journal 081513

Vol. 25 No. 31 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ August 15, 2013

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd ClassJohn K. Hamilton

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

The Warrior TransitionBrigade (WTB) onboard Na-val Support Activity Bethes-da (NSAB) can act as a step-ping stone for wounded, illor injured Soldiers, provid-ing them with a new direc-tion in the next chapter oftheir lives.“The mission of the WTB

is to heal, educate and tran-sition wounded, ill and in-jured Soldiers back to theforce, meaning back to theArmy, or prepare them toserve as productive veter-ans, meaning going back toAmerican civilian society,”said WTB Commander ArmyCol. Michelle Fraley.The mission of the WTB

can be broken down intothree parts.“Healing is the primary

piece of what Walter ReedNational Military MedicalCenter provides, whether itis specialty care or pharma-ceutical care,” said Fraley.“Although we are not theones that are doing the heal-ing, we have nurse case man-agers, social workers and oc-cupational therapists herethat basically reinforce thehospital’s care plan that hasbeen set up for our wounded,ill and injured Soldiers.“Secondly is the educat-

ing piece. In many cases,the Soldier that returnedto the Army can sometimesnot return to their originalmilitary occupational skill,”Fraley added. “For example,if we look at an infantrymanwho came here, the nature oftheir injuries could still al-low them to be in the Army,however not as an infantry-man, but maybe they need tobecome a signal Soldier. Sothe education piece has dif-ferent facets to it. We edu-

cate a Soldier based on theirnew capabilities and limita-tions due to their injuries,but we also educate themfrom the standpoint of newskills so that they can findwhat they want to do whenthey grow up. We owe it tothem to expose them to oth-er things, educate them andgive them skills in other ar-eas so that they can becomecompetitive in either comingback to the Army or return-ing back to society.”Fraley said the final piece

is transition and added thatit is important for the WTBto have a solid transitionplan, so when they go backto society, if they’re medical-ly retired, they can receivethe appropriate care and can

continue with their care asthey become veterans.In the WTB, a Soldier’s

family may be an integralpart of the rehabilitationprocess.“Here at Bethesda where

we have the most complexcases, we have a number offamily members: parents,in some instances spouses,relatives or even a friendthat we put on orders as anon-medical attendant,” saidFraley. “The non-medical at-tendant basically helps thewounded, ill or injured Sol-dier with activities of dailyliving such as: eating, show-ering, dressing or shaving– those basic things that wetake for granted. In someinstances we have family

members that we bring on-board because some of theSoldiers need help psycho-logically, and family mem-bers do a lot better at rein-forcing whatever treatmentthe Soldier is receiving.”There are approximately

600 wounded, ill or injuredSoldiers on active duty, inthe reserves or the NationalGuard currently receivingassistance from the WTB.Fraley said her job as com-mander of the WTB is veryrewarding and offers an op-portunity seldom seen in theArmy or the American soci-ety as a whole.“Despite that I have been

in the Army for 29 yearsand I’ve had five other com-mands, this command is

unique in the sense that youreally get to impact peoples’lives on a daily basis,” saidFraley. “Here you’re basi-cally impacting their futurefrom the standpoint of shap-ing what they are going tobe doing tomorrow. Whenyou’re in a regular Armyunit, you’re very focused onprofessional development.This job gives you the oppor-tunity to impact people on amore personal level.”Sgt. Sean Karpf, former

infantryman, has been re-ceiving assistance from theWTB for the past 14 monthssince his injury on activeduty left him with a belowthe knee amputation after

WTB Prepares Wounded, Ill and Injured Soldiers for Their Next Steps in Life

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John K. Hamilton

Wounded warriors participate in the swimming portion of the Warrior Games selection trials in Building 17’sfitness center pool onboard Naval Support Activity Bethesda. The Warrior Games is one of many sportingevents that wounded, ill and injured Soldiers have the opportunity to participate in as part of their rehabilitation.

See TRANSITION page 10

2 Thursday, August 15, 2013 The Journal

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, a pri-vate firm in no way connectedwith the U.S. Navy, under ex-clusive written contract with theWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center, Bethesda, Md.This commercial enterprise news-paper is an authorized publication formembers of the military services. Contentsof The Journal are not necessarily the of-ficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S.Government, the Department of Defense,or the Department of Navy. The appearanceof advertising in this publication, includinginserts or supplements, does not constituteendorsement by the Department of De-fense or Comprint, Inc., of the products orservices advertised. Everything advertisedin this publication shall be made availablefor purchase, use or patronage without re-

gard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, maritalstatus, physical handicap,political affiliation, or anyother non-merit factor of thepurchaser, user, or patron.Editorial content is edited,prepared and provided bythe Public Affairs Office, Naval

Support Activity Bethesda, Md.News copy should be submitted to

the Public Affairs Office, Building 11, lowerlevel, Room 41, by noon one week pre-ceding the desired publication date. Newsitems are welcomed from all installationsources. Inquiries about news copy will beanswered by calling 301-295-1803. Com-mercial advertising should be placed withthe publisher by telephoning 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed by call-ing 301-670-1700.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) BethesdaCommanding Officer: Capt. Frederick (Fritz) KassPublic Affairs Officer NSAB: Joseph MacriPublic Affairs Office NSAB: 301-295-1803

Journal StaffStaff Writers MC2 John Hamilton

MASNApril BeazerSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorCat DeBinderRyan Hunter

Managing Editor MC2 Nathan Parde

NSAB Editor MC3BrandonWilliams-ChurchWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

Walter Reed National Military Medical CenterOffice of Media Relations 301-295-5727Fleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087

WRNMMC OmbudsmanJulie Bondar 443-854-5167NSAB OmbudsmanJojo Lim Hector 703-901-6730Michelle Herrera 240-370-5421

SARC 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-Reed-National-Military-Medical-Center/295857217111107

Uniformed Services University of the HealthSciences page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uni-formed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

DAISY Award CeremonyThe quarterly DAISY ceremony will be held

today at 10 a.m. in Memorial Auditorium. Formore information, call Christina Ferguson at301-319-4148, or Joan Loepker-Duncan at 301-319-4617.

Suicide Intervention TrainingA two-day Applied Suicide Intervention

Skills Training (ASIST) will be Aug. 20-21 from8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the Bethesda Fleetand Family Support Center (Building 11, Rm.16). Pre-registration and participation in bothdays of the training are required. The trainingis open to all. For more information, contactChaplain (Maj.) Denise Hagler at 301-295-1510 ([email protected], or ReligiousProgram Specialist 3rd Class John Leizinger at301-319-4706 ([email protected]).

Women’s Equality DayWalter Reed Bethesda staff members and the

Army Band “Downrange” will perform Aug. 29from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the AmericaBuilding Atrium (piano area) in celebration ofWomen’s Equality Day. There will also be freefood available for sampling and everyone isinvited to attend. For more information, callSgt. 1st Class Jason Zielske at 301-400-3542 orChief Hospital Corpsman Oluyinka Adefisan at301-295-6482.

DiLorenzo Clinic PharmacyThe DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic-Pen-

tagon (DTHC), is closed daily from noon to 1p.m. Patients may process their prescriptionsonline by visiting the Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center pharmacy refill page,or calling 1-800-377-1723 (refills for all Armyand Navy sites, press 2 for Army, 3 for Vir-ginia, and 5 for the Pentagon Clinic options);240-857-7978 (11th Medical Group, Bolling AirForce Base, D.C.); 240-857-4893 (Malcolm GrowMedical Clinic, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.);703-697-1188 (Flight Medicine Clinic, Penta-gon, D.C.). For more information, visit www.dthc.capmed.mil, or the DTHC facebook page.

Bethesda Notebook

King Solomon, theecclesiastical writerproclaimed, “There isa time for everything,and a season for ev-ery activity under theheavens.” When pon-dering this passage,the word “season”tends to dominate mythoughts. The king’spriestly declarationbrings to mind thetime of year known assummer. According to meteorolo-gists, summer lasts for the monthsof June, July and August. Thismeteorological definition of sum-mer aligns with the notion that itis commonly viewed as the seasonwith the warmest days of the yearin which daylight predominates.During the summer months,

days are longer and the nights areshorter. Children sit on the edgeof their seats eagerly awaiting thesound of the bell to ring for the lasttime of the school year. Parents fi-nalize plans for the family’s annualvacation. Generations plan to cometogether for their long awaitedfamily reunion. The delight of uni-ty over the dinner table is enoughto shorten the distance of relativesroving over thousands of miles.Churches and corporations holdtheir yearly picnic at the park. Thesmell of barbeque and fresh cutfruit makes the gathering with co-workers meaningful every twelvemonths. Beaches are swarmedwith care-free swimmers and sun-bathers as the lifeguards keep

watch. Amusementparks are crowded dayin and day out. The in-terstates are well trav-eled from sun up tosun down. This is justa mere glimpse of thejoyful season referredto as summer. It’s theseason which tends tobring out the kid in allof us. Bestselling au-thor Mitch Albom putsit all in perspective,

“Go ahead, kids. Lie in the grass.Study the clouds. Daydream. Belazy. You have our permission.”I believe what Albom is trying to

say is that summer, much like cer-tain stages of our lives, passes byquickly. We often get so caught upin the things we are supposed toenjoy that we forget to slow downand take the time to enjoy them.As this gleeful season prepares tocome to an end and we return toreturn to normalcy (school, home-work, regular work schedules), Iurge you not to let it pass with-out slowing down and consideringwhat’s important to you. Whetherit’s from the vantage point of KingSolomon or the witty outlook ofMitch Albom, all of mankind is justlike the changing of the seasons.Mid-summer is the perfect time toprepare for what’s to come in thefall.

Chaplain (Lt.)Valerie EichelbergerNSAB Command Chaplain

Chaplain’s Corner:The Joys of Summer

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Journal

staff writer

The challenges of caring forwounded warriors and traumaacute care at theNation’sMedi-cal Center, was the focus of thesecond Nursing Grand Rounds(NGR) atWalter ReedBethesdaon Aug. 6.

The NGRs give Walter ReedBethesda nurses and other pro-viders a forum to share clinicalexpertise and the best of nurs-ing practice system-wide.Nurs-es and providers may gain newknowledge, learn new skills orimprove current skills throughscholarly presentations atNGRs.

Carolyn Craig, performanceimprovement (PI) coordinatorfor trauma acute care services(TACS) at Walter Reed Bethes-da, served with the 86th Com-bat Support Hospital in Kuwaitand Iraq in 2003 before retiringfrom the Army. She was thefirst presenter at last week’sNGR.

“We now have a very sophis-ticated system of combat care,both in the theater of operationand in our fixed facilities in thestates,” said Craig, a registeredand certified operating roomnurse. She added Veterans Af-fairs Polytrauma Rehabilita-tion Centers support the mili-

tary health care system as well.“Nurses are making a differ-ence in patients’ recoveries inso many ways,” she continued.

Craig explained WalterReed Bethesda is part of theJoint Theater Trauma System(JTTS), and has a commitment“that every Soldier, Marine,Sailor orAirman injured on anybattlefield or in any theater ofoperations, has the optimalchance for survival and maxi-mal potential for functional re-covery.”

The JTTS is “one hospitalsystem over three continents,”Craig continued. The JTTSincludes a continuum of carewhich treats warriors from thebattlefield and battalion aid sta-tion to forward surgical teamswithin one hour of their injuries(casualty evacuation); to theexpeditionary medical facility,combat support hospital or AirForce theater hospital within24 hours or less (intra-theateraeromedical evacuation); toLevel 4 definitive care (inter-theater aeromedical evacua-tion) within 24 to 72 hours; tomedical evacuation to the conti-nental United States for Level 5care, transitioning to post acutecare in the VA system.

The Department of Defensehas a trauma registry to docu-ment information about the de-mographics, injury-producing

incident, diagnosis and treat-ment and outcome of injuriesfrom the point of injury throughrehabilitation, Craig added.“[The registry] generates ac-tionable medical informationleading to advancement intrauma care,” she said.

According to Craig, thereare a number of initiatives toenhance trauma care in both

JTTS as well as Walter ReedBethesda. Craig said those ini-tiatives include constant reviewand update of clinical practicesbased on data analysis, individ-ual patient case reviews and in-theater performance improve-ment projects, all underway.

Also to improve care, Lt.Cmdr. Jesus Crespo-Diaz, aclinical nurse specialist at Wal-

ter Reed Bethesda, discussedmethods to reduce CatheterAssociated UrinaryTract Infec-tions (CAUTIs).

To eliminate distractionsnurses and care providers mayencounter during patient careandmedication administration,clinical nurse specialistMannie

The Journal Thursday, August 15, 2013 3

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd Class

Nathan PardeNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

With the 2013-2014 schoolyear rapidly approaching, fam-ilies only have a few weeks leftto prepare for their students’return to school. Naval Sup-port Activity Bethesda’s schoolliaison officer (SLO), HoraceFranklin, is here to help makethe transition easier for mili-tary families.“I try to level the playing

field, in a sense, for a militarychild,” said Franklin. “I assistmilitary families with their in-tegration into theMontgomeryCounty educational system.”The SLO’s primary function

is to provide transition supportto families within the Depart-ment of Defense who haveschool-age children. The SLOacts as the focal point of con-tact between the installationcommander, parents, the localschool administration and thecommunity at large.“Being a former principle,

I’m very familiar with the edu-cational system, the require-ments to register for certainprograms and what peopleare looking for,” said Frank-lin. “I can help a parent locateresources that are in the areaand discuss different after-school programs and childcareissues – I try to point them inright direction.”Franklin said one of the big-

gest challenges that militaryparents face is relocating andhaving to change school dis-tricts when they are issuednew orders approximately ev-ery three years.“One of the most difficult

things is establishing rela-tionships with friends andthen having to relocate,” saidFranklin. “The location thatthe family is moving to mayhave different course require-ments than the state or loca-tion that they came from. So,I help parents to know theirrights and what they can dowhen moving from state tostate or country to country tomake the transition easier forstudents.”NSAB Fleet and Family

Relocation Specialist Freder-ick Sherris works in the sameoffice as Dunham and retiredfrom the Navy as a commandmaster chief. He shared thatin the past, when he wouldreceive a new set of orders, hewould be able to tell his wifewhere he was heading, but notabout the education systemthere. The Navy created theSLO position to fill in that gapfor service members in similarsituations, said Sherris.“The School Liaison Officer

Program started in 2009 andI think it is one of the bestinitiatives that the Navy hascome up with,” said Sherris.“They now recognize the needto support an active duty ser-vice member’s family as muchas the actual service member.”As families and students

prepare for the upcomingschool year, Franklin had sev-eral tips to share.“Back-to-school nights are

usually held for all grade lev-els – not just elementary, butalso in middle school and highschool,” he said. “It’s also agood idea to walk (or drive)the route that the student will

take to the bus stop or intoschool in the morning.”And as students return

to school, it’s important toget back into a routine, saidFranklin.“Start by taking the TV

back,” he said. “It’s importantto get back on a routine now,going to bed earlier and moni-toring the amount of TV timethat the student has. It’s alsoa good idea to have an hour ortwo of homework time, or timeset aside without distractions.I call it an anti-technologytime.”One of the questions he is

frequently asked is what docu-ments are needed to registerfor a school, said Franklin.“One of the biggest things is

to make sure that your child’simmunizations are up-to-date,” he said. “Also, have yourchild’s birth certificate and re-port card that shows that theypassed the last grade and therequirements to move to thenext grade level.”Franklin also had advice

for students as they return toschool.“First impressions are key,”

he said. “You want to start theschool year on the right foot,doing the right things, be-cause that sets the tone for theschool year.“Also, I recommend for stu-

dents to get involved in extra-curricular activities, so theyare connected to the school.Middle school and high schoolcan be one of the most excit-ing times of your life, if you letit be. Whether sports, band,a language or drama club …get involved with somethingthat you like to do. It makesthe schooling experience thatmuch more exciting.”The school year for Mont-

gomery County studentsstarts Monday, August 26. Asthis date approaches, Frank-lin, who works with Sherristo support transferring ser-vice members, said he is readyand willing to assist with anyschool-related issues or ques-tions that service membersmight have.For more information, con-

tact Franklin by email at [email protected] orat 301-295-7849.

School Liaison Officer Assists with Student’s Educational Needs

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Cmdr. (Dr.) Carlos Rodriguez (second from right), trauma medical director atWalter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), briefs Rear Adm.(Dr.) Alton L. Stocks (fourth from right), WRNMMC commander, about the ar-rival of patients to the Nation’s Medical Center from Landstuhl Regional Medi-cal Center (LRMC) in Germany. As part of the Joint Theater Trauma System,WRNMMC receives wounded warriors from LRMC or theaters of operation assoon as 72 hours after injury.

Nursing Grand Rounds Focus on Trauma Acute Care

See GRAND page 8

By SharonRenee Taylor

WRNMMC Journalstaff writer

Emergency first re-sponders and medics atWalter Reed Bethesdaencourage patientswith allergies, specialneeds, internal medi-cal devices or certainmedications to weara medical identifica-tion tag. The month ofAugust is designatedMedic Alert AwarenessMonth to educate andbring attention to theselife-saving tools.

“The medical ID[alert] speaks for youwhen you cannot speakfor yourself,” explainedDistrict Fire Chief JohnGray of Naval SupportActivity Bethesda Fireand Emergency Ser-

vice. “They are yourvoice.”

Worn as a bracelet,necklace or on clothing,a medical identificationtag will tell first re-sponders that the indi-vidual wearing the taghas a medical conditionthat may need imme-diate attention. Un-consciousness, shock,delirium, hysteria,and loss of speech mayprevent a person fromcommunicating vitalinformation in medicalemergencies.

“It’s less of a guess-ing game when you’redealing with medicalID bracelets because itcan point to the prob-lem immediately,” saidGray.

Available for pur-chase at drug stores,pharmacies, and otherretail outlets, medical

identification alerts canbe found as a charm ona bracelet, necklacependant, or a simplesilver band with a redemblem that draws

the attention of para-medics, physician, oremergency departmentpersonnel of a medicalcondition, allergies orcertain drugs to help a

person get the medicalattention and aid thatthey need. Within themilitary community,

the issuance of a reddog tag, or identifica-tion tag, indicates an


The metal medical alert bracelet worn byGreta Patten, a Red Cross volunteer at Wal-ter Reed Bethesda, appears unassuming,more like a watch at first, but she explainedit contains vital information for emergencymedical personnel. Photos by Sharon Renee Taylor

Greta Patten has worn her medical alertbracelet for nearly 23 years.

August: Medic Alert Awareness MonthMedical Tags,Bracelets Important

See ALERT page 10

01040366

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Journal

staff writer

“I grew up with theworld’s worse diet,”said Dr. Neal Barnard.“Every day of my life inFargo [N.D.] was roastbeef, baked potatoesand corn, except for spe-cial occasions when itwas roast beef, bakedpotatoes and peas,” saidthe son of cattle ranch-ers and physicians.Barnard, a clinical

researcher, author, ad-junct associate professorof medicine at GeorgeWashington School ofMedicine and foundingpresident of the Physi-cians Committee for Re-sponsible Medicine, wasguest speaker at theWalter Reed Bethesda’sUs Too Prostate CancerSupport Group’s quar-terly meeting on Aug. 1.“About the time I

finished my residency,I quit smoking andchanged my diet, try-ing to make up for losttime,” Barnard said.The physician and

health advocate hasdiscussed health issueson documentaries, na-tional news and talkprograms, in additionto hosting three PBSprograms about healthyeating.During his presen-

tation at Walter ReedNational Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC),Barnard addressed nu-trition for cancer pre-vention and survival.“When we look at how

foods can affect cancer,one of the first tools weuse is population stud-ies,” Barnard explained.“We don’t ask peopleto do anything, we justtrack what people areeating, choices they aremaking, and see whatpatterns emerge.”Barnard discussed

a Physicians’ HealthStudy (Harvard, 2001)which showed a highcalcium intake, mainlyfrom milk and otherdairy products, may in-crease prostate cancerrisk by increasing insu-lin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1). He explainedIGF-1 in the blood pro-

motes growth and whilethe rise in IGF-1 levelis an important reasonfor the bone-buildingeffects of cow’s milk, itmay also promote un-desirable growth of can-cers.“The second thing

that happens, and thisis peculiar, is milk sup-presses the actions ofVitamin D,” Barnardsaid. “There is a cancer-preventive effect of Vi-tamin D milk interfereswith,” he explained.Vitamin D’s natural

source is sunlight onthe skin, Barnard con-tinued. “The prostate isgoing to benefit from ahigher level of VitaminD, [which] suppressesprostate cancer.”“Vegetarians have

lower levels of IGF-1,and people who are ona plant-based diet haveslightly lower levels ofIGF-1,” Barnard added.He said Asian and Afri-can countries and otherregions where tradi-tional staples of dietsare various kinds of le-gumes and grains tendto have lower cancerrates.AsWesternizationinfluence takes awaythose [dietary practic-es], cancer rates go up,the doctor said.Barnard added sev-

eral heterocyclic aminesare likely to be carcino-genic to people becauseof the way meats, in-cluding beef, pork, fishand poultry, are cooked,using high temperature

methods such as panfrying or grilling direct-ly over an open flame.Also, he explained theAmerican Institute ofCancer Research, in itspublication, “Food, Nu-trition, Physical Activ-ity and the Preventionof Cancer: A Global Per-spective,” also expressedconcern with processedmeats such as bacon,sausage, ham, hot dogsand deli meats linkedto cancer. The strongestlink is with colorectalcancer, but many otherforms of cancers mayalso be linked to theconsumption of pro-cessed meats.Lycopene, which

gives tomatoes, water-melons and grapefruittheir reddish pigmentand are “a cousin” ofthe beta carotene foundin carrots, which givesthem their orange color,is “a powerful antitoxin[and] cancer preventer,”Barnard said. He citedanother Harvard studywhich showed men whoate tomato sauce, “justtwo servings per week,”cut their prostate cancerrisk by about a quarter.“If they got more thanthat, it could cut theirrisk by a third or evenmore.”In discussing women,

breast cancer and nu-trition, Barnard said awoman with a diet lowin fiber and high in fat,and has more estrogen,is at a higher risk fordeveloping cancer. But if

she does “a little bit of adiet change, she will geta little bit of result.”He also encouraged

people to maintain aconsistent exercise re-gime.The nutrition re-

searcher said a healthydiet should includefruits, grains, legumesand vegetables. “Thereare plenty of proteins inbeans, grains and vege-tables.” He added whenpeople follow a plant-base diet, they can pos-sibly benefit by losingweight, lowering theircholesterol levels, feel-ing better and surviv-ing cancer. “All of theseare reason why I wantto stick with it.”“I thought Dr. Bar-

nard’s presentation wasoutstanding in everyway,” said Jim L. Col-lins, a prostate cancersurvivor who attendedthe meeting. “His mes-sages were clear andunderstandable and hishumor was timely andwell placed. It left mewith a lot more infor-mation than I had everbeen exposed to on theconcept of being a veg-an.”Vin McDonald, also

a prostate cancer sur-vivor and member ofthe WRNMMC Us TOOProstate Cancer Sup-port Group, agreed Bar-nard’s presentation wasbeneficial.“He made his case for

alternative medicine bypresenting evidence-

based studies that hediscussed convincingly,”said McDonald, whounderwent a radicalprostatectomy at Wal-ter Reed Army Medi-cal Center in February1998.“I was especially

impressed by his con-viction that a holisticapproach to overallwellness, for example,nutrition, exercise, andhealthy lifestyle, is the‘primary therapy,’ andthat surgery, radiationtherapy, and the like,are the actual ‘alterna-tive therapies,’” Bar-nard added.Approximately 60

people attended theevent at Walter ReedBethesda, and it wasalso video teleconfer-enced at Fort Belvoir

Community Hospitalfor attendees, said re-tired Col. Jane Hudak,patient educator forthe Center for ProstateDisease Research atWRNMMC.The Walter Reed

Bethesda ProstateCancer Support Groupmeets the third Thurs-day of the month at 1and 6:30 p.m. in Amer-ica Building, River Con-ference Room, adjacentto the Prostate CancerCenter. The group’s nextmeeting is today. Formore information, con-tact retired Col. JaneHudak at 301-319-2918or [email protected].


Doctor, Health Advocate Discusses Healthy Eating for SurvivalNutrition for Cancer Prevention

Photo courtesy of Jane Hudak

Dr. Neal Barnard discusses nutrition for cancer prevention and sur-vival during the Walter Reed Bethesda Us TOO Prostate CancerSupport Group’s quarterly meeting on Aug. 1.

01040214

Takoma Park, MD - Takoma Academy

AUGUST 15-18

By Kristin EllisFort Belvoir

Community HospitalPublic Affairs Office

Fort Belvoir Commu-nity Hospital (FBCH)and Walter Reed Na-tional Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC) areidentifying new and in-novative ways to deliv-er healthcare trainingto America’s military.In an effort to ef-

ficiently deliver edu-cational content andcourses to medical pro-fessionals, the TraumaNursing Core Course(TNCC) is now offeredthrough video telecon-ference between thetwo military treatmentfacilities. This courseis being developedas a best practice forthe military to ensureknowledgeable and

highly-trained medicalprofessionals are avail-able.Pursuing continu-

ing education coursesthrough video telecon-ferencing (VTC) is alsowrought with possiblebudgetary savings, ac-cording to FBCH andWRNMMC officials.Medical facilities canmaintain skill and com-petency levels withouttravel costs and otherassociated expenses,they added“We started plan-

ning this VTC as a dif-ferent medium to getthe information to ourstudents,” said RobertLane, continuing edu-cation program direc-tor at Belvoir hospital.“By offering the classhere, we have ampleparking and educationspace which can poten-tially help decompress

parking and classroomspace [at WRNMMC].”Beginning last fall,

the Emergency NursesAssociation made apolicy change, allow-ing video teleconfer-encing of the TNCCcourse. Lane and hisWRNMMC counter-part, Lt. Cmdr. LinnaWalz, assistant servicechief staff and facultydevelopment, decidedto pool resources anddivide the 14 courselectures to reach themaximum amount ofstudents.Walter Reed Bethes-

da sent volunteer in-structors and facultyto support the first in-structor and providercourses held at FBCHin April.“We anticipate all

TNCC courses will bevideo teleconferencedbetweenWRNMMC and

Belvoir hospital for thenext fiscal year,” Walzsaid. “VTCing the pro-

gram will really open uppossibilities for smallerhospitals or reserve cen-

ters who can’t sustain aprogram site without in-structor support.”

By MassCommunication

Specialist 2nd ClassNathan Parde

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

Over the next fewweeks, Naval SupportActivity Bethesda isconducting a food drivefor children and fami-lies in need this sum-mer.“The ‘Feds Feed

Families’ campaign isa voluntary effort un-dertaken by Federalemployees to bring non-perishable food itemsto their offices for dis-tribution to local foodbanks,” said Deputy De-fense Secretary AshtonB. Carter at the start ofthe summer campaign.The campaign has

received a lot of sup-port in previous years,he added.“The 2012 food drive

was overwhelminglysuccessful,” said Carter.“Food donations acrossthe federal governmenttotaled 7.3 millionpounds of food items.The Department of De-fense (DOD) alone con-tributed more than 2.1

million pounds of food,significantly exceedingits goal of 1.5 millionpounds. [This year,] weonce again will expandthe DOD effort to anation-wide campaign,donating to food banksacross the country.”This is the third year

that the base is partici-pating in the food drive,said Religious ProgramSpecialist 3rd ClassJohn Leitzinger of theNSAB Pastoral CareDepartment, who is thepoint of contact for thebase food drive.“In the National Cap-

ital Region, food will bedonated to the CapitalArea Food Bank, whichserves more than 700food pantries and soupkitchens in the localarea,” said Leitzinger.According to the Cap-

ital Area Food Bank’swebsite, there are641,000 residents inthe Washington metroarea who are at risk ofhunger, and the sum-mer is one of the great-est times of need. Thissummer also presentsadditional challengesfor families affectedby the furlough, saidLeitzinger.“Millions of Ameri-

cans struggle with hun-ger on a daily basis,”he said, adding thatany food donations willhelp meet that need.“The cost of a can offood or two is trivial …and if everyone were todonate just one can, itwould make a world ofdifference to those inneed.”When considering

what items to give, it

is best to stick to non-perishable items, saidLeitzinger.“The most needed

items include cannedvegetables (low sodi-um or no salt), cannedfruits, canned meats(like tuna, salmon,chicken), peanut but-ter, soups, condiments,snacks, multi-grained

cereals, 100 percentjuice, paper products,household items, andhygiene items like dia-pers, deodorants, toiletpaper and tissues.”Donation boxes have

been placed by the en-trance of Building 11,17, 50, 60, 61, and 62,as well as four boxesat the Navy Exchange.

The last donations forthe NSAB food drivewill be taken on August28, said Leitzinger.“Give as much as you

can,” he said. “Anythingthat you are able togive will help.”For more information

about the food drive,contact Leitzinger at301-319-4706.


Federal Food Drive Provides an Opportunity to Help Those in Need

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Parde

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Koffi Dussey, Culinary Specialist 2ndClass Joshua Foye and Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Stephanie Coo-per each donated items to the ‘Feds Feed Families’ food drive atNaval Support Activity Bethesda recently.

Photo by Hospitalman Katelin Doran

Fort Belvoir Community Hospital staff participates in the TraumaNursing Course through video teleconference with Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center. Belvoir hospital medical person-nel get hands-on training with a mannequin Aug. 1.

Trauma Nursing Core Training, Joint Effort Between Hospitals

By Ryan Hunter NSABPublic Affairs staff

writer

In room 14 of build-ing 11, the Introductionto Computer Technologycourse of the WoundedWarrior Project Transi-tion Training Academyprogram is held by Tech-nical Trainer Robert KWatson.

The course preparesSoldiers and caregiversfor life after service byoffering free computertraining to those eligible.“By the time [my stu-dents] leave, they can goin the world and get a jobas a help desk technicianor a network administra-tor on the ground level,”saysWatson.

The program is primar-ily for wounded warriors,but caregivers; wounded,ill or injured active dutymembers; and veteranswho left the military after2001 are eligible to apply.This also includes activeservice members who didnot sustain battlefieldinjury. “If you were doingexercise in the morning,

twisted your ankle, wentto sick hall and had some-thing placed in yourmedi-cal record, you may be eli-gible,” explained Watson.“Almost no one has everbeen turned away.”

Watson’s class has a di-verse student body, fromcaregivers 19 years old, toservice members 68 yearsand older, with varyingskills in computer profi-ciency. “[Watson] teachesat different levels. Hehelps [students] whodon’t have a very sophis-

ticated level of computerknowledge until you getcomfortable. Then youcan jump in and followthe regular class load. Ilike it. I’ve learned a lot,”said Lt. Col. Brenda M.Marlinbanks.

Conflicts of interestprohibit the school fromholding the A+ computermaintenance and repair,Security+, and Network+certification tests coveredin the curriculum on base.Instead, vouchers are giv-en to students to take the

tests free of charge at a lo-cation of their choice. “It’sis a big deal because it’s a$180 test,” said Spc. Ed-ward M. Tjaden, describ-ing the first of his two A+certification tests. “Theseare licenses that are rec-ognized worldwide. Youcan take them anywhere.They’re not just limited tothe military.”

Much of the focus ofthe course is on hands-ontraining. “The big bonusfor attending is that [ev-eryone in the class] gets afree computer,” explainedMarlinbanks. “We get thecomponents, install it andmake sure it works.That’sa part of the training.”

Watson was a woundedwarrior himself, trained

through the TransitionTraining Academy, andcites his experiences asthey key to the program’ssuccess. “Most [of my stu-dents] have some type ofmedical issue. I can betterunderstandwhat [my stu-dents] are going through

By Sharon TaylorWRNMMC Journal

staff writer

Navy Cmdr. John T.Bassett has been select-ed as president-elect ofthe Walter Reed Nation-al Military Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC) MedicalStaff.The chief of gastro-enterology is currentlydeployed to Joint TaskForce Guantanamo,Guantanamo Bay Cubawhere he serves as thedeputy commander ofthe Joint Medical Group.Bassett will assume

his duties as president-elect of the MedicalStaff when he returns toWRNMMC in October.He is slated to becomepresident on July 1, 2014for a one-year term.“It is a true honor to

be selected as the nextpresident of [ExecutiveCommittee of the Medi-cal Staff],” Bassett said.The president of the

Medical Staff serves as

the elected representa-tive of the medical staffto the WRNMMC com-mander, chief of staff,and the Board of DeputyCommanders, explainedincumbent presidentCmdr. John R. Rotruck.The individual alsoserves as chair of the Ex-ecutive Committee of theMedical Staff (ECOMS),comprised of clinicaldepartment chiefs andchairs of 16 hospital-wide multi-disciplinarycommittees, he said.“It is the role of

ECOMS to recommendto senior leadershiphow we practice medi-cine at WRNMMC, in away that maximizes pa-tient safety and qualityof care,” Rotruck said.“Another key responsi-bility for the presidentof the Medical Staff is toserve as the final gate-way for providers to be-come privileged here atWRNMMC before theirapplication comes before

the chief of staff for ap-proval, as well as deal-ing with issues of stan-dard of care, and adverseprivileging actions.Rotruck called his

experience as presidentof the WRNMMC medi-cal staff a tremendousopportunity to learnand grow profession-ally, working with se-nior leadership to im-prove the quality and

safety of care providedat the medical center.Since July 1, Rotruckhas served as presidentof the Medical Staff. Histerm will end on July1, 2014, when Bassetttakes on the role.Deployed during the

entirety of the electionprocess, Bassett saidhe reached out to asmany WRNMMC staffmembers as possibleby phone or email, andplans to represent theinterests of all his col-leagues with vigor. Ac-cording to Rotruck, Bas-sett will represent morethan 2,100 licensed in-dependent practitionersprivileged atWRNMMC.This group includesphysicians, advancedpractice nurses, physi-cian assistants, clinicalpharmacists, psycholo-gists, audiologists, bothphysical and occupa-tional therapists, alongwith social workers whomay be military, civilian,

contractors or volunteer.The incoming presi-

dent of the medical staffsaid the goals and objec-tives he hopes to attainin his new position willbe shaped by the pri-orities the medical staffcited most frequently.“Specifically, creating

a system that reducesadministrative burdenson providers and allowsthem to deliver the bestquality of care,” Bassettsaid. “Staffing should bescrutinized to assure weare dedicating resourceswhere they are neededthe most. Informationmanagement is a keyarea of interest.” Bas-sett cited access to careand parking as recur-ring issues important toboth staff and patients.“Throughout the year Iintend to remain flexibleto respond to conditionsand issues that arise.”Bassett said he has

spent nearly eight ofhis 15 years on active

duty stationed at whatis now WRNMMC. TheFargo, North Dakota-native earned both anundergraduate as wellas a medical degree fromWayne State Universityin Detroit. He complet-ed an internship andresidency at the formerNational Naval MedicalCenter before complet-ing a fellowship in Gas-troenterology with theNational Capital Con-sortium in Washington,D.C., and a fellowship inTransplant Hepatologywith the University ofMichigan, in Ann Arbor,Mich.In addition to his posi-

tion as chief of gastroen-terology at WRNMMC,Bassett serves as assis-tant professor of medi-cine at the UniformedServices University ofthe Health Sciences, inBethesda, Md.


Bassett Chosen President-Elect of WRNMMC Medical Staff

Courtesy photo

Navy Cmdr.John T. Bassett

See CLASSES page 8

Photos by Ryan Hunter

Caregiver Issac Majid Odvina and Lt. Col.Brenda M. Marlinbanks study for their sec-ond A+ Certification Exam.

Spc. Edward M. Tjaden demonstrates how to plug cards into themotherboard as Caregiver Issac Majid Odvina, Technical TrainerRobert K Watson and Lt. Col. Brenda M. Marlinbanks watch.

Computer Classes Train Soldiers for Life After Service

because I’ve gone through it myself. Ina regular school setting that won’t hap-pen.”

Tjaden is getting medically sepa-rated from the Army and plans to usehis training in is his post retirementcareer. “I had a couple of surgeries thatdidn’t go the way they were supposed to.So now I’m stuck using a cane and ina wheelchair part of the time,” he said.“I happened to meet Mr. Watson and heintroduced me to the opportunities in

the IT field. I took the class for job op-portunities afterwards and for personalknowledge.”

Marlibanks encourages anyone whocan to join the class. “Its just another op-tion to prepare you for life beyond themilitary. And even if you don’t intent towork with them it’s good to know aboutcomputers.”

If you are interested in enrolling inthe Introduction to Computer Technol-ogy course of theWoundedWarrior Proj-ect Transition Training Academy pro-gram or are interested in having yourcomputer diagnosed for free contact Mr.Watson at 910-528-2320 or [email protected].


Santiago is leading implementing “Ster-ile Cockpit” and “MED Zone” practicesat Walter Reed Bethesda.

In the “sterile cockpit,” providerswear orange vests to make others awarethey are not to be distracted and followa checklist to ensure proper patientcare and medicine administration pro-cedures are properly carried out, and“MED Zone stands for ‘Must EliminateDistractions’ zones,”Santiago explained.

A patient safety advisor, Santiagosaid the MED Zone concept is basedon the flight line checklist practice of

mechanics and pilots, who thoroughlyinspect all aircraft systems before take-off. Also, while mechanics make criticalrepairs to the aircraft, they wear orangevests to let people know not to distractthem, explained the former search andrescue corpsman.

Cmdr. (Dr.) Carlos Rodriguez, trau-ma medical director at WRNMMC, ex-plained improvements in trauma careare increasing survivable patients. Hesaid communications throughout thehealth care system have contributed tothis effort. He stressed the proper useof prophylactics to prevent infection anddisease in trauma patients.

Nursing Grand Rounds are sched-uled quarterly atWalter Reed Bethesda.

GRANDContinued from 3

CLASSESContinued from 7

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allergy to penicillin ora similar medication,according to Gray.The latest forms of

medical informationalerts are digital. Somecontain a USB portthat responders canplug into a laptop forinstant information.

Gray said emergencymedical techniciansand first respondersare taught very earlyin their training tolook for and identifymedical identificationalerts.According to the fire

chief, individuals withdiabetes, known drugor food allergies, sei-zure disorders, as wellas pacemakers or othermedical devices, shouldwear medical identi-

fication tags. A medicalert emblem alsohelps to identify peoplewho take blood thin-ners, insulin or othermedications, that mayinteract with the pro-cedures or treatmentsused in emergency sit-uations.Greta Patten, 47, a

Red Cross volunteerwith her dog Schroed-er at Walter Reed Na-tional Military MedicalCenter, has worn her

medical alert braceletfor nearly 23 years.The metal braceletappears unassuming,more like a watch atfirst, but she explainedit contains vital infor-mation for emergencymedical personnel.“Mine has my blood

type, a toll-free num-ber where they canget [my] paper record,my emergency contactperson, which is mysister… [and] the factthat I’m allergic totetanus. I also have ob-structive sleep apnea,so if I can’t speak formyself, the anesthesi-ologist needs to know…this says no opiods,so they won’t put metoo far under where Iwon’t come back.”Has she ever had a

situation where herbracelet has spoken forher? “So far not,” Pat-ten said. “I’m a kind ofpreventative person.This is the kind of thingyou wish you had [in anemergency situation]. Irecommend them high-ly to everybody.”

Gray said it’s impor-tant for children andolder adults who havebeen diagnosed withmedical conditions towear medical identifi-cation tags. Food aller-gies are common withsmaller children, espe-cially those allergic topeanuts.“Autism now is a big

one that they’re put-ting on bracelets be-cause sometimes thatwill indicate that youmay have a communi-cation barrier — tryingto communicate withsomeone that may notbe able to necessar-ily express what’s go-ing on with them,” ex-plained Gray.He spoke of the “gold-

en hour” with traumapatients, the criticalperiod of time that maychange the outcome ofan emergency medicalsituation. The samefor stroke patients,Gray said. “There’s abig push right now forpeople who have suf-fered previous strokesto have that listed on

a medical ID brace-let because the fasterwe can get them to astroke center, the lessdamage is done to thebrain and to the body,”he said. “Definitivecare within a certainamount of time saveslives.”Medical alert iden-

tification can meanlife or death for a car-diac patient accordingto the fire chief, espe-cially if a person has apacemaker or internaldefibrillator. “Criticalinformation for us tohave when respondingto people with chestpains or cardiac arrestand they are not ableto verbally convey tous that they have thatequipment on board —it changes our treat-ment options,” he said.Individuals seek-

ing more informationabout medical identi-fication alerts shouldcontact their primarycare provider, accord-ing to Gray.

ALERTContinued from 4

stepping on a pressure plate impro-vised explosive device. He describeshis time with the WTB as beneficial.“I received all the medical atten-

tion I needed from the WTB, any-thing I needed other than medicalwas provided,” said Karpf. “I justhad to reach out and talk to theright people to figure out if therewas something I wanted or neededto do. Anytime I wanted to go on atrip or an event the military wasproviding, I was able to go withoutproblems. It was a great experience.“Some of the trips I’ve been on

and the events I’ve been able togo to, I probably would have neverbeen able to do without the WTB,”Karpf added. “I was able to partici-pate in a lot of sporting events, andI took part in the Warrior Gamesthis year and the endeavor games. Ilove sports, so that is my outlet andhow I get away, relax and have fun.”Karpf is looking to transition out

of the military soon and plans onpursuing a degree in physical ther-apy when he returns to JacksonvilleFla. During his time at the WTB,Karpf went through various intern-ships which helped him get a senseof what he wanted to do once he istransitioned out of the military.“While I was here I did an in-

ternship through physical therapy,which I really liked. That was an-other benefit through the WTB,

which opened my eyes as somethingI want to pursue once I get out ofhere,” said Karpf. “Capt. Ritlandin the Military Advanced TrainingCenter (MATC), worked with meand did personal one-on-one classesand talked to me about anatomy.He would give me quizzes on themuscles and parts of the body thathe taught me previously. I thoughtthat was helpful. While I was doingthat internship, I was also doinganother one with adaptive sports,where they showed me how to startprograms and receive money fromdifferent non-profit organizations todo the different events like trips toColorado and other trips as part ofthe rehabilitation process.“The WTB also has tutors,” Karpf

added. “I was seeing somebody formath and English, so that way whenI go to college I’ll have a refresherto go off of and I’m not just goingstraight into it. It helped out a lot.”Fraley said the best part of her

job is seeing how the Soldiers over-come what they have gone throughin life both physically and emotion-ally.“There’s nothing better than com-

ing to work in the morning and go-ing to the MATC and being able tosee somebody who was not able toget up, all of a sudden just standand balance on their prosthet-ics, and then maybe three or fourmonths later, being able to see themtake their first steps,” said Fraley.“In a way it is like watching a childgrow up and turn into an adult.”

TRANSITIONContinued from 1

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