Research was conducted in January 1991 to compare anxiety levels of Army Reserve and civilian registered nurses and to identify factors contributing to high anxiety. It was predicted that anxiety would be greater in reservist nurses who were anticipating mobilization during Operation Desert Storm. This hypothesis was supported through the examination of t test statistical analyses and stepwise multiple regression, which demonstrated that years of military service, gender, and the presence and number of children in nurses' families related to higher anxiety levels. Army Reserve nurses identified separation from loved ones and financial concerns as the largest contributors to anxiety, while significant interventions for alleviating anxiety included detailed and consistent information from Army commands.