Journal 043015

Vol. 27

No. 17

www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/

April 30, 2015

NSAB Celebrates Earth Day

Photo by Alexia A. Martinez

Cmdr. Joe Stavish, Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) public works officer, and Capt. David Bitonti, NSAB commanding officer, kick off Earth Day 2015 on NSAB April 22. ity Bethesda (NSAB) April 22, as part of Earth Day 2015. In accordance with the Navy’s theme for Earth Day this year, Service members and civil- “A Sustainable Future Begins ians took action and did their with You,” people took time out part to help clean the 245 of their work day to participate acres of Naval Support Activ- in a base-wide cleanup.

By MC3 Hank Gettys NSAB Public Affairs staff writer

“This is the 45th annual celebration of Earth Day, and this year [Rear] Adm. [Markham K.] Rich [Commandant, Naval District Washington (NDW)] is putting out NDW’s vision of improved environmental excellence,” said Susan Paul, NSAB

Installation Environmental Programs Director. “So one of the things we did this year, and that we have done in the past, is provide an opportunity for a base cleanup and general awareness that we only have one base, and one planet, and

we should take care of them.

“In an effort to further relate the admiral’s message to the community, we had some information booths set up as well so that folks could get

See EARTH DAY page 6

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The Journal

Bethesda Notebook

Commander’s Column It is spring, and thankfully that means spending more time outside.

We can finally shake off Old Man Winter’s grip and enjoy the warmer weather. Although the ‘101 Critical Days of Summer’, from Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 until Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, is the main safety focus, it is important that we begin that conversation now and apply those necessary safety measures as early as possible. This is the time period during which many people, military and civilian alike, are likely to engage in activities that have an increased potential for injury, if safety measures and precautions are not known and implemented. This week, I’d like to provide you with some good information so that you are prepared, before you head outdoors this weekend, and throughout the rest of the spring and summer season. The goal is for you and your family to enjoy yourself; while at the same time, minimizing risk to you and your family.

I anticipate and fully expect that, in the near future, Department of Defense and the individual Service’s leaders will provide their own guidance for safety during this crucial time, but it’s never too early to start thinking about safety. So before you take out that bike, backpack, barbecue grill, or boat, and engage in any outdoor activities, please visit the Naval Safety Center website and review the Summer 2015 safety brief, which can be found at the following link: http://www.public.navy.mil/comnavsafecen/Presentations/seasonal/Summer_2015.pptx The brief covers key summer focus areas including car, motorcycle, and traffic safety; alcohol awareness; water safety; sexual assault prevention; suicide awareness; off-duty risk management; and grill, firearm and sports safety. A particular focus this summer is water safety and water sports related accidents and injuries and motorcycle sports bike safety.

Additionally, each of the other Services has great safety information.

The Army summer

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 Naval Support Activity 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 the 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 regard to race, color,

National Nurses Week

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) will celebrate National Nurses Week May 6-15 with a number of events. May 6 at 10 a.m. in Memorial Auditorium, the Joint Chiefs of the Nurse Corps kick off Nurses Week 2015 at WRNMMC. Nursing Grand Rounds is scheduled for May 7 at 11 a.m. in Memorial Auditorium. The DAISY ceremony saluting WRNMMC extraordinary nurses will be May 8 at 10 a.m. in Memorial Auditorium. The Blessing of the Hands will be on May 12 at 9 a.m. in the hospital chapel. A cake cutting for the Navy Nurse Corps’ birthday will be May 13 at 11 a.m. in the courtyard of Bldg. 9. May 14, a continental breakfast is scheduled for 7 a.m. in the 5C Conference Room and the Internal Medicine Clinic Conference Room in Bldg. 19. On May 15, there will be a Nurses Call with Director of Nursing Services Col. Ray Antoine. For more information, call Lt. Cmdr.

Christine Burns at 301-400-3562 or email Christine.M.Burns2. mil@mail.mil.

safety presentation is at the following link. https://safety.army.mil/MEDIA/ SeasonalSafetyCampaigns/SpringSummer2015.aspx The Air Force Safety Center website and presentation can be found at the following link. http://www.afsec.af.mil/index. asp And, the Coast Guard’s boating safety website can be found at the following link. http://www.uscgboating.org/ According to the Naval Safety Center, in the summer of 2014, 13 Sailors and 9 Marines lost their lives as a result of summer fatalities. That means that we lost 22 trained and ready valued Sailors and Marines and treasured friends and loved ones. These accidents are preventable. Our job, first and foremost, is to ensure that we are operationally ready to support the mission. I expect everyone on Naval Support Activity Bethesda, military or civilian, regardless of your service or agency, to take safety seriously both on and off the job.

It’s my sincerest hope that you are able to fully enjoy the spring and summer seasons with your loved ones, and do so safely. Please take the time to review the resources provided above, as well as those to be provided in future safety presentations, to familiarize yourself with the applicable safety guidance for the activity in which you plan to participate, and make sure that your family members also get this important and possibly lifesaving information, and apply it.

I look forward to seeing you around the installation and hearing about the fun activities you’ve safely engaged in this summer. Please have fun, travel safely, and enjoy the time away with your family.

Aware for All

In observance of Research and Innovation Month, there will be an Aware for All event on May 6 in the America Bldg. lobby and hallway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will showcase their research and provide demonstrations. For more information, contact Lt. Ryan Kim at Ryan.M.Kim2.mil@mail.mil.

All Ahead Flank, David A. Bitonti, Capt., DC, USN Commanding Officer Naval Support Activity Bethesda

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 17, first floor, across from PSD, 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 301-295-1803. Commercial advertising should be placed with the publisher by calling 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 Public Affairs Officer: Ronald D. Inman Public Affairs Office: 301-295-1803

Journal Staff

Managing Editor WRNMMC Editor

MC3 Hank Gettys Bernard Little

Staff Writers

MC1 Christopher Krucke Andrew Damstedt Sarah Marshall Katrina Skinner Sharon Renee Taylor

NSA Bethesda Fleet And Family Support Center

301-319-4087

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Office of Media Relations 301-295-5727

NSAB Emergency Information Line NSAB Ombudsman Michelle Herrera NSAB Chaplain’s Office

301-295-6246 240-370-5421

301-319-4443/4706

Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Hotline

301-442-2053

Visit us on Facebook:

Naval Support Activity Bethesda page: https://www.facebook.com/NSABethesda Walter Reed National Medical Center page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walter-ReedNational-Military-Medical-Center/295857217111107 Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-HealthSciences/96338890888?fref=ts

The Journal

Thursday, April 30, 2015

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Base Takes On A Younger Look

Take Our Daughters, Sons to Work Day Brings the Future to WRNMMC

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Children at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Naval Support Activity Bethesda stand in fomation with their parents and other service members to pay respect to the nation during morning colors on April 23 as part of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Dennis Shanta, a registered nurse in the Pediatrics Department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), holds his daughter Deven, 7, as they are briefed about the day’s activities during Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 23 at WRNMMC.

By Bernard S. Little WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer On a brisk April morning, Meghan Pierle, 12, and Mark Kline, 14, assisted the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) Joint Service Color Guard of Army Staff Sgt. Arthur R. Womble, Air Force Senior Airman Samuel G. Leibman and Navy Religious Program Specialist 3rd

Class Jacqara D. Johnson in a time-honored military tradition — raising the nation’s colors flown over Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB).

Meghan, the daughter of WRNMMC’s Chief Hospital Corpsman Stephen S. Pierle, held the American flag as Mark, the son of Susan L. Kline, also on the WRNMMC staff, pulled the halyard to raise it. Both watched as Old Glory unfurled beneath a wel-

coming crystal blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

As the crisp, cool breeze blew the flag and the National Anthem played over the base’s speaker system, service members and civilians stood in formation with their children in front of the historic Tower at WRNMMC to begin the 4th Annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 23.

In welcoming participants

to the base, WRNMMC Acting Director Navy Capt. Sarah L. Martin and NSAB Commanding Officer Capt. David Bitonti agreed it was a pleasure having the children at the medical center and on base for the day.

“We want this to be an educational day for everybody, but mostly we want everybody to have fun,” Bitonti said. “You’re going to be amazed by what your [parents] do every day,” he continued. “Thanks for sending them here.”

Bitonti added all service members around the globe participate in similar morning colors ceremonies every day at the same time to show their allegiance to the country.

“Thank you for making that extra special for us today,” he said to the young visitors.

Approximately 150 children, ages 7 to 14, registered for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day this year at WRNMMC, according to Army Col. (Dr.) Margret Merino, chief of pediatrics at WRNMMC and an organizer for the event.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, which coincidently occurs during Month of the Military Child, “exposes children to the many facets of [WRNMMC and NSAB], opening their eyes to the numerous opportunities within the Nation’s most prestigious mili-

tary medical center,” Merino explained.

Following the morning colors ceremony, children were divided into groups and escorted throughout the medical center and base to see professionals working in pediatric dentistry, general pediatrics, physical therapy, pediatrics subspecialties, orthopedics casting, the medical simulation center, pediatrics hematology/oncology, occupational therapy, ultrasound, pediatric sedation, allergy care and the medical simulation center, as well as fire and emergency services.

The children also participated in drill and ceremony, in addition to receiving certificates for their participation in Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day at WRNMMC. Army Master Sgt. Daniel E. Noble, senior enlisted leader for WRNMMC’s assistant chief of staff, brought his 7-yearold son Matthew to the base for the day. “He enjoys seeing the [therapy] dogs,” said the master sergeant. “He saw the ambulance and fire trucks, as well as his veins on ultrasound. He said his favorite thing was the ultrasound because he could see what was happening inside his arm.”

McKenzie Brown, 8, not only saw what her stepdad, physical

See CHILD page 8

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The Journal

NSAB’s Take Our Daughters, Sons to Work Day

Photos by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Hank Gettys

Children of service members and civilians working aboard Naval Support Activity Bethesda joined their parents at work April 24. The children toured facilities to get a ďŹ rst hand look at what their parents do and of the many different aspects of the base, and ended the day with a kickball game against their parents.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

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Nationals Players and Coaches Visit NSAB

Photos by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Hank Gettys

Players and coaches from Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals visited Naval Support Activity Bethesda April 17 to tour facilities and meet with service members and their families at the United Services Organization (USO) Warrior and Family Center on base.

Staff and Patients: This award-winning poetry book honors YOU! Frederick Foote’s Medic Against Bomb salutes our Wounded Warriors and Military Medics.

Poems About Walter Reed Bethesda and USNS COMFORT 1200-1300 MON 4 MAY: Multimedia performance and discussion, USUHS BLDG E (Lecture Hall F) 1200- 1300 THURS 7 MAY: Stages of Healing multimedia performance, America Lobby 1200-1300 FRI 8 MAY: Book sales and signing, Navy Exchange Uniform Center, Main Street BLDG 1, WRB 1100-1230 SAT 9 MAY: Book sales and signing, Main Navy Exchange, NSA/B

Available at Navy Exchanges nationwide

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See www.medicagainstbomb.com.

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CDC Director Outlines US Ebola Outbreak Response at USUHS Lecture

By Andrew Damstedt NSAB Public Affairs staff writer The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director told a a packed crowd at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) that the United States’ response to the recent Ebola outbreak is a good indicator of why the U.S. should continue its leadership role in global health security.

“Protection from diseases before they reach our borders is critically important and you can make the parallel with terrorism — we can’t stop terrorism just by working within the U.S.,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, who has been CDC Director since 2009. “And we’re going to be much more effective if we stop it at the source, than if we have to battle it here on the homeland.”

Frieden gave the annual USUHS Packard Award lecture April 15, offering an overview of last year’s Ebola outbreak as well as outlining how the U.S. can maintain its leadership role in global health security.

The Ebola outbreak started in West Africa, and hit hardest in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“Their health care system had completely shut down — all closed — and their economies were in freefall,” Frieden said. “Travel was stopping.

People were fleeing the country, and they were being denied entry to other countries.

So it was a horrific situation.”

In September, President Barack Obama increased the U.S. presence by establishing a military command center in Liberia to support civilian efforts. Department of Defense (DOD) efforts included logis-

EARTH DAY Continued from pg. 1 more info on what they can do to save the planet,.”

Environmental awareness is vital for everyone, but especially so for NSAB where 13,000 people work every day on a relatively small amount of land.

“Here at [NSAB], we are really, really constrained,” said Paul. “We are building on top of each other, we are sitting in the high-rise buildings and

Photo by Andrew Damstedt

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden speaks about the U.S. response to last year’s Ebola outbreak in West Africa to a full auditorium at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences during his April 15 lecture. tics, training, and construction of Ebola treatment units, Frieden said.

“But the biggest impact may well have been the hope that the DOD presence gave to all of the responders in Liberia,” Frieden said. “Really, it’s hard to get back to the mindset as it was at the end of August, early September, when it felt like the countries were going to be abandoned by the world and were going to just implode.”

The CDC reports that 10,736 people have died from the disease since the outbreak began in March 2014. One individual died from the disease of the four cases reported in the United States. Of the 25,907 suspected Ebola cases, 14,893 have been confirmed through

laboratory testing, according to CDC information.

An audience member asked why the CDC didn’t endorse a travel ban to those countries.

At the start of the outbreak there were a lot of calls for travel bans, Frieden said, but a travel ban would have made it difficult to get responders into the affected countries as well as more challenging to monitor travelers.

Instead, U.S.-bound travelers from the three affected West African countries had their temperature monitored when they flew out of those countries and when they arrived in the United States, he said. The CDC advised state and local health departments to monitor those travelers for

signs and symptoms of Ebola for 21 days after arriving in the U.S. Another audience member asked how the culture and health education of the rural population affected the emergency response. Frieden said the CDC sent anthropologists out with burial teams, who then provided specific recommendations. One recommendation was to have a minister and imam travel with the burial team and then see which one the family preferred to give a funeral service.

“They asked the family if they wanted the body dressed in any particular garments,” he said. “The burial team would dress the body in those garments and the family was al-

lowed to watch. The family was then allowed to proceed with the burial team to the cemetery to watch the interment from a safe distance. Before that happened, there was a lot of resistance.”

Global health security involves more than just the response to the emergency, Frieden said, suggesting that every country should have an emergency operations center with the ability to track infectious diseases before they spread widely.

“The response to an emergency when it’s successful doesn’t just address the emergency, but it puts into place systems to respond with greater resilience to the next emergency,” Frieden said.

we don’t have a lot of space, so we need to be really careful with the resources that we have while we are here, because we don’t have access to others, this is all that we have. So, being aware of that is important, and being able to take that going forward and working within our energy consumption in the spaces we have is important.”

Paul was happy with the showing at the cleanup by personnel on the installation, and hopes that participants can take some of the environmental lessons they learn here with them.

“I think that the things that everyone learns here, as you deploy and go elsewhere, you can take that message with you,” said Paul. “So just getting that awareness out there and then people being able to take it with them to other places; it’s really important for them to spread that message.”

In a statement to the region about environmental stewardship, Rear Adm. Rich reiterated the importance of Earth Day to our installations, to our communities, and to the Navy as a whole.

“The annual Earth Day

celebration in April is a perfect opportunity for you to get involved and help your command demonstrate positive stewardship practices,” said Rich. “Navy and Marine Corps commands worldwide celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and throughout the months of April and May. Earth Day activities allow commands to build relationships across command departments, with sister services and government agencies, and with the local communities where we live and work.”

Paul said she will continue to work to increase awareness

of environmental issues on the installation.

“In the future we are going to start pushing out a monthly environmental awareness promotion, so we might talk about water conservation one month, or air quality the next, something like that,” said Paul. “There are a few days that are coming up as well.

There is National Pollinators Day in June, which has a lot of really fun stuff down in DC, and then there is National Public Lands Day in the fall where we can do more volunteer-related activities.”

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NSAB One of Many ‘Pit Stops’ in Bike to Work Day

Courtesy graphic

By Andrew Damstedt NSAB Public Affairs staff writer Last year, the approximately 250 cyclists who made Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) their pit stop on Bike to Work Day had to do so in less than ideal conditions — riding in the pouring rain. But that hasn’t stopped people from signing up for this year’s event, with 65 participants already signed up a few weeks before the event.

“Last year was the worst day to ride; people basically swam to work,” Fitness Center Director Jerry Cataldo said.

Fitness Center Manager Amanda Kozay said people were drenched when they got to the NSAB pit stop. Luckily, there are shower and locker facilities at several key locations across the installation the cyclists could’ve used after that rainy commute.

“It’s an awesome event for the people who don’t normally bike to work to help them realize that it doesn’t take a whole lot to get

to this base on bike if you live nearby,” Cataldo said, noting that cyclists coming from places like Rockville and Silver Spring can avoid major highways by using the area’s many trails.

Only about 3 percent of NSAB employees bike to work on a daily basis, according to NSAB Transportation Manager Ryan Emery, and he hopes by participating in Bike to Work Day again that percentage will increase. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows more U.S. workers drive to work (86.2 percent) than ride bicycles (0.6 percent), walk (2.8 percent), or use public transportation (5 percent).

Benefits of riding a bicycle to work include increased cardiovascular fitness, helping the environment and ease of finding a parking spot on base, Kozay said.

NSAB’s pit stop will be on the helipad at Gate 2 May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. where participants can pick up food and water and those who register can get a t-shirt. Free registration is

at www.biketoworkmetrodc.org and NSAB commuters should select NSAB as their pit stop.

Emery advised participants to plan their route ahead of time, perhaps by doing a test ride the weekend before. He also suggested riding with other NSAB employees on Bike to Work Day. NSAB Safety Manager Jim Ganz encouraged people to review cycling safety tips before riding bicycles to work.

On base, Ganz said to follow the rules found in the Navy’s Traffic Safety Instruction manual, which includes riding with traffic in a single file line, wearing an approved bicycle helmet as well as dressing in brightly colored, fluorescent or reflective clothing at night. Also do not use a cell phone or headphones while riding a bicycle on base.

Helmets are required to ride a bicycle on base, Ganz said, and he recommends buying new and regularly inspecting helmets for any damage.

Ganz said bicycles need to be maintained with working brakes and reflectors to ride on

NSAB Safety Manager Jim Ganz shared bicycle safety tips for riding on and off base Bicycle Safety Tips • Obey traffic signs and signals • Ride with the flow of traffic • Keep right except when passing • Use both brakes when stopping • Keep both hands on the handlebars • Be predictable • Don’t hug the curb • Assume drivers don’t see you • Yield to pedestrians • Be alert, patient and courteous base. Other bicycle maintenance Ganz advised was to keep the chain lubricated; and regularly inspect tires, spokes, frame, cables, pedals, and other parts of the bicycle for excessive wear and tear; and replace any damaged parts.

Another reminder Ganz gave was to remember that whether one walks, bikes or drives to work, to be mindful of others even if they have done something inconvenient or potentially harmful.

“While it may feel good at

that time to vent frustrations upon another, to yell, swear or curse at, or gesticulate towards another who engaged in some transgression, this never really solves anything and often just perpetuates the stereotypes associated with these groups of people,” Ganz said. “Break the mold; take a deep breath and realize that in the long run, we accomplish more with a smile and a wave than we do with angry words, raised voices and emphatic gestures.”

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The Journal

Midshipmen Caught in Baltimore Protest Help People to Safety

By Jessica Clark, U.S. Naval Academy Public Affairs For 10 U.S. Naval Academy plebes, a recent experience showed them that even one year of military training has changed the way they approach a crisis.

Midshipmen 4th Class Madisen Grinnell, Brad Kadlubowski, Erik Sabelstrom and Harrison Yosten attended an Orioles game in Baltimore April 25, along with six of their classmates.

Getting to the city early, they stopped at a Subway down the street from Camden Yards to grab sandwiches - the same street where a group had gathered to protest the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old man who sustained fatal spinal cord injuries while in police custody earlier this month.

Some of the midshipmen were aware of the protests but didn’t give them much thought that evening.

“I’d read about it,” said Grinnell. “I didn’t realize they would be so close to Camden Yards.”

The protests began peacefully Saturday but became suddenly violent while the midshipmen were ordering their food and finding seats with approximately 10 other customers. The protesters began moving down the street, and without warning, a chair from outside hit the shop window. Another one quickly followed, breaking the glass and sending the customers into a panic.

The midshipmen helped the store manager direct people to the back of the store, away from the windows,

CHILD Continued from pg. 3 therapy technician Christopher Brown, does at work, but she got a special treat when members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots came through the WRNMMC’s Military Advanced Training Center (MATC) to visit Wounded Warriors and their families.

“She’s a straight-A student and I want to show her what she can achieve by keeping up her good grades, and this is something she’s been interested in,” said the proud stepdad. “She’s seen me treat a couple of patients [today], and I’m happy I got to do it.”

McKenzie said the most enjoyable

forming a loose barrier between the civilian customers and the protesters who continued to pelt the windows with rocks as they moved down the street.

“The plebes were the last to seek safety and only did so after they made sure all others were safely away from the windows,” wrote Robert Oshinsky, one of the Subway customers, in an e-mail to academy officials. “My wife and children were scared but I believe a little less so as a result of the actions of the plebes.”

The midshipmen said they just did what needed to be done.

“I don’t think it occurred to any of us that we were doing anything special,” said Sabelstrom. “It would not be cool if a group of midshipmen were the farthest in the back.”

Grinnell had a similar thought. She heard someone directing women and children to the back, but she stayed in front with her classmates.

“You’re in the military,” she told herself. “You should be in front.”

“We shouldn’t be in the back of any kind of group. We’re in uniform,” said Sabelstrom.

Would they have reacted the same way a year ago?

“Probably not,” said Kadlubowski.

No one in the store was injured during the incident. The protesters continued down the street and after a few minutes, the midshipmen left and made their way to Camden Yards for the baseball game. After learning the protesters were expected to return at the end of the game, they left in the 8th inning to return to the Naval Academy.

part of her day was “seeing the flag being raised.”

Dennis Shanta, a registered nurse in the Pediatrics Department at WRNMMC, brought his daughter Deven, 7, to the day’s event. “[She’s] been very interested lately in what Soldiers do, and thanking them for all of their hard work; she’s also interested in doing something in the health-care field someday.”

Gabriella Rose Escobar, 7, came to work with her mother, Geolie Rose Escobar, of the WRNMMC Command Group. “I want her to experience what we do [for] our Wounded Warriors and have a great time,” said Geolie. The personable Gabriella said she was looking forward to seeing her “heroes — the Wounded Warriors.”

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

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Month of the Military Child: Little Warrior Fights Cancer

By Sharon Renee Taylor WRNMMC Public Affairs staff writer “Michael is no ordinary 6-year-old.

He is a superman,” Sandi Erlandson said about her middle child, now 7.

After trouble breathing during a break in a May 2014 soccer game, his parents, Army Maj. Michael and Sandi Erlandson, took their son to Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia.

“It’s cancer,” they were told after a series of tests, and Michael was quickly transferred to the pediatric hematology/oncology unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), the home of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center, the Department of Defense’s only Center of Excellence in Cancer Care. At WRNMMC, a team of eight pediatric oncologists, radiologists, nurses and social workers have helped the little warrior and his family in their fight against T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, also known as T-cell ALL. “Most people with Michael’s type of cancer are young adults,” Sandi wrote in the blog she began when he was first diagnosed to chronicle her son’s battle against cancer. She called him her ‘fighter angel.’

For nearly a year, Michael and his family have experienced rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, check-ups, antinausea medicine, peripherally inserted central catheters and removals, IVs, lumbar punctures, CT scans, X-rays, and a host of nighttime visits to the emergency room and inpatient stays.

“Cancer doesn’t care if it’s your birthday or Christmas,” Sandi said.

Santa visited the family at the medical center — so did the tooth fairy.

Michael’s older sister’s birthday and his own birthday were both spent at WRNMMC. Laughter and humor come naturally for the Erlandsons. When asked how he felt about cancer, Michael said, “Cancer sucks.” When asked why, he lifted the rim of his baseball cap and pointed to the pale naked skin underneath. He is expected to complete his treatment in May 2017.“This is a family journey,” Sandi explained. “In some ways our other two kids are suffering in so many ways as well, but they are also learning so many life lessons that I wish they didn’t have to learn Photo by MC1 Christopher Krucke this early. I know [what they learn] “Michael is no ordinary 6-year-old, he is a superman,” Sandi Erlandwill help them so much as they grow son said about her son, now 7.

Michael was diagnosed with T-cell up — perspective, what’s really im-

See CANCER page 10

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, May 2014.

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Seeking Suggestions from E-7 and above on Future of Navy and Marine Corps Officers

By Naval Service Training Command Public Affairs Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) will use crowd-sourcing to receive ideas and suggestions from the entire Navy Officer Corps and Chief ’s Mess regarding the core competencies of our future Navy and Marine Corps officers, April 27- May 7.

NSTC and USNA will launch the crowd-sourcing interactive website, MMOWGLI, which stands for “Massive Multi-player Online Wargame Leveraging the Internet,” as a tool and initiative to seek input that will impact the future of the naval officer corps.

The portal will be open from April 27th through May 7th for all officers and senior enlisted from every community to contribute at https://portal. mmowgli.nps.edu/pcc.

The crowdsourcing site is an Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) product and has been utilized on over a dozen different projects to utilize input from U.S. Navy by Scott Thornbloom a large community of people to generLt. Daniel Golde, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) train- ate ideas and proposed solutions to ing and readiness officer, checks out a new website being launched large complex problems. Past games

by NSTC and the U.S. Naval Academy. The crowd-sourcing website include Piracy, Energy, and Electrois designed to get fleet feedback on the common core curriculum magnetic Maneuver. for all naval officer accession commands.

NSTC and USNA will obtain fleet

CANCER Continued from pg. 9

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portant, and how wonderful it to see your brother after not seeing him for a week while he was in the hospital.”

“I hope this journey that we are on will keep them all so close as they grow up, knowing what they have come through,” she said of Michael’s older sister Carlie and younger brother Gabriel.

Girls with leukemia undergo treatment for two years. Boys with the same cancer are treated for three years in order to help prevent testicular cancer, explained Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Thomas Newton, chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at WRNMMC. Leukemias are the most commonly diagnosed cancers and leading cause of death in children aged 0-19 years, according to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Army Col. (Dr.) Craig D. Shriver is a surgical oncologist and director of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center (MCC), a tri-service center. He called the MCC the epicenter where all the experts are, like the pediatric oncology section, where you have the capabilities, the support services, and longterm family housing.

A different treatment is given to children than adults with the same cancer, and children are so much more

inputs from the officer and senior enlisted community throughout the Navy in a manner that will generate a comprehensive set of recommendations that will assist in validating and/or revising the Professional Core Competencies (PCC) Manual.

Professional Core Competencies set the professional development curriculum at every officer accession command.

The game allows players to choose core competencies, identify ideas of concern or revision and elaborate on them for refinement.

There is no time commitment required for gameplay and your submissions will be anonymous. The game will be open 24-hours a day during the open period.

This is an opportunity for everyone from senior enlisted and junior officers to command master chiefs and commanding officers to have an impact on the common core curriculum for the officers who are leading Sailors and contributing to the mission of the Navy.

For more information about the game please visit the portal and log in https://portal.mmowgli.nps.edu/pcc.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy. mil/local/greatlakes/.

responsive, resilient and have a greater survival rate than adults, according to Newton.

It’s also important to just be aware because people have misconceptions about childhood cancer therapy, Newton said. “Most people think all children diagnosed with childhood cancer will die. And that’s not true. About four out of five children that come in with a cancer diagnosis will be longtime survivors. People also need to know that children and their families go through lots of challenges and we have to support them not only medically but psychologically, spiritually, and nutritionally as a whole package.

We’re prepared to do that here. Cancer needs to be approached as a multidisciplinary team.”

With the support of their extended family, church, community, their ever-strengthening faith, and their WRNMMC pediatric oncology team, the Erlandson family supports their little warrior in his fight against cancer.

“We love the care Michael has received at WRNMMC, more specifically the people that have provided the care, both on the ward and in the clinic,” Sandi explained, naming nurses, doctors, and specialty departments. “It is a total team effort; if and when we [have a Permanent Change of Station], Michael has made a list of docs, nurses and social workers that he would like to take with him. They have become like family.”

The Journal

Thursday, April 30, 2015

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Journal

2014 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Sport Utility

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