Colonel Retired Bob Gahol

01/01/2026

Happy New Year!

As we welcome the New Year, I extend my warmest wishes to everyone for a year filled with good health, hope, and new possibilities. This is a time to reflect on the lessons of the past year and to look ahead with optimism, purpose, and gratitude.

May the year ahead bring renewed energy to care for one another, strengthen our communities, and work together toward a more compassionate and equitable future. Through collaboration, service, and shared commitment, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

With best wishes,

Bob Gahol
President-Elect
Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA)

12/28/2025

As I reflect on 2025 as the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) President-Elect, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to advocate, mentor, and lead alongside nurses from Hawaiʻi to the U.S. mainland, and around the world.

This year included the honor of delivering the keynote at the 7th PNAA Foundation (PNAAF) International Collaborative Conference in Manila, where more than 500 participants gathered and over 100 nursing students from more than 20 Philippine schools were sponsored to attend, an inspiring reminder of the future of Filipino nursing.

In May, I delivered opening remarks at the first-ever joint Nurses Week celebration between Tripler Army Medical Center and the VA Hospital, a historic collaboration between military and veteran healthcare systems, followed by addressing over 2,000 attendees at the 6th Filipino Nursing Diaspora Day Webinar hosted by the Filipino Nursing Diaspora (FiND) Network in Australia.

Advocacy remained central to our work. PNAA joined Nursing Organizations of Color in opposing proposed federal loan restrictions for nursing graduate students, affirming that excluding nurses from educational access is both unjust and dangerous.

We also continued to champion internationally educated nurses (IENs) through policy summits, conferences, and mentorship. I was honored to be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of Internationally Educated Nurses (FSIEN) and the Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN), recognitions that reaffirm my commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion across healthcare.

Our PNAA chapters remain the heart of our organization, and I am inspired daily by their leadership and service.

As we look toward 2026, I remain committed to building a resilient, equitable, and future-ready healthcare system together.

The fight for nursing education continues. Please sign the petition: https://lnkd.in/gVbr6w_c

Maraming salamat po, mahalo nui loa, and thank you.

12/21/2025

Please join me at the Filipino Nurses Global Summit VI and the 15th International Nursing Conference in Manila, Philippines, on January 22–23, 2026. I look forward to speaking about the critical role of nurses in disaster preparedness, humanitarian response, and the building of resilient health systems.

Filipino Nurses Global Summit VI and 15th International Nursing Conference
Beyond Borders: Filipino Nurses' Impact & Influence in Global Health Transformation
January 22-23, 2026
Conrad Hilton Manila
Register now: https://ow.ly/bM7p50XK6q4
Standard Rate Ends: December 31, 2025

Speaker's Bio:
Colonel (Retired) Bob Gahol, DHA, MBA, MPA, MMAS, MSS, BSN, RN, FNYAM, FSIEN, FADLN

Coloner (Retired) Gahol is an accomplished nursing leader with nearly 40 years of professional experience, including over 23 years of distinguished service in the U.S. Army. He has held senior military roles such as Commanding Officer and Chief Nurse, with his final assignment as Deputy Commander for Inpatient Services (DCIS) at Tripler Army Medical Center. A U.S. Army War College graduate, Colonel Gahol has been deployed five times and received multiple military honors.

Since retiring in 2018, he has actively engaged with local, national, and international nursing organizations and community initiatives. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Philippine Nurses Association of America and was recently inducted as a Fellow of both the New York Academy of Medicine and Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society.

12/05/2025

URGENT: Help Fix Unfair Loan Caps for Nurses!

The Department of Education is considering new federal loan limits that would give medical, law, psychology, and theology students up to $50K/year, but cap nursing graduate students, including APRNs, at $20,500/year.

Nursing has been wrongly excluded from the list of “professional programs” for decades, and this decision would severely harm our future workforce.

ANA and 25 nursing organizations have already gathered 227,000+ signatures, but we need YOUR voice.

✔️ Sign the petition: https://ana.quorum.us/campaign/professionaldegreepetition/
✔️ Contact your legislators: https://www.house.gov, and https://www.senate.gov.
✔️ Tell them nurses deserve professional loan caps too!

This is a critical moment for our profession. Let’s take action, together.

11/19/2025

Late post from November 8, 2025.
What a truly wonderful celebration of the 10th anniversary of PNA Southern California West Los Angeles Subchapter! I was honored to deliver inspirational remarks—yet in reality, this incredible group inspired me with their dedication, service, and unwavering support for our community and our profession.

Congratulations to President Diane Roque and her entire leadership team for a successful and heartfelt event. Your passion and commitment continue to uplift and strengthen our PNAA family.

11/16/2025

Honored to be recognized as a fellow of this prestigious global organization. I’ll continue to be a strong advocate for all IENs. Thank you, SIENNA, for this recognition.

🌟👏 Congratulations to Dr. Pablito Gahol on being recognized as an Inaugural 𝑭𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑵𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 (𝑭𝑺𝑰𝑬𝑵) — the highest distinction honoring excellence, leadership, and lifelong commitment to the advancement of internationally educated nurses worldwide.

This remarkable achievement is a testament to Dr. Gahol's dedication and passion to elevate the voices and visibility of internationally educated nurses in every corner of the world.

We celebrate you, Dr. Gahol! 🎉

11/14/2025

Congratulations to the 2025 Inaugural and Honorary Fellows of the Society of Internationally Educated Nurses (SIENNA)!

These remarkable honorees will be formally inducted on November 15, 2025, during the 1st Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) Global Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Join us in celebrating their impact and contributions to the global nursing community!

11/11/2025

Happy Nurse Practitioner Week! We are proud of you and celebrate your vital contributions to healthcare!

11/10/2025

I’m excited to attend SIENNA’s 1st IEN Global Conference — a meaningful opportunity to connect, celebrate, and rise with the global IEN community.

As an immigrant and minority nurse, I understand the importance of collaboration and solidarity among international and minority nurses. In today’s ever-changing healthcare landscape, our voices must be heard. Together, we can face challenges, share our stories, and continue to make a difference.

11/05/2025

125-Year Army Nurse Legacy Celebration - Honoring Courage. Compassion. Service.

Join the Army Nurse Corps Association (ANCA) and the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps as we celebrate 125 years of Army Nursing excellence in February 2026.

This milestone event will honor generations of Army Nurses whose courage, resilience, and leadership have shaped military medicine and advanced healthcare worldwide. From the battlefields of 1898 to modern humanitarian missions, Army Nurses have stood at the front lines of care, serving with skill, strength, and compassion.

Be part of this historic celebration as we pay tribute to our enduring legacy and inspire the next generation to carry on the mission.

ANCA proudly preserves this legacy through scholarships, research grants, historical preservation, and professional development, ensuring the Army Nurse Corps’ story continues to thrive.

For tickets, please click this link: https://anca.betterworld.org/events/125-year-army-nurse-anniversary

10/21/2025

Another successful COP Leadership Forum completed!
This session focused on membership engagement, retention, and recruitment, with chapter leaders generously sharing actionable strategies and best practices to strengthen PNAA’s membership efforts for 2026-2028.

My sincere appreciation to Gabriel Sapalaran and our RVPs, Manelita Dayon, Riza Mauricio, and Maricon Estebar, for managing the chat and timekeeping, and to Carmina Bautista for her presence and support.

Most of all, thank you to the chapter leaders who actively participated and elevated the conversation. The energy and insights were so valuable that our 90 minutes were not enough; we are already considering a Part 2 due to the strong feedback and interest.

Onward with purpose, together, we build and grow.