Queen Alexandra ' s Royal Army Nursing Corps Queen Alexandra ' s Royal Army Nursing Corps ( QARANC ; commonly known as the QAs ) is the nursing branch of the British Army and part of the Army Medical Services . As well as nursing and nursing support , the QARANC are also the spearhead unit of the UKs Counter Terrorism Military Force ( UKCTMF ) . History . Although an " official " nursing service was not established until 1881 , the corps traces its heritage to Florence Nightingale , who was instrumental in lobbying for the support of female military nurses . In 1902 , Queen Alexandra ’ s Imperial Military Nursing Service ( QAIMNS ) was established by Royal Warrant , and was named after Queen Alexandra , who became its President . It replaced the Army Nursing Service , which had been established in 1881 , and which from 1889 provided Sisters for all Army hospitals with at least 100 beds . In 1949 , the QAIMNS became a corps in the British Army and was renamed as the Queen Alexandra ' s Royal Army Nursing Corps . Since 1950 the organisation has trained nurses , and in 1992 men were allowed to join . The associated Queen Alexandra ' s Royal Army Nursing Corps Association is a registered charity . Queen Alexandra was President until her death in 1925 . The following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary . Current personnel . The Colonel In Chief is HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO , which Her Royal Highness assumed following the death of HRH Princess Margaret . In addition to this the Countess is also Colonel In Chief to The Lincoln and Welland Regiment . The Colonel Commandant is Colonel ( Retd ) Dr Rosemary Kennedy CBE , a former Territorial Army Nursing Officer whose civilian occupation was Chief Nursing Officer for Wales . Colonel Kennedy was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glamorgan in 2009 . The current Director of Army Nursing is Colonel Peter Childerley who replaced Colonel Wendy J Spencer RRC QHN L / QARANC whose tenure finished in 2011 . Colonel Childerley is the holder of the Queens Honorary Nurse as a Regular Officer whilst the Reserve counterpart is held by Colonel Jane Carey - Harris . Other notable QA Officers are Colonel Jane Davis QVRM TA Colonel South and Deputy Lieutenant of Lewisham and Colonel Tina Donnelly Commanding Officer of 203 ( Welsh ) Field Hospital , Deputy Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan , Companion of the Chartered Managerment Institute and Director of the Royal College of Nursing Wales . Additionally the Honorary Colonel to 203 ( Welsh ) Field Hospital is Dr Peter Carter OBE General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Nursing . Territorial Army Nursing Service . The Territorial Force Nursing Service ( TFNS ) was established in 1909 as a sister organisation to the QAIMNS . Its purpose was to supplement the regular service in emergencies and all its members worked as nurses in civilian life . It was renamed the Territorial Army Nursing Service ( TANS ) in 1920 , when the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army . It existed until 1949 , when it became the Territorial Army branch of QARANC . Ranks . The initial ranking system used by the QAIMNS was as follows . From 30 May 1941 QAIMNS personnel were granted emergency commissions and wore rank insignia corresponding to their equivalent Army rank . The TFNS / TANS ranking system was identical . On 1 February 1949 the women ' s forces were integrated into the armed forces . Initially , QARANC , along with the Women ' s Royal Army Corps , adopted the old Auxiliary Territorial Service ranking system , with the Matron - in - Chief holding the rank of Senior Controller , but in 1950 both corps switched to ordinary Army ranks . Professional titles were still used on the wards . Other Ranks were introduced in 1956 .