Vol. 26
No. 15
www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/
April 17, 2014
First Lady Visits with Fisher House Families at NSAB By Julie Smith and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church NSAB Public Affairs staff writers First Lady Michelle Obama visited several families Monday at Naval Support Activity Bethesda’s (NSAB) Fisher House No. 4 to celebrate the upcoming Easter holiday. Toting a large basket filled with cookies made by the White House pastry chefs, Obama talked with each family around brightly decorated tables where children were crafting Easter cards. The Obama’s two Portuguese Water Dogs, Sunny and Bo, accompanied the First Lady on her trip to the Fisher House. Obama visits the Fisher Houses annually to celebrate the work of the Fisher House Foundation bringing Easter spirit to military kids and to support their families affected by difficult circumstances. “I just want to recognize all the great things that the Fisher House staff does here,” said Obama. “I know that they give you guys a home away from home when you are going through some of the toughest times in your life. It’s nice to be able to come to a beautiful facility like this where I know the staff is so warm and comforting to you.” There are five Fisher Houses onboard NSAB, the most of any Department of Defense installation. The homes offer 73 private rooms at no cost for family members of patients recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Army Spc. Julio Garcia and his wife Briccely reside in one of the Fisher Houses while their daughter Sophia, 3, receives treatment for leukemia. “We really appreciate events like this so we don’t have to
See FISHER page 14
Photo by Julie Smith
First Lady Michelle Obama participates in arts and crafts with Sophia Garcia during a visit to the Fisher Houses onboard Naval Support Activity Bethesda April 14.
Photo by Julie Smith Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church First Lady Michelle Obama and Fisher House ManFirst Lady Michelle Obama gets stickers placed on ager of Naval Support Activity Bethesda Kenneth E. her forehead by Lily Oppelt during Obama’s visit to Merritt greet the crowd of children decorating Easter cards in Fisher House No. 4. the Fisher Houses.
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Thursday, April 17, 2014
The Journal
Bethesda Notebook
The Easter Basket, the Easter Bunny, or Faith As a little girl I loved the Easter holiday. The mere thought of Easter and all that comes with the season would send me into one big childish world of my own. It would certainly remind me of a favorite youthful ditty (many remember the lyrics), “Here comes Peter Cottontail hoppin down the bunny trail; Hippity, hoppity Easter’s on its way. Bringing every girl and boy a basket full of Easter joy…!” Now that I’m able to take a more mature and pluralistic approach, the juvenile fantasy has turned into an proven triumvirate challenge: The Easter basket, the Easter bunny or faith. As the seasons have recently changed, we just fell behind and sprang ahead. We find ourselves here again at the time we know as Easter. We all have sweet memories of days gone by. If given the choice between the Easter basket, the Easter bunny or faith, which would we choose? Let’s survey the three. Easter baskets take their origin from the fertility goddess Eostre. In the spring, it was customary for the Saxon people in Northern Europe to take baskets of early seedlings to Eostre expecting to increase the chance of a good harvest. Thus, Easter baskets play a significant role in the holiday celebration. The bunny originated among German Lutherans. The custom of the Easter bunny bringing a basket of colored eggs to children was first mentioned in 1682 by George Frank von Frankenau. The original German Easter Hare originally played the role of a judge. He determined whether children in their daily activities were good or bad at the beginning of “Eastertide” (the German Easter season). In many churches on Easter Sunday a live rabbit representing the Easter bunny is brought into the congregation, especially for children’s time. This is done to stir the tradition of Frakenau as well as add
Published by offset every Thursday by Comprint Military Publications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Navy, under exclusive written contract with the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services. Contents of The Journal are not necessarily the official views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of Navy. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or Comprint, Inc., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without re-
Holocaust Museum Tour
In honor of the Holocaust Days of Remembrance April 27 to May 4, the Bethesda Multicultural Committee at Walter Reed Bethesda is sponsoring a tour of the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. April 30. The event is free. Buses will depart from in front of the America Building at 8:30 a.m. and return at approximately 2 p.m. For more information, contact Sgt. 1st Class Jason Zielske at 301-400-3542, or email Jason.s.zielske.mil@health.mil.
flavor and hopping humor to the service. Unlike the basket and bunny, faith has been defined not just as a part of religion but it is an aspect of our everyday lives. Everyone has a measure of faith. If we don’t stand firm in our faith we won’t stand at all. We must live by faith – faith in ourselves and faith in others. We must trust the doctor to heal our bodies. We must trust those who drive our school buses. We must trust the banks that manage our money. We must trust the pilot who takes us from one destination to another, thousands of feet above the earth. Though we live by faith in others, we must live by faith in ourselves. Above all we must live by faith in God who is able to redeem us and give us eternal life. Faith has and always will be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We can’t touch or see the object. But, we know and believe in the creator who is omnipresent. It is our faith that will undoubtedly bring us through the toughest times and keep us joyful when we want to fall apart. Faith keeps our spiritual basket full and fresh 24/7 and blazes a trail of peace that surpasses all understanding. Without faith it’s impossible to please the one who gave each of us such a priceless gift. It makes no difference how beautiful and plenteous the eggs are in the basket. Nor does it matter how exquisite and fluffy the bunny may be. It’s the attitude of the faith filled heart on Easter, and all year through that pleases the Eternal God who is able to keep us all in season and out of season. So take the challenge this Easter season: the Easter basket, the Easter bunny or faith.
Prostate Cancer Support Group
The Prostate Cancer Support Group meets at Walter Reed Bethesda the third Thursday of every month. The next meetings will be today from 1 to 2 p.m., and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the America Building, Shore Conference Room, 1st floor. Spouses and partners are invited. Military ID is required for base access. For those without a military ID, call Prostate Center at 301319-2900. For more information, contact Jane Hudak at 301-319-2918, or email jane.l.hudak.ctr@health.mil.
Empowerment Relay
In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, there will be an Empowerment Relay on April 26 at the Naval Support Activity Bethesda Sports Complex outdoor track near the Uniformed Services University. The minimum number for a registered team is four (4), and awards will be presented in various categories (best baton, highest number of laps completed, team spirit, costume and random number of laps completed). For more information, contact Lt. Col. Editha Ruiz at 301-3198839 or email editha.d.ruiz.mil@health. mil.
Lt. Valerie Eichelberger Command Chaplain, NSAB
gard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Office, Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Md. News copy should be submitted to the Public Affairs Office, Building 11, lower level, Room 41, by noon one week preceding the desired publication date. News items are welcomed from all installation sources. Inquiries about news copy will be answered by calling 301-400-1381. Commercial advertising should be placed with the publisher by telephoning 301-921-2800. Publisher’s advertising offices are located at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877. Classified ads can be placed by calling 301-670-1700.
Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bethesda Commanding Officer: Capt. David A. Bitonti Acting Public Affairs Officer NSAB: John Epperson Public Affairs Office NSAB: 301-400-2488
NSAB Ombudsman Michelle Herrera
240-370-5421
Sexual Assault Response
Staff Writers
Journal Staff
Managing Editor WRNMMC Editor
Coordinator Hotline
Cat DeBinder Sarah Marshall Katrina Skinner Julie Smith Sharon Renee Taylor
MC3 Brandon Williams-Church Bernard Little
NSA Bethesda Fleet And Family Support Center
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AER, NMCRS, AFAS
Leaders Kick Off Relief, Aid Societies Campaigns clients received financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans and grants totaling more than $49.6 million. In its first year (1904), the society gave $9,500 to widows and families of enlisted men. The AER, headquartered in Alexandria, Va., was established in 1942. Since its beginning, AER has provided more than
Photo by Bernard S. Little
From left, Army Capt. Kyle Peper, Army Emergency Relief campaign coordinator, Naval Support Activity Bethesda Commanding Officer Navy Capt. David A. Bitonti, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Director Brig. Gen. Jeffrey B. Clark, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Mark G. Brown, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society campaign coordinator, kick off the inaugural joint military services relief society fundraising campaign on April 9 in the flag lobby of Building 10 with Bitonti and Clark filling out their pledge forms. By Bernard S. Little WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer As one team, leaders for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) and Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) kicked off the “inaugural joint military services relief society fundraising campaign” April 9 in the flag lobby of Building 10. WRNMMC Director Brig. Gen. Jeffrey B. Clark and NSAB Commanding Officer Navy Capt. David A. Bitonti were joined by Army Capt. Kyle Peper, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Brian Arsenault, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Mark G. Brown and Master-at-Arms 1st Class Raymond Herrera to cut the cake and begin campaigns for the Army Emergency Relief (AER), Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) and Air Force Aid Society (AFAS). “Military services relief societies are an awesome tool for commanders and an instrumental part of mission accomplishment,” said Peper, AER coordinator. “Relief societies help our service members and
their families overcome unforeseen financial difficulties, thereby allowing all Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen to continue answering their call to duty and protect our freedoms. The support of NMCRS, AER and AFAS reinforces the fabric of our nation year-round, and they are only able to accomplish this through our support,” he added. “We’re one team 24/7, so we should be one team when we take on issues like this, which are critically important,” Clark said. He explained most commanders have had a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine benefit from one of the relief or aid societies. The general added during his 30 years in uniform, he can recall numerous occasions when one of the relief organizations “stepped up and helped our folks.” He said this is one of the reasons he and his wife, Sue, made the decision to donate to all three of the relief and aid societies. Bitonti said NSAB is honored and privileged to be a partner in the combined campaign effort. “This is the one time of the year that we get to take
care of each other. This is service members helping service members, and our opportunity to do what we can for those who serve with us.” He also thanked the service coordinators of the campaign for their efforts to spread the word about the benefits of the societies, as well as encourage people to contribute to the organizations. The mission of AER, NMCRS and AFAS is to help Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and their families by providing emergency financial aid (in the form of a direct grant or an interest-free loan), and educational assistance as well as college scholarships. The NMCRS was founded in 1904 “To provide, in partnership with the Navy and Marine Corps, financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval Services of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors when in need; and to receive and manage funds to administer these programs.” The society is headquartered in Arlington, Va., and according to NMCRS figures, in 2013 more than 65,350
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$1.5 billion to over 3.5 million Soldiers and their families. AER officials have not reported figures for 2013 yet, but for 2012, they report AER provided $68.6 million in no-interest loans and grants to more than 55,340 Soldiers and their families. This includes $1.6 million of assistance to 1,051 Army Reserve Soldiers, $1 mil-
lion in assistance to 858 Army National Guard Soldiers and $10.6 million in assistance to 6,797 retirees and their families. AER also provided 1,725 surviving spouses and orphans with more than $2 million in grants. With scholarships, total assistance in 2012 came to
See RELIEF page 10
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The Journal
Children Learn the Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church NSAB Public Affairs staff writer
The Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department, along with Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), hosted the Armed Forces Fun Run for Kids and the 3rd annual Youth Health and Fitness Fair April 5. Aimed to teach children about the benefits of living an active life and eating with more healthy choices, the events ranged from distance runs, obstacle courses, a mock Navy physical readiness test and dental hygiene activities to food knowledge games, face painting and arts and crafts. “As part of the Armed Forces Kids Day, the fun run was a special event for kids from the ages of 3 and 12,” said Amanda Kozay, fitness manager for Building 17’s Fitness Center. “Approximately 60 kids signed up and it was a great success. We put on a half mile run, one mile and two mile run depending on age and comfort of running.” Lori Passmore, a life skills education services facilitator for FFSC explained the importance of children maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the current societal norms. “In today’s world of video gaming, in-
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Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church
Children learn the proper way to clean their teeth at the dental health table during the 3rd annual Youth Health and Fitness Fair April 5. activity and the rise of childhood obesity, it is more important than ever to show children that being active and healthy is not only good for them but is fun.” Sounds of children laughing, learning, being creative and active filled the Building 17 atrium and gymnasium as
25 different tables were set up to demonstrate certain aspects of a healthy life for kids. Each child was encouraged to attend each table, interact with the educational activity and fill out a “passport” for a prize at the end of attending the tables. A raffle with special prizes was held
during the event and special guest Olympic gold medalist swimmer and Bethesda native Katie Ledecky was in attendance to sign autographs and take pictures with the children. Teaching children the habits of living a healthier life early on is a testament that FFSC hoped to deliver with the health and fitness fair. “The activities and demonstrations ranged from learning to fight obesity to understanding the mind/body connection with the help of yoga and aided in the enhancement of self- esteem by defining the military child as a valuable, special and resilient member of our military families,” said Passmore. Building healthy habits early is shown to increase the likelihood of maintaining those good habits throughout the lifespan. Kozay echos the sentiments of keeping kids active and not staying in front of the television and computer screens for most of their day. “I don’t think that kids get enough activity these days. There are too many video and computer games for them to play and not enough physical activity. Schools are cutting physical activity programs out of their curriculum, so now it falls on the family even more so to teach the kids about staying active and living a healthy life. This event was a good way to get out information for
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Public Health Fair Raises Awareness, Offers Resources By Sarah Marshall WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer Displaying interactive tools and educational information, the Public Health Department hosted its first Public Health Fair April 9 to inform staff and beneficiaries about their services. Held in Building 9, several tables were set up at the fair, representing numerous areas of Public Health, and relative services, such as Occupational Health, Preventive Medicine, Industrial Hygiene, Alcohol & Prevention, Pastoral Care and Resiliency. Representatives from the American Red Cross, Military Family Life, Physical Readiness, and Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) were also on hand to answer questions and provide information about their services.
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Did You Know?
• Approximately 42,000 adults and 300 children die every year from vaccine-preventable disease. Every dollar spent on childhood immunizations alone saves $18.40. • If 10 percent of adults began walking regularly, $5.6 billion in heart disease costs could be avoided. • From 1991 to 2006, investments in HIV prevention averted more than 350,000 infections and saved more than $125 billion in medical costs. • If every state without a comprehensive smoke-free policy adopted such a policy, they could reduce smoking-related deaths by 624,000, thereby, saving more than $316 million in lung cancer treatment and more than $875 million in heart attack and stroke treatment over five years. (Source: American Public Health Association) For more information, visit www.publichealth.va.gov/national-publichealth-week.asp
Photo by Sarah Marshall
During an April 9 Public Health Fair, in Building 9, Hospitalman Peter Dominguez explains Preventive Health Services to Ibn Akbar, who works in Integrative Health. “We want people to know what Public Health has to offer. It’s about awareness,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gladys Fraticelli, fair organizer and assistant chief of staff for
Public Health. As part of National Public Health Week, April 7 to 11, the fair was an opportunity to encourage staff and beneficiaries to take advan-
tage of the command’s resources, available to help them make healthy lifestyle choices, Fraticelli said. Under the Director for Clinical Support Services, the Public Health Department recently realigned its services to maximize efficiency and streamline its services, Fraticelli continued. Public Health Nursing, Clinical Preventive Med-
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icine, Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Audiology, the Physical Readiness Training Office, Environmental Health Services, and Command Safety are among the many divisions now part of the department. In addition to its services at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Public Health Department supports Army and Navy commands throughout the
National Capital Region, administering influenza vaccinations at regional clinics, conducting sanitation inspections, and mosquito trapping to assist in regional West Nile virus testing. The department also supports military sites from Fort Eustis and Fort Lee in southern Virginia, to as far north as Fort Drum
See HEALTH page 14
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The Journal
Events Planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month By Julie Smith NSAB Public Affairs staff writer Several events aboard Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) during the week of April 20 to 26 provide engaging opportunities for individuals to support Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). “Strike Out Sexual Assault” takes place at the Bethesda Bowling Lanes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 22. Bowling games will be offered at a discounted rate of $1.75 each with a free shoe rental. “Striking the pins represents striking out sexual assault,” NSAB Installation Sexual Assault Response Program Coordinator Kim Agnew said. “We provide training to individuals on a continuous basis, and sometimes doing PowerPoint slides and briefings can be mun-
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dane and repetitive. But having a fun event gives us an opportunity to recognize sexual assault but also have a more relaxed atmosphere where we’re highlighting education and prevention.” April 23 marks Denim Day USA, a national event encouraging people to wear denim on that day to promote sexual assault awareness and rape awareness. The campaign resulted from an Italian court case where a judge suggested the victim was not raped because she would have had to help
her attacker remove her tight jeans. The NSAB Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office is providing small swatches of denim for service members to pin to their uniforms to take part in Denim Day, Installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Michelle Herrera said. The swatches can be obtained at any SAAM information table around NSAB. Locations include the Navy Exchange, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), Walter Reed
National Military Medical Center, the Warrior Café and Building 17. “We ask that service members ask their commanding officers if they can wear the piece of denim on their uniform,” Herrera said. An Empowerment Relay is scheduled for April 26 at the NSAB Sports Complex outdoor track by USU. Teams of four or more members will have an hour to complete as many laps as possible around the track. Each team must have a baton, which can be hand-
carried, hung around the neck or attached to a wheelchair. Team checkin begins at 8 a.m. with a relay start time of 9 a.m. Special recognition will be presented for best baton design, highest number of laps completed, random number of laps completed, best team spirit and best team costume. Registration information can be found at SAAM information tables around NSAB or by emailing editha.d.ruiz. mil@health.mil. “It’s a fun event,” Agnew said. “The pur-
pose of it is to empower, exercise and educate our personnel.” Herrera and Agnew said they hope these types of events become a staple of SAAM for NSAB. “We want you to kick off your shoes, kick off your combat boots, hang up your stethoscopes, put down your pens and just come out, relax and have a good time,” Agnew said. “The Department of Defense recognizes that sexual assault has been a problem, and we don’t want people to forget after April. We want to change the culture. We can talk and brief about it all we want, but if it’s not taken into account after leaving the briefing room, whether I’m a leader or a lower-ranking enlisted member, if I don’t make a difference to change the culture, then sexual assault continues to be a problem.”
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Parking, Partnerships Discussed at WRNMMC Town Hall service, but also education and research. Some of the initiatives include combined efforts to ensure USU and WRNMMC service members successfully test for the Expert Field Medical Badge; utilization by both facilities of each high-tech simulation facilities; shared staff and efforts in the w o r l d - cl a s s Murtha Cancer Center, the onlyapproved Department of Photo by Bernard S. Little
Air Force Col. Michael Adames, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) director for administration, explained WRNMMC efforts in realignment and staff analysis to create a manning document to support its patient care and other missions during a town hall meeting April 8 in Memorial Auditorium. By Bernard S. Little WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer Walter Reed Bethesda Director Brig. Gen.(Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark and senior leaders hosted a town hall meeting for staff April 8 in Memorial Auditorium, discussing parking, partnerships and other concerns affecting staff members at the nation’s medical center. “Our parking policy is simple,” Clark said, “patient parking is only for patients. Staff, with appropriate parking placard, park only in staff parking.” Master Chief Maria Fernandez, acting senior enlisted leader for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), reiterated, that those parking in areas where they should not on base will be ticketed, and could possibly face other disciplinary action for repeat offenses. Clark said WRNMMC is making a change to designated staff parking in front of the Tower on base. Those spaces in front of the building previously designated for Walter Reed Bethesda leadership staff, will now be reserved for WRNMMC quarterly award winners. The WRNMMC leadership staff will now park on the 9th deck of the Multi-
Purpose Garage. “This will free up a few more staff parking spaces, but more importantly, recognize our deserving quarterly award winners with convenient parking,” the general explained. In discussing partnerships, Clark and Army Col. (Dr.) Stuart Roop, director of medicine, said WRNMMC will continue to work as “one team” with Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (FBCH), providing “patientfriendly access to high quality health care for all we are privileged to serve – service members and their families, retirees and their families.” Roop explained WRNMMC and FBCH board of directors meet quarterly, and clinical directors (surgery, medicine and behavioral health) meet or talk at least once a week. There is also weekly teleconference between directors and chiefs of surgery at WRNMMC, FBCH, the 779th Medical Group at Joint Base Andrews (Md.) and Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center at Fort Meade, Md., to “optimize delivery of surgical care within the region. Clark added WRNMMC will also continue its “unity of effort” initiatives with the Uniformed Services University (USU) to not only provide world-class
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Defense Center of Excellence for Cancer Care; and integrated efforts in pathology, research and traumatic brain injury work. “We’re very good individually and put us together, we are great,” the general said. Also during the town hall, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kendra Gibbs and Army Staff Sgt. Shawn Boodie discussed the Physical Fitness As-
sessment encouraging all near USU. Participants Sailors to complete their are encouraged to walk to weigh-ins by April 25 in the site because parking Building 9, first floor mez- is limited. Discussing standards zanine (from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Fitness assess- of conduct, Navy Lt. ments are scheduled by Molly Dennison, deputy departments between staff judge advocate at April 28 and May 30. The WRNMMC, told staff, “alsemi-annual Army Physi- ways do the right thing. cal Fitness Test will be We are all wards of taxtomorrow at 6 a.m. and 2 payers’ resources and p.m., and daily beginning it’s important for leaderMonday at the same times on the base track See PARKING page 14
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The Journal
Photos by Julie Smith; Photo Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church
An event celebrating the Easter holiday was sponsored by NSAB’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department.
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Cardiology Nurse Earns February’s DAISY Award By Cat DeBinder WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer To many, the title of “nurse” goes hand-in-hand with words such as comfort, care, healing and extraordinary. Members of the nursing staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) are described with such adjectives, and every month many of them are nominated by either their patients or peers for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing. Although only one nurse receives the award, all are worthy of it, according to WRNMMC nursing directorate leadership. For February, Supha Bowling, of cardiology, earned the DAISY award. Col. Risa Ware, director for nursing services at WRNMMC, presented the award to Bowling at her job site while surrounded by her patients, col-
leagues and supervisors. “I am very honored and proud to win the DAISY Award,” said Bowling. “I love being a nurse and caring from the heart for the people who enter into my life,” she added. Bowling said the needs of patients and their families are important because they come into the hospital for help, and she wants to be the nurse who cares for them, providing them comfort and support with “an open heart and arms.” Nominated for the DAISY award by the wife of a patient, Bowling was described as attentive and caring. The patient, who wished to remain anonymous, came to WRNMMC for a lung biopsy. The wife said Bowling “attended to [our] every need. She put a warm blanket on him and performed all tests with care and professionalism.” The wife said her husband’s procedure was frightening and they did not know what to ex-
pect, but “from the beginning, Ms. Bowling put him at ease, patiently and thoughtfully answering his many questions.” Ware said it is “an honor” to lead the nursing staff at Walter Reed Bethesda. The DAISY (an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) award was founded by the Barnes family in 1999 to honor their son, Patrick. During his lengthy hospitalization because of an immune disease, which would eventually claim his life, Patrick and his family received “extraordinary” nursing care, explained his stepmother Bonnie. His family appreciated the nursing care he received and established the DAISY award in appreciation of nurses. Since its inception, there have been 30,000 nurses nominated by their by patients, patients’ family members, or colleagues at health care facilities around the world.
Photo by Cat DeBinder
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Director of Nursing Services Army Col. Risa Ware presents the February DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to Supha Bowling.
WRNMMC Medical Team Brings Smiles to Dominican Republic By Bernard S. Little WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer A team of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) health care providers literally brought smiles to the Dominican Republic during a two-week humanitarian mission in March. Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Patrick Basile, mission officer-incharge (OIC), and Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Kerry Latham, mission executive officer (XO), led the 16-member team, which went to the Dominican Republic from March 8 to 22 as part of a Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE). A plastic surgeon, Basile explained the purpose for the mission, which he has been the OIC of for the last four years, is to “provide medical evaluation and surgical treatment to citizens of the Dominican Republic with cleft lip and palate, hand and craniofacial abnormalities at the Hospital Central de las Fuerzas Armadas y Policia Nacional in Santo Domingo.” “It was an amazing trip,” Latham added. “We are very proud of the care we provided, and the patients seemed very happy. We focused on craniofacial surgery and congenital anomalies.”
Courtesy Photo
A pediatric patient in the Dominican Republic enjoys a stuffed animal, a benefit of a stuffed animal drive spearheaded by Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Amber J. Barak and sponsored by the Junior Enlisted Mess (JEM) at Walter Reed Bethesda. Hundreds of toys were collected during the JEM toy drive. “The kids we operated on were so happy,” said Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Kerry Latham. “The stuffed animals allowed them to play and help them in their recovery,” she added. This was the 10th year for MEDRETE to the Dominican Republic, and the fifth year for Basile on the mission. He was the XO his first year with the MEDRETE. “There are new challenges every year, which keep it interesting,” Basile explained. “One issue every year is, since we execute the mission early in the
fiscal year, sometimes the funds for supplies are released late and we have to think outside the box to obtain our supplies and ship our gear in time to perform the mission. We have had excellent hospital support in this regard. “Another issue is that the spectrums of cases we see vary every year, and we have to be
prepared to handle anything that comes our way,” Basile continued. “This is where experience has paid off and we are really able to handle any patient that walks through the door.” The surgeon said a reward of the mission includes “working side-by-side with a hand-picked team of individuals who really care about working together to provide the best possible care and represent our country. I am humbled by their dedication and enthusiasm.” In addition to Basile and Latham, the team this year included Col. (Dr.) Barry Martin, plastic surgeon; Cmdr. George Nanos, hand surgeon; Maj. Jade Hamel, nurse; Lt. j.g. Sherri Sons, nurse; Spc. Jazmi Swingler, lead operating room technician; SN Tiffany Cruz, OR tech; Maj. Bryan Laliberte, anesthesiologist; Lt. Cmdr. Heather Yurka, anesthesiologist; Lt. Cmdr. Jerald Froehner, anesthesia resident; Army Capt. Pedro Rios, anesthesia resident; Guillermo Saenz, physician liaison; Laura Cord, speech pathologist; and Staff Sgt. Kela Eaton de Gallardo, mission noncommissioned officer-in-charge. The team evaluated 169 patients and performed 88 procedures on 58 patients during the two-week mission. Those proce-
dures included 34 plastic surgeries, and 18 hand surgeries, in addition to 34 speech evaluations, six feeding evaluations, one nasopharyngoscopy exam, 10 speech therapy sessions and three swallow therapy sessions. Basile said care was provided to military dependents and civilian men, women and children of the Dominican Republic. “It has been a tremendous honor and pleasure to lead this team for the past four years,” Basile added. “We have the unique opportunity to provide state-of-the-art care to the people of the Dominican Republic. I had the best OR team of nurses and surgical techs, which allowed us to focus on providing the best surgical care. I am excited to see where our mission has come from and where it will go in the future.” In addition to providing medical care, the WRNMMC team also played the role of Santa Claus to their patients, giving stuffed animals to those who received care. This year, Hospital Corpsman (HM) 3rd Class Amber J. Barak led a teddy bear drive sponsored by the Junior Enlisted Mess (JEM), overseeing the collection of hundreds of
See SMILES page 10
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The Journal
SMILES Continued from 9
Photo by Bernard S. Little
Officials from Naval Support Activity Bethesda and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center cut the cake to kick off the “inaugural joint military services relief society fundraising campaigns” on April 9 in the flag lobby of Building 10.
RELIEF Continued from 3 more than $77.1 million. The roots of the AFAS also go back to 1942 when Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold expressed concern that members of the Army Air Forces faced unique hardships in meeting the challenges of World War II. The society, also headquartered in Arlington, reports more than 75,000 assists to Air Force members and their families with more than $17.4 million in assistance last year. Most AFAS interest-free loans
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and grants are for short term or onetime emergencies such as food, rent, utilities, car repair and emergency travel requirements, as with AER and NMCRS. AFAS also offers the General Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant Program, which helps offset some expenses of higher education by providing $2,000 grants to dependent children and spouses. For more information about AER, visit www.aerhq.org, or email Peper at kyle.w.peper.mil@mail.mil. For information concerning NMCRS, visit www.nmcrs.org, or email Brown at mark.g.brown.mil@health.mil. For information about AFAS, visit www.
stuffed toys for the WRNMMC team to take to the Dominican Republic and give their patients. “[She] did something above and beyond the call of duty to support the trip,” Latham said. “She collected so many beautiful donations, more than 350 animals, and had them professionally cleaned. “The kids we operated on were so happy,” Latham continued. “The stuffed animals allowed them to play and help them in their recovery. We are very proud that HM3 Barak has such volunteerism and compassion, and hope that she can inspire others to go above and beyond.” Barak, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, said, “It’s amazing how generous everyone was with their donations. Staff members, patients and visitors all contributed to this wonderful cause. We had more than 350 stuffed animals, and we weren’t able to pack them all.” She said the stuffed toys were collected from Feb. 4 through March 6, and those that didn’t go to the Dominican Republic were donated to a local nonprofit agency which members of the JEM volunteer at the last Saturday of every month, providing furniture, clothing and other basic living essentials for those in need. The corpsman added at one of the JEM collection stations for the stuffed animal drive, retired Maj. Gen. W.D. Crittenberger, a graduate of West Point Class of 1942, and his daughters donated a bag of stuffed animals with a note. “The note stated, ‘with grati-
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Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Patrick Basile, mission officer-in-charge of a medical humanitarian mission to the Dominican Republic and a plastic surgeon at Walter Reed Bethesda, examines a pediatric patient during the two-week Medical Readiness Training Exercise held March 8 to 22. tude and pride to the dedicated Soldiers and the children you are going to help. Keep charging!’” “The most rewarding aspect about participating in this mission is hearing the doctor’s stories of how happy and at ease the stuffed animals made the patients,” Barak added. “As a hospital corpsman, my personal goal is to provide the best care for each patient that I encounter. It feels amazing knowing that I was able to aid patients from hundreds of miles away.” Overall, Basile said the MEDRETE was a success, providing U.S. military personnel the opportunity to gain experience and train in a deployed environment while promoting diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the host nation, and giving medical care to people who may not receive the kind of specialized care offered by WRNMMC due to its unavailability or cost.
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Basketball Champions
Photo by Dwight Jackson
Division two intermural basketball team champions ‘Bombs Away’ pose for their winning photo April 2.
For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,
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HEALTH Continued from 5 and West Point, both in upstate New York. Among the many resources on display at the fair, attendees could learn about the Radiation Safety Division. Health physicist Kevin Allen explained average radiation exposure in the health care setting is low, and it’s their division’s responsibility to ensure areas where radiation is used, are visibly marked, and only authorized personnel access those areas, Allen said. While demonstrating a radiation measuring device, he said, “We’re here to make sure people maintain relatively low levels of [radiation] exposure.” Allen added, he believes the fair was an opportunity for staff and beneficiaries to learn about Public Health services, as well as other information for maintaining overall wellbeing. “It’s important to have a fair like this so we can outline the services of Public Health, and what we do,” he said. A few tables down, Medical Readiness offered information on their colorectal and cervical cancer screenings, vision screenings, as well as postand pre-deployment assessments.
The Journal They also handed out toothbrushes, promoting the importance of dental readiness. Attendees could also test their body mass index (BMI), pick up some healthy recipes and find out how to read food labels, from Nutrition Services staff. At the Occupational Audiology table, individuals could learn how to properly wear ear plugs, and learn the importance of protecting their ears from continuous hazardous noise levels. Audiologists helped attendees determine whether they listen to music too loud, potentially putting their hearing at risk. By hooking up their music from their smart phone, to a decibel-measuring device, and playing their music at the volume they’re accustom to, audiologists could inform them if they’re listening at a safe level. After stopping by the Integrated Health Services table, Verna Pinkett, who works in the Pathology Lab, said she was not aware of the many classes offered to staff and beneficiaries, such as chair yoga, therapeutic yoga, stress resiliency, and nutrition counseling. “I plan on taking advantage of some of these [classes],” Pinkett said. She also expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the abundant Public Health services. She said of the fair, “This is nice. I needed this information.” Another attendee, Ibn Akbar, shared
Photo by Sarah Marshall
Lolitha Bennett (right), from Occupational Audiology, explains how to properly wear ear plugs, to Wendy Gibbs, a dietitian who specializes in nephrology. a similar perspective. “[The fair] helps to engage people, and get the word out about Public Health services,” said Akbar. As a staff member in Integrative Health, he also helped hand out information at the fair. Akbar said people, generally, aren’t
aware when they’re developing unhealthy habits, and so the fair was a good opportunity to educate and offer the tools needed for overall wellbeing, both at home and in the workplace. “We’re here to make sure you’re making healthy choices,” he said.
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efforts in realignment to support patient care and its other missions. Adames said realignment is part of Walter Reed Bethesda’s effort to support staffing analysis and create a manning document. He added while opportunities for WRNMMC to be more efficient will be explored, safety and quality of care will not be sacrificed for cost savings. The next Walter Reed Bethesda town hall meetings are scheduled for May 13 in the Memorial Auditorium.
Continued from 7 ship to set the example.” Roop added staff members should also to exhibit professionalism at all times while at Walter Reed Bethesda. Army Col. Risa Ware, director of nursing services and Air Force Col. Michael Adames, WRNMMC director for administration, explained WRNMMC
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think about things for a while,” Briccely said. “Things would be a lot harder if we didn’t have the Fisher House.” Along with the handmade treats and her pets, Obama brought along tickets for all of the families to attend the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll scheduled for April 21. Approximately 30,000 people will converge on the South Lawn of the White House for the event that includes egg rolling, live music, food, and face painting. This year’s
theme is “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape” in support of Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative. Obama visited with families for approximately an hour, talking with the children about their crafts and conversing with their parents. “This is the best part of my day, to be with so many great families. I get to shine a light on our military families and especially the kids because you are our heroes,” Obama said. “You make your parents’ lives so wonderful which helps them do the job that they are supposed to do. I know your parents couldn’t do this without you. The president and I are so proud of you all.”
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