mountaineer march 2008

The MountaineerA Madigan Army Medical Center Publication March 2008

“Care with Compassion” Volume 15, No. 2

A major traffic construction project to ease traffic flow in the vicinity of Madigan

Army Medical Center is under way, and is expected to last until June. The project is expected to significantly impact users of the Madigan Gate and other roadways near

the medical center. Crews will replace the signals and reconfigure traffic lanes at two intersections along Jackson Avenue – the Gardner Loop intersection, at the Shoppette and Gas Station; and the Beaumont Avenue intersection, at the Medical Mall parking.

Motorists should watch for traffic control devices and flaggers, as partial lane closures and temporary rerouting of roads will be necessary. Motorists are also encouraged to use alternate routes to ease congestion at the Madigan Gate and on other nearby roads.

Traffic to betied up nearMAMC vicinity

Madigan makes clean sweep of NCO/SOY competitionHoward, Rivastake top honors; now to MEDCOM

Photo by Hylie Jan Pressey

Spc. Leopoldo Rivas (left) and Staff Sgt. Christopher Howard, Madigan Army Medical Center, finished ahead of Soldiers from Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, Calif., and Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, in the 2008 Western Regional Medical Command NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition. Howard and Rivas will represent the WRMC at U.S. Army Medical Command. For more on the WRMC competition, see Page 5.

Two Soldiers from Madigan Army Medical Center bested the field in the Western Regional Medical Command NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition, held at Fort Lewis March 3-7.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Howard and Spc. Leopoldo Rivas received trophies for top finishes during the event, which pitted five Soldiers from Madigan, Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, Calif., and Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, against the Army standard.

Howard and Rivas will represent the WRMC at the U.S. Army Medical Command Competition.

“The Madigan NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition set us up for success,” Howard said. “I felt like the other guys were on my heels the whole time, though. They were tough competitors. I had to stay on top of my game.”

Rivas said he has been preparing for this moment since capturing Soldier of the Month nearly a year ago.

The project officer of the WRMC competition, Staff Sgt. Meghan Malloy, said hundreds of work hours several NCOs went into creating the competition, which included weapons qualification, written exams, a road march, land navigation, the Army physical fitness test and a mystery event.

Command Sgt. Major Billy King, command sergeant major for Madigan and WRMC, said the training will be valuable as it is shared with other Soldiers.

“These competitions give the Soldier the opportunity to grow,” King said. “The end result is experience and training that the Soldier can take back to his of her unit and train others.”

– Jeremy O’BryanMAMC Public Affairs

March 2008The Mountaineer

The MountaineerA Madigan Army Medical Center Publication March 2008

“Care with Compassion” Volume 15, No. 2

COMMANDING GENERALBrig. Gen. Sheila R. Baxter

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERSharon D. Ayala

EDITORJeremy O’Bryan

CONTRIBUTORS/STAFFHylie Jan Pressey

Janis Kinney

The Mountaineer is a monthly newspaper for the customers and employees of Madigan Army Medical Center, authorized under the provisions of AR 360-1. Circulation is about 2,000. The contents of The Mountaineer are not necessarily the offi-cial views of, nor endorsed by, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or Madigan Army Medical Center. For more information about The Mountaineer, or to submit a story idea, contact the Public Affairs Office, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash., 98431; or call (253) 968-3279. The editor reserves the right to edit all submitted material based on space limitation, command policy, and publication style. Submitted material will not be returned.

Want to share your thoughts with Brig. Gen. Baxter?

Write to:

Madigan Army Medical Center

ATTN: Commanding General

Tacoma, WA 98431-1100

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Viewpoint...Brig. Gen. Baxter,

My wife recently had surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center. The care she received was outstanding in every aspect. The surgical services staff was fantastic. We especially want to thank Spc. Mark Glenn for his work above the call of duty while taking care of my wife. Spc. Glenn watched over my wife while she was coming out of anesthesia, and she kept telling him she couldn’t wait to get a Diet Coke. After Spc. Glenn was off work, at 9 p.m., he purchased a Diet Coke and hand carried it to my wife. Although this doesn’t seem to be a life and death reaction, it is selfless and making sure patients get the utmost care. This type of professionalism is refreshing and is to be commended. Spc. Glenn helped make a tough situation much more pleasant and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts.

Sincerely,Michael

Brig. Gen. Baxter,

I would like to commend Dr. Ann Goodenberger of the Internal Medicine Clinic for outstanding and exceptional customer service. I recently discovered I was running out of my prescription medication while on an extended trip to Arizona. I checked with a local pharmacy about refilling my prescription and found that they would honor a request to refill my prescription by phone from my doctor. I called Dr. Goodenberger and left a message with my dilemma. She took my predicament to heart and called me – then called the pharmacy in Arizona and I was able to pick up my medicine within a couple of hours. My sincere thanks goes out to Dr. Goodenberger for her superb service and caring assistance. I feel she went beyond what is considered normal service. Please convey my heartfelt thanks to her for outstanding, professional, caring support.

Sincerely,Leo

National Nutrition Month is here once again and, this year, the American Dietetic Association is tackling a new theme for its annual nutrition education and information campaign.

The theme, “Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact,” directs the consumer to look beyond the myths of nutrition and, rather, focus on the facts. According to the ADA, the campaign is designed to place attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. National Nutrition Month also promotes the ADA and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically-based food and nutrition information.

“It may seem difficult to figure out the most healthful eating plan, and there are many nutrition myths that people follow as the truth,” registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Kerry Neville, said. “It’s important to focus on information that is based on scientific research.”

In order to sift through the mounds of information available to the public – both good and bad – the ADA recommends consulting a registered dietitian because he or she is uniquely qualified to translate the science of nutrition into reliable advice a person can use every day.

Capt. Kyle Peper, chief of Nutrition Care Division at Fort Irwin’s Weed Army Community Hospital, is one such RD who has the expertise. He noted he has seen many patients who take matters into their own hands before learning what is true and what is false – especially when it comes to dietary supplements.

“There are no magic pills for weight control or disease prevention, in fact many dietary supplements have the potential to increase risk for disease if taken in excess or interact with medications causing severe harm or even death,” Peper explained. “So always check with a nutrition professional and inform your physician of any and all dietary supplements taken regardless of their apparent innate nature.”

Though Peper said dietary supplements are not required for the general population following a healthy, well-balanced diet, he explained that when choosing a dietary supplement, there are a few key things to keep in mind. He said dietary supplements are not Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated for identity, purity, and potency and cannot make claims the ingredients can prevent, treat, or cure a disease. However, Peper also noted dietary supplement manufacturers may volunteer to be audited for good manufacturing processes by other regulatory agencies to include the United States Pharmacopea, the National Sanitation Foundation, the National Nutritional Foods Association, and ConsumerLab,

which is online at http://www.consumerlab.com.“What this means to the consumer is read

the supplement labels and look for one of the auditor’s seal of approval to ensure they are getting what they want,” he added. “When purchasing a multivitamin, more is not better,” he continued. “A daily multivitamin containing 100 percent of the daily requirements is more than adequate for the general population. Paying for more vitamins and minerals may be more expensive and be equivalent to flushing your money down the toilet, literally, as your body will excrete excess vitamins and minerals not required.”

For more information about National Nutrition Month, visit http://www.eatright.org or contact your local nutrition professional.

– Nutrition Care Division

Good nutrition promotes healthy living

March is National Nutrition MonthJoin us for these events!

Milk Moostache ContestMarch 18, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Madigan Dining Facility

5k Fun Run/WalkMarch 26, 6 a.m.Old Madigan Gym

March 2008 The Mountaineer

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Army Human Resources Command launched a new web-based service Feb. 28 to improve access to the Army Career and Alumni Program sponsored services. The new service, ACAP Express, allows Soldiers to use the Internet to register for ACAP Services, schedule a wide range of classes, and use online tools to create resumes and cover letters.

Previously these services were only available once a Soldier scheduled them in-person at an installation ACAP office. Soldiers can now go online at any time, from any location, to https://www.acapexpress.army.mil, log in using AKO login, then schedule appointments for all services offered at the ACAP Center. To use the website, Soldiers must have a valid AKO account and know their username and password. However, they need not use a CAC (Common Access Card) to access the Web site’s features. Soldiers can use ACAP Express from the home, office or anywhere else that allows an Internet connection. Soldiers do not need to be stationed near an ACAP Center to use ACAP Express.

“Today’s Soldiers lead a hectic life. Duty and family demands make it difficult to take advantage of ACAP services. Our goal is to give our busy Soldiers easier access to the transition services they have earned and which are so vital to their future success,” said Mr. James Hoffman, the Army’s Director of ACAP, in summing up the new program.

ACAP services include:w The mandatory pre-separation briefing required of all Soldiers who are transitioning from the military.w Department of Labor Transition Assistance Program

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Army Pete Geren and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James Peake signed a mutual support agreement in February outlining continued assistance to service members and their families transitioning through the military Disability Evaluation System.

The document formalized an understanding that has already been providing care to wounded, ill and injured service members in the Disability Evaluation System

“By providing VA support to Soldiers, this agreement formalizes a resource that will help them get the health care and benefits they earned with their service,” Geren said. “We must look at our policies through the eyes of our Soldiers and their Families, as we have done in developing this agreement.”

“Today’s agreement reaffirms VA’s commitment with the Army to provide the care and benefits our veterans deserve,” said Peake. “We share a duty to do what’s right for our soldiers and their families.”

Under the agreement, the Army will continue providing nurse case managers, legal assistance, physical evaluation board liaison officers, chain of command, primary care managers and other service-specific support. Soldiers also may call the Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline at (800) 984-8523 or e-mail: [email protected].

VA service representatives will continue providing information and advice regarding how medical evidence is used in the evaluation of disabilities under the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities. VA service representatives will assist and advise service members as they prepare documentation for VA benefit claims. VA benefit claims include the VA portion of joint claims processed through the Disability Evaluation System Pilot Program.

At military installations where the VA does not have permanent staff available, service members may contact VA service representatives via phone or e-mail. A listing of veterans’ service organizations recognized by VA to help with VA benefits claims can be found at http://www.va.gov. VSOs also may provide assistance with this process.

– Army News Service

MAMC doctor meets First LadyDr. (Maj.) Keith Lemmon, a pediatrician at Madigan Army Medical Center credited with helping provide tools to children of deployed Soldiers, attended the Helping America’s Youth Anniversary Reception with President and Mrs. Bush. During the event, the President signed a proclamation that mandates all cabinet-level agencies serving children work toward improved collaboration. Lemmon addressed the Helping America’s Youth Program in 2007. The presentation is available online at http://www.helpingamericasyouth.org/conf-tsu.cfm.

Courtesy photo

Army, VA sign agreement(TAP) Employment Workshopsw Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits briefings and Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) briefings.w Classes on resume writing, federal job applications, interviewing, job fair preparation, benefits and salary negotiation, financial planning, and Internet job searches.While ACAP Express uses the Internet to make

accessing ACAP services easier, it does not change the ability of Soldiers to receive individual counseling and assistance from ACAP’s talented pool of counselors. Soldiers will be able to meet with their counselor during visits to the ACAP Center and can still communicate by phone and email. Additionally, all classes, briefings, and workshops require that Soldiers attend in person. ACAP has offices at most Army installations. A complete listing of ACAP Centers can be found on the ACAP Express Web site as well as the Army’s public ACAP website at http://www.acap.army.mil.

To be eligible for ACAP services, Soldiers must be on active duty and have completed at least 180 days of continuous service. Deployed members of the National Guard and Reserves are also eligible for ACAP services. Eligible Soldiers can begin receiving services one year prior to their separation or two years prior to being eligible for retirement.

Additionally, retirees and Soldiers’ Family members are also eligible to use ACAP services. Contact your installation ACAP office for questions regarding ACAP Express or any other ACAP services.

– Army News Service

Army announces new initiative for transitioning Soldiers

For local assistance: Contact the Fort Lewis Army Career and Alumni Program(253) 967-3250


Each year, March is designated as National Women’s History Month to ensure that the history of American women will be recognized and celebrated in schools, workplaces, and communities throughout the country.

The knowledge of women’s history provides a more expansive vision of what a woman can do. This perspective can encourage girls and women to think larger and bolder and can give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience.

To celebrate this annual event, Madigan Army Medical Center will conduct a ceremony in Letterman Auditorium on March 19, beginning at noon. The guest

speaker will be Karen Lee, Commissioner of the Washington Sate Employment Security Department.

Lee is the daughter of career military officer and former Madigan Army Medical Center commander Brig. Gen. Guthrie Turner. Her family moved frequently to Army installations in Germany, Korea, Washington, D.C., Texas and Virginia. When her father was promoted to brigadier general, the family settled at Fort Lewis. Karen

attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating with a bachelor of science degree and a concentration in Russian.

–Sharon AyalaMAMC Public Affairs


Taxing seasonSergeant 1st Class Jane Neuharth greets a customer at Madigan Army Medical Center’s free tax center, located on the ground floor of the Medical Mall. Neuharth is the NCO in Charge of Madigan’s free tax center, which is staffed primarily by Soldiers assigned to the Warrior Transition Battalion. The free tax center sees customers Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. through April 15.

Madigan celebrates Women’s History Month

Be recognized!Win something? Earn a kudos?Outstanding in your field?

Contact the Mountaineer staff at (253) 968-3279 so we can tell your story.

MAMC team provides essential care;delivers processes for replication

A team from Western Regional Medical Command returned from warmer climes early this year after supporting a U.S. State Department humanitarian mission to Honduras. The team, led by Madigan Army Medical Center physician Dr. (Col.) Darryl Ainbinder, has made trips to the U.S. Army Southern Command area of operations for the past seven years to Honduras, Peru and the Dominican Republic.

Missions such as this support the public health works – water purification, sanitation engineering, dental care, medical care and surgery – to developing countries.

“The key word is engagement,” Ainbinder said. “We try and leave a more lasting effect than a group just going down and doing a certain number of surgeries and then leaving. So we get a chance to work with a scout troop there, and that encourages the boys and girls who are in that scout troop to stay in school, to continue their work toward community betterment down there, and it works. A few of the students are going into medicine, a number of the students are going into public health studies and sanitation engineering and staying within their community.”

The mission begins with an advance team, made up of Ainbinder and Maj. John Thordsen, the team’s executive officer, traveling to the region about a week before the remainder of the team, 13 in all, arrives.

“Maj. Thordsen really understands the culture, the pulse of what’s going on in the environment down there and how to make a lasting impact,” Ainbinder said.

But preparation for the mission takes months to plan. In addition to working with medical personnel from across a broad spectrum of disciplines, senior surgical residents from Brooke Army Medical Center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center also participate.

About eight containers of supplies and equipment have to be packed and shipped to the final location, each weighing about 500 pounds, through commercial shipping. Four of the crates come back.

“We’re getting this equipment into quite a rural place, a really good example of a harsh environment without reliable water or power,” Ainbinder said. “It’s 70 kilometers to drive and takes 2 and a half hours.”

“This is also a real important part of our readiness training, as we learn to operate with other teams, work with our logistics, finance and other support elements,” Ainbinder said. “In a hospital environment you may never get to see how vital support elements are, but on a readiness mission you see how vital they are.

“We can go into this harsh an environment and provide state-of-the-art quality care, then bring that back into Madigan,” Ainbinder explained. “If you have a child with asthma who is going under general anesthesia for an appendix operation. These Soldiers have treated so many children in Honduras with severe asthma, due to the harsh environment, that they’ve learned skills they will use the

rest of their careers.”When the team comes back to Madigan,

Ainbinder said, its members feel positive about what they have done and they say it’s something they want to stay around to do, which leads to Soldiers going back as experienced team members.

Although Army readiness and training are important results of a mission like the one Ainbinder and his team executes, what’s instilled most deeply – and brings tears to their eyes – are the human stories they compile from their work: saving eyesight, preventing tragic dehydration deaths simply by providing clean drinking water, and ensuring local Honduran surgeons can improve processes and facilities in ways that will have a lasting effect, and begin to better the lives of the people they touch.

“When we first went down to Honduras, the waiting room was about the size of an office,” Ainbinder said. “There would be 300-400 people waiting to be seen that day at that hospital – pregnant women in active labor, people having strokes, children with diarrhea dying. They would wait in line. The hospital had very limited resources and were afraid to open the doors, because they would become overwhelmed and there would be arguing – they didn’t know how to do the mass screening.

“We showed up and screened 1,000 people and we didn’t have any adverse events and everyone felt cared for. ‘How did they do that,’ they would ask. What they found is that you need to have security, make sure we have them in the shade, everybody takes a number so there’s not chaos and they feel important, we have water, stations for the elderly and weak to rest, and we have a process of identifying who needs urgent care and who doesn’t – it’s called triage. We find the difficult cases for surgery and provide public education to the rest. All these things we bring so that they can replicate them in their own cultural style.

“Now they have a very large gazebo as a nurse triage center, The patients come in and they’re in line. They have security helping with that, they all go through triage, they have benches under the roof out of the sun, they receive preventive screenings and referrals.”

The impact of logistical details like these can’t be underestimated, Ainbinder said. The child mortality rate among kids brought to the hospital with severe dehydration stood at 50 percent before the smart implementation of a covered triage are. Today, children there rarely die from the condition.

The team that traveled to Honduras this year includes Ainbinder, Thordsen, Sgt. Adrian Marfill, Lt. Col. David Zenger, Dennis Allison, Capt. John Wilson, Lt. Col. Brian Kondrat, William Raymond, Keith Dahlhauser, Capt. John Boden, Capt. Jeanne Cubanksi, Capt. Andrew Davis, and Capt. Benjamin Smith. Dozens of others, Ainbinder said, were crucial to the success of the mission.

– Jeremy O’BryanMAMC Public Affairs


W E S T E R N R E G I O N A L M E D I C A L C O M M A N DNCO and Soldier of the Year Competition

Clockwise from top left:

Spc. Leopoldo Rivas (left) and Sgt. Donhenry Tanchan prepare for a 12-mile road march.

An NCO helps Pfc. Raul Rubio adjust his canteen prior to the road march.

Staff Sgt. Victor Acevedo heads back to the line after examining his marksmanship.

Rubio (left), Acevedo and Staff Sgt. Christopher Howard pen their essays.

Howard concentrating on the task at hand.

Photo by Jeremy O’Bryan




Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Bonnie Holtz


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Make an appointment

with your Madigan provider

from just about anywhere ...

https://www.tricareonline.com

Register and log on today!

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MHS hosts ‘Town Hall’ on the Web

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Pentagon’s top doctor, S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, hosted a live web-based town hall meeting, or “Webhall,” on Feb 14 – a first for the military health system. Leaders from the MHS joined Casscells in answering some pointed and challenging questions live on the new MHS website at http://www.health.mil.

Department of Defense participants included Steve Jones, principle deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, Ellen Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection and readiness, Jack Smith acting assistant secretary of defense and chief medical officer. They were joined by several subject matter experts from the MHS.

Before and during the live program, Service members and their families submitted questions and comments about DoD programs, priorities and efforts covering many broad issues with the main focus on wounded warriors. Participants could either write or text their questions.

Pain management programs, funding of new programs, standardized physical examination processes, care for service members with traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder and concerns about the medical evaluation process were among many of the questions or concerns posted. Check out the MHS website at http://www.health.mil/WoundedWarriorWebhall.aspx for official DoD responses.

“This was a great start for opening a dialogue with our MHS beneficiaries and I look forward to continuing this type of

discussion in the future,” said Casscells. “In addition to my regular blog which is available 24/7 for questions and concerns, I plan to host a regular webhall with my senior staff.”

Questions not answered during the hour long live webhall will be answered within 24 hours of the event at the web site. Participants and viewers should surf to http://www.health.mil for more information about the webhall.

TRICARE offers behavioral health support

PHOENIX – Service members and their families can meet deployment-related challenges and transitions through resources available from TRICARE, the Military Health System and TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

TRICARE Prime beneficiaries do not need a referral for the first eight routine outpatient behavioral health visits per fiscal year, Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, for most categories of behavioral health providers. Beneficiaries can avoid point-of-service charges by receiving care from a TRICARE-network provider.

Active-duty service members must have a referral from their primary care manager for all behavioral health care.

Family members using TRICARE Standard or Extra, as well as reserve component members and family members enrolled in TRICARE Reserve Select will be responsible for the annual deductible as well as applicable cost-shares associated with receiving care. For most categories of clinical behavioral health providers, no referrals are necessary under TRICARE Standard, Extra or Reserve Select. After the initial eight outpatient visits each fiscal year, prior authorization from TriWest will be required. The behavioral health provider is responsible for requesting additional visits when medically necessary.

Certain categories of behavioral health providers, such as pastoral counselors, mental health counselors and licensed professional counselors, will always require a referral, even for the first eight visits.

The Behavioral Health Portal on http://www.triwest.com provides links to local and national resources as well as information on post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, stress, substance use, family issues and more.

An online post-deployment support video series is available on http://www.triwest.com. The Help From Home video series includes Getting Home ... All the Way Home, in which behavioral health experts – veterans themselves – discuss common symptoms of combat stress and the importance of early detection and treatment; and On the Homefront, featuring military Families who have faced the challenges of deployment and reintegration offering practical advice for families of military service members.

Other TriWest programs to help service members and their families include:

w Personalized depression support and education from a clinical health coach for eligible beneficiaries through TriWest’s Condition (Disease) Management program.w Continuing education to help civilian health care providers in TRICARE’s West Region identify and treat symptoms

of combat stress or post-traumatic stress disorder.w Annual sponsorship of Operation Purple summer camps for the children of deployed service members and wounded warriors.w A toll-free Behavioral Health Crisis Line, (866) 284-3743, recently certified by the American Association of Suicidology, and staffed around the clock by trained clinicians, providing non-emergency behavioral health assistance to West Region beneficiaries.w A Behavioral Health Provider Locator and Appointment Assistance Service number (866) 651-4970, is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in all West Region time zones to help Prime-enrolled active-duty family members find local behavioral health care providers and set appointments; active-duty service members must have a referral from their PCM before making an appointment.Note that the Appointment Assistance

Service is not a help line for treatment, counseling or advice. TRICARE beneficiaries seeking emergency behavioral health assistance should call 911, proceed to the nearest emergency room for treatment or call TriWest’s Crisis Line.

For an overview of these benefits, visit the “Beneficiary Services” section on www.triwest.com then select Handbooks and Brochures and “Behavioral Health Care Benefits” to view a printable brochure. Visit the “Mental Health and Behavior” section at www.tricare.mil for specific coverage and associated costs.

TriWest recognizes the ongoing sacrifices of the military community and is committed to doing whatever it takes to assist service members and their families. For further assistance, contact TriWest at (888) TRI-WEST (874-9378).

Members of the military can anonymously take a voluntary self-assessment test online; the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program contains assessments for mental health and alcohol use for service members and their families affected by deployment. It’s offered online at http://www.militarymentalhealth.org and over the phone at (877) 877-3647, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. A series of guided questions will help the beneficiary discover if there are symptoms that may benefit from treatment or further evaluation.

Regional contractors are the crux of TRICARE benefit

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – For beneficiaries, managing TRICARE health care is only a phone call or mouse click away. TRICARE managed care support contractors (MCSC) are standing by to answer benefit questions and provide health care services and support beyond what’s available at military treatment facilities.

TRICARE partners with civilian managed care support contractors, Health Net Federal Services, Inc., Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc., TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Corp., and Wisconsin Physicians Service to administer the health benefit for more than 9.1 million Service members, retirees and their families.

“Health coverage is one of the most important benefits of military service,” said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, Deputy Director, TRICARE Management Activity. “We work consistently with the MCSCs to help them understand how important their role is to those who serve and have served our nation. They are there to answer questions and provide support. When beneficiaries need help we encourage them to contact the appropriate contractor first – it’s the best way to get the right information,” Granger said.

Beneficiaries in the continental United States belong to one of three regions – North, South and West – with each region assigned its own MCSC. The regional contractors manage the TRICARE Support Centers, or TSCs, which provide administrative support, such as enrollment, care authorization, and claims processing.

The regional contractors also distribute educational information in print and online to beneficiaries and providers. TRICARE beneficiaries overseas are supported by the TRICARE Overseas Program, administered by Wisconsin Physician Services.

In addition to administrative support, the regional contractors establish targets for the number of physicians required to ensure a sufficient supply of providers to TRICARE patients in civilian provider networks.

“The MCSC system has enabled TRICARE to gain control of quality of care,” said Granger. “The contractors provide a tremendous service to our beneficiaries by managing a very large and diverse program.”

Regional contractors do not provide retail pharmacy or dental claims processing services. For more information about these TRICARE benefit programs, visit the “My Benefit” portal at http://www.tricare.mil.

TRICARE Online!


Kudoss Awards s Promotions s RecognitionLook Who’s Getting

Purple HeartSgt. Vance CombsSpc. Colin Johnson

Department of the Army Combat Action BadgeCapt. Larry LinvilleSgt. Vance Combs

Department of the Army Combat Medical BadgeSpc. Colin Johnson

Iraq Campaign MedalSgt. Vance Combs

Order of Military MeritMaster Sgt. Bernard Black

AMEDD Certificate of AchievementMichael Untalan

Army Commendation MedalMaj. Mark ManosoSgt. Vance Combs

Army Achievement MedalStaff Sgt. Christopher Howard Spc. Leopoldo Rivas

Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service AwardChristine Swift Theresa Wikoff

Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian ServiceMedori HillConnie Mark

Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian ServiceMichelle MartinezHylie Jan PresseyKristina StillsmokingHelen SwanTroy Wilson

WRMC CoinsCol. Darryl AinbinderCol. William RaymondCol. Dennis AllisonLt. Col. David ZengerCapt. Jodi BrehmerSgt. First Class Enoc SantosStaff Sgt. Jason JacobsSgt. Molly JumaSgt. Adrian Marfil Spc. Hosea BickerstaffSpc. Leopoldo RivasSpc. Antonio Paredes

Thomas Barry Michael Curtis Jose Domingo Sandra HendersonHylie Jan PresseyRenae SmithHelen Swan Michael Untalan

Deptartment of Ministry & Pastoral Care Certificate of AchievementSgt. First Class Jose BonillaSgt. Michael GreenburgSgt. Desiree MorrisSgt. Joseph PoseySpc. Lindsey HayesSpc. Regina McQueenSpc. Stephanie MitchellSpc. Matthew SchenckPfc. Karen BarnesPfc. Matthew Chopay

Outstanding PerformanceThe following people received letters of appreciation for providing outstanding care and customer service:

Intensive Care Unit WestCapt. Johnnie RobbinsSpc. Daniel AxsonJulia FranceEsperanza SernaJocelyn White

Department of MedicineCol. Howard CushnerLt. Col. Cynthia ClagettLt. Col. Troy DenunzioLt. Col. Michael EisenhauerLt. Col. David McCuneLt. Col. Michael WilsonMaj. Jeremy PamplinDennis BatchelorSamuel BevansCharles ColemanHoward DavidsonAnn GoodenbergerJanice HansenLarry MonksMaria TurnerRose Sessoms

Department of Anesthesia and Operative ServicesCol. Joseph MillerAmber Davis

Graduate Medical EducationCol. Bernard RothCapt. John Hotchkins

Civilian Personnel DivisionSandra Jones

Information Management DivisionMichael BowlsbyCharles Oliver

Department of SurgeryCol. Darryl AinbinderLt. Col. Steven BradyLt. Col. Keith HavenstriteLt. Col. Michael MeyerMaj. John ThordsenCapt. Nathan FrostCharles AndersonJoe AugustynBeverly CiesinskiJohn DunsmoreBonnie GoodmanPogisa LeatimuaCheryl LedfordSpc. Abraham LengacherThomas RoukisAraceli Trinidad

Department of Family MedicineChristina Wills

Physical Medicine and RehabilitationSteven Travers

Department of NursingSpc. Mark Glenn Department of OB/GYNCol. Jeffrey ClemonsLt. Col. Jeffrey ClemonsCapt. Daniel Sessions

Department of PediatricsCapt. Eleane LiesemerMelinda BehrensMichele Gross

Tonia Ruzyla Kirstin Van Houte

7 North2nd Lt. Caroline Glover2nd Lt. Penny DeckerSpc. Brian Anderson

6 SouthSgt. Josiah Karch

2 SouthCarla HartSgt. Oscar MorenoLinh NahumJoyce Benoit-Dastous

Department of Family MedicineThomas Michels

Service AwardsMaureen VanVleck 30 yearsFelicita Olmeda 10 years

Third Party Collections Incentive AwardMi Rix $1000Darlene Anselmo $500

68D GraduationSpc. Marcus DeSilvaPfc. Lawrence DeGrandisPfc. Brigitte MillerPvt. 2nd Class Adrian CasasPvt. 2nd Class Amber DavisPvt. 2nd Class Maria LarisPvt. 2nd Class Vincent Lopez


Staff Sgt. Christopher Howard (center left) and Spc. Leopoldo Rivas (center right) are Madigan Army Medical Center’s NCO and Soldier of the Year, respectively. Both went on to represent Madigan in the Western Regional Medical Command competition.


Madigan minutes News Briefs s Upcoming Events s Other Fun Stuff

Upcoming holidayIn observance of a training holiday on

Monday, March 24, Madigan Army Medical Center will be operating with limited services. Emergency room services will remain open.

Month of the Military Child Give-away

A prize give-away to recognize the Month of the Military Child is available to children of active-duty, National Guard and Reserve sponsors enrolled in the TRICARE Dental Program. To enter, visit the TDP Web site at http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com and complete a contest entry form between March 27 and April 23. One entry per child is permitted. The winners of the drawing will be announced on the Web site on May 22.

5k Run/WalkMadigan Army Medical Center presents

the annual National Nutrition 5K Run/Walk on March 26 at 6 a.m. at Keeler Sports Complex, Bldg. 9993, on Fort Lewis. The free event is open to all Military I.D. Card holders. Registration is required. To register, email 1st Lt. Mary Johnson at [email protected] with: full name, address, email address, the runner’s age as of March 26, gender and shirt size. For more information, call Johnson at 968-0573.

Patient safety surveyThe Department of Defense Tri-Service

Survey on Patient Safety is a web survey that

staff in all Military Health System facilities worldwide will be asked to complete in Spring 2008. When you receive notice to complete this survey, please take a few minutes to link to the survey and respond. It asks for your opinions about patient safety issues, error, and event reporting in this facility. It will only take about 10 minutes to complete and all responses will be anonymous. This is your opportunity to voice your opinions and contribute to patient safety improvements in our facility. If you have questions, please contact Madigan Army Medical Center’s Patient Safety Manager, Marion Christiansen, at 968-0663.

No texting from gov’t phonesText messaging is not authorized on

Blackberries and Cellular Telephones furnished by Madigan for Official use. This service is extremely expensive and must not continue. Sending pictures on cell phones is also not authorized and extremely expensive. Blackberries have unlimited E-mail access included in their cost but text messaging incurs added fees. Cellular telephones are provided for voice use only. Bills for text message costs will be forwarded to division chiefs with provision for reimbursement by the user.

E-mail forwarding disabledArmy Knowledge Online and Defense

Knowledge Online have begun blocking the forwarding of AKO/DKO e-mail messages

Photo by Sharon Ayala

Band of BrothersDressed in leather jackets and chaps, five members of the local Band of Brothers Motocycle Club of Puget Sound presented a check for $1,527 to the Fort Lewis Fisher House last month. The Band of Brothers consists of active-duty and retired veterans from all services. Their goal is to support Soldiers, veterans and charitable organizations. The group raised the money by conducting a 125-mile Poker Run. This was the third donation the group has made to the Fisher House. Pictured L to R: Gordon “Guru” Winter, Jim “Snap” Brannan, Lt. Col. James “Jester” Stitt, Col. Julie Martin, Madigan Chief of Staff, Jodi Land, Fisher House Manager, Chris “Surge” Sargent, and Mike “Spider” DelaMore.


New Resident GymLast month, Madigan Army Medical Center celebrated the grand opening of the Stanley Newman M.D. Resident Gymnasium. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by family and friends of the late Dr. Newman, Brig. Gen. Sheila Baxter, commanding general, retired Maj. Gen. Leslie Burger, president, Madigan Foundation, and a handful of Madigan staff and residents. The gym, located on the 8th floor, is open to residents and interns 24/7, and is equipped with all new exercise equipment and a wall-mounted flat screen TV, all of which were donated by the Madigan Foundation and the Newman family. Stanley, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, was assigned to Madigan Army Hospital in the early 1960s. During his tenure at Madigan, he served as the assistant chief of medicine, chief of endocrinology and director of clinical research. In 1965, Lt. Col. Newman deployed to Vietnam where he commanded the 51st Field Hospital in Nha Trang. He retired from active-duty service in 1966. Pictured: Brig. Gen. Sheila Baxter, commanding general, and retired Lt. Col. Robert Newman, son of Lt. Col. Stanley Newman, and other members of the Newman family, cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the new gym.

to Internet-based e-mail services like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! and others. To set forwarding options in AKO, log-in, select My Account, then Mail Options. Click either “AKO Only,” or “Forward Email.” It is a violation of Army Regulation 25-2, Army Information Assurance, to forward official mail to non-official mail accounts.

TRICARE OnlineDid you know you can schedule routine

appointments with your primary care manager via the internet? Surf to https://www.tricareonline.com to register with TRICARE Online. The web-based service also provides customers with a comprehensive health library, a health assessment tool and lots of other information.

Commanding General’s CallThe next two Commanding General’s

Calls will be March 20 and April 17 at 3:30 p.m. in Letterman Auditorium. For more

information, contact Hylie Jan Pressey at (253) 968-3086.

Vote, long distanceIf you will be deployed or otherwise

serving outside the United States when the 2008 Presidential election occurs, but want your vote to be counted, surf to http://www.fvap.org. United States citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services (or family members of them) can follow the absentee voting process to ensure their voices are heard.

Foreign travelA military member or civilian employee

planning overseas travel are required to receive a threat briefing at least 30 days but not more than 60 days prior to travel. To receive a briefing, staff members may fax a copy of their Anti-Terrorism Level 1 Training Certificate to 968-3265 and provide rank, last four of social security number, purpose of visit, country visiting and fax number.

mountaineer march 2008

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