis, Wash., and worked as a staff internist in an emergency room in Mosul.

Pacowski said she is proud to wear the 62nd Medical Brigade patch she received in a ceremony 30 days after serving downrange.

‘‘It made me excited about my job knowing that I was serving my country in a hostile environment,” she said.

Capt. Carl Barrington, a Walter Reed emergency room nurse, also earned the 62nd Medical Brigade patch — his fourth combat patch — in service with the 47th Combat Support Hospital. The Soldier whose Army career spans 24 1⁄2 years earned his first patch as an enlisted specialist in Saudi Arabia, serving in Operation Desert Shield⁄Storm as an aircraft mechanic and aviation life support equipment technician.

Although he didn’t have a special ceremony when he received his 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment combat patch, Barrington explained why it still dons the right shoulder of his uniform.

‘‘That’s the first one I got. It helps in dealing with the patients,” Barrington said. According to the nurse, wearing the line unit patch builds rapport with patients who mostly deploy with line units. Barrington has worked at Walter Reed for three years.