journal 082715

Vol. 27 No. 34 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ August 27, 2015

By Andrew DamstedtNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

Get your geek – nerd – orwhatever you feel like on Sat-urday, Aug. 29 at Morale, Wel-fare & Recreation’s (MWR)first popular culture conven-tion, or MWR CON.

MWR Activities Coordina-tor Rachel Cornette said shecame up with the idea to hosta CON on Naval Support Ac-tivity Bethesda (NSAB) afterthe character brunch earlierthis year, which is geared to-

ward a younger crowd.“I got the idea right after we

had the character brunch, be-cause we don’t have as muchstuff for the grownups or bigkids to do and at the same timethere was a comic CON going

on downtown, so I went to theCON downtown to check it out,”she said.

She said she is hoping thatthis event will help get servicemembers out of their barracksand out to MWR activities.

MWR CON will have plentyof activities, including lasertag, bowling where you canmake your own avatars, strate-gic board games, trivia contestsand costume contests, she said.

“The time is 100 percent ripefor this pop culture celebra-tion,” she said. “There are TVshows celebrating it, a wholerealm of people who like to playboard games and video games,and entire fandoms.”

A unique feature will be aTARDIS photo booth – whicha veteran made for his daugh-ter’s wedding and offered for

the MWR Con, Cornette said.Attendees will be able to choosefrom a variety of science fictionbackgrounds for the pictures –and can get more than one stripof photos, she said.

She said the costume con-tests will have two main groups– a 17-and-under category andan 18-and-up group. People candress up in whatever costumethey like – “you don’t have tomake it a geek-related thing;any costume character,” shesaid.

MWR CON Set to Celebrate Geek Culture

Courtesy graphic

See CON page 5

By Sharon Renee TaylorWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

This summer was like noother for 16-year-old ElizabethMcCarver.

The rising junior at Bethes-da-Chevy Chase High School inMaryland learned instrumenthandling, knot tying, suturingand the basics of laparoscopicsurgery in the same simulationcenter where fellows from medi-cal training programs at WalterReed National Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC), Washing-ton Hospital Center, and otherarea hospitals receive trainingand learn the same techniquesas well as clinical skills.

“This is just so intense andrequires so much skill andpractice...,”McCarver said. Shewants to pursue a career inmedicine, likely primary care orfamily practice after her experi-ence in the WRNMMC Simula-tion Training Center.

The 16-year-old and 75 otherteens participated in the RedCross Volunteen program heldfor six weeks in the Nation’sMedical Center. Earning a spotin the annual program is highlycompetitive, explained McCa-rver’s mom, Jill, a Red Cross

volunteer who coordinated thisyear’s program. Each applicanthad to submit an essay and ateacher recommendation.

“We received 80 applicationsthis year,” Jill said, explainingthat the goal was to place asmany applicants as possible.

She said the number of par-ticipants may be reduced toabout 50 next year to ensureeach receives as rich of an ex-perience as possible. Less spotsmeans more kids will likely viefor the same opportunities inthe 2016 program.

Teens in the six-week pro-gram spent more than a monthshadowing physicians insidethe medical center, watchingprocedures, and some earningcertification in basic life sup-port. Others made models andperformed clerical and filingduties, along with answeringphones.

“I think it was successful,” Jillsaid. Students completed a sur-vey after their experience. Shesaid they were really excitedabout the opportunity to shadowand observe procedures.

With exception, not all of thisyear’s Volunteens seek medi-cal careers. Seventeen-year-oldSam Richmond, a senior at W.T.Woodson High School in Fairfax,

Va., is interested in computerscience. He spent his six weeksin the Audiology Clinic learninghow to set up a type of virtualreality ocular set for brain tests.

Richmond worked with scien-tists conducting research.

“They were using software todevelop the program for it that

they weren’t entirely familiarwith and I was familiar with itso I was able to help them,” hesaid.

He said the experience helpedto affirm his interest in comput-er science. Elizabeth McCarverexplained the Volunteen pro-gram gave her insights that

she probably wouldn’t have re-ceived until she got to medicalschool.

“I did stuff that third- orfourth-year med studentswould do,” at the end of medschool, in the beginning of

Volunteer Program Gives Teens View Inside WRNMMC

Photo by Sharon Renee Taylor

Red Cross volunteer Jill McCarver (left) coordinated this year’s Red Cross Vol-unteen program which had more than 70 teenagers participate, including SamRichmond (center), and McCarver’s daughter Elizabeth.

See TEENS page 5

2 Thursday, August 27, 2015 The Journal

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, aprivate firm in no way con-nected with the U.S. Navy,under exclusive written con-tract with Naval Support ActivityBethesda, Md. This commercialenterprise newspaper is an autho-rized publication for members of themilitary services. Contents of The Journalare not necessarily the official views of, norendorsed by, the U.S. Government, the De-partment of Defense, or the Department ofthe Navy. The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts or supple-ments, does not constitute endorsement bythe Department of Defense or Comprint,Inc., of the products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publicationshall be made available for purchase, useor patronage without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliationor any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user,or patron. Editorial contentis edited, prepared and pro-vided by the Public AffairsOffice, Naval Support Activ-

ity Bethesda, Md. News copyshould be submitted to the Pub-

lic Affairs Office, Building 17, first floor,across from PSD, 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 calling 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed bycalling 301-670-1700.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) BethesdaCommanding Officer: Capt. Marvin L. JonesPublic Affairs Officer: Ronald D. InmanPublic Affairs Office: 301-295-1803

Journal StaffManaging Editor MC3 Hank GettysWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

Staff Writers MC1 Christopher KruckeAndrew DamstedtSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorJoseph Nieves

NSABethesdaFleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087

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

NSAB Emergency Information Line 301-295-6246

NSAB OmbudsmanMichelle Herrera 240-370-5421

NSAB Chaplain’s Office 301-319-4443/4706

Sexual Assault ResponseCoordinator 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/Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

Birth Month TrainingAnyone who is non-compliant

with annual Birth Month Trainingfor Fiscal Year 2015 must attendone of the remaining sessions be-fore Oct. 1 (even if your month isOctober, November or December):Sept. 1 in Clark Auditorium; Sept.9 in Memorial Auditorium; Sept. 10and 24 in Clark Auditorium; andSept. 30 in Memorial Auditorium.Times for all sessions are from 8a.m. to 12:15 p.m. For more in-formation contact HospitalCorpsman 1st Class WilliamDavis at [email protected] or Rebecca Croyle [email protected].

Women’s Equality DayThe Multi-Cultural Committee

at Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center hosts a Women’sEquality Day observance today at11:30 a.m. in the America Building(Bldg. 19), in the lobby. Master Sgt.Staci Harrison will be the guestspeaker. Women’s Equality Dayis Aug. 26. For more information,contact Chief Hospital CorpsmanReese at 301-319-2624 or HospitalCorpsman 2nd Class Silvey at 301-295-4263.

TeamSTEPPS TrainingTeamSTEPPS (Teamwork Skills,

Team Strategies and Tools toEnhance Performance and PatientSafety) two-day train-the-trainercourse is Sept. 28-29. For registra-tion, times and location, contactHospital Education and Training(HEAT) at [email protected].

Bethesda Notebook

While September is Suicide PreventionMonth, subject matter experts from the 21stCentury Sailor Office’s Suicide PreventionOffice, OPNAV N171, say their goal isn’t toprevent suicide on just a single day or month,but every day of the year.

“Every life is precious, and the fight is year-round,” said Capt. Mike Fisher, OPNAV N171director. “We want people engaged with theirshipmates every day of the year. We’re talkingabout being there for every Sailor, every day.”

This year, Suicide Prevention Month willfocus on a new message with its Every Sail-or, Every Day campaign, “1 Small ACT.” Themessage promotes simple, everyday actionsthat can ultimately save lives, using Navy’s“ACT” (Ask Care Treat) bystander interven-tion model.

Last week, the Navy Suicide Prevention of-fice released a toolkit to help Navy commandsand Sailors engage in the fight to preventsuicide. This toolkit features educational re-sources, high-resolution graphics, and ideasfor actions to take during September andyear-round.

Also in the toolkit are engagement ideas topromote peer support, personal wellness andbystander intervention all year long. One wayto get involved as an individual or organiza-tion is to participate in the “1 Small ACT”Photo Gallery. Participants can print the “1Small ACT” sign directly from the toolkit oronline, personalize it with their example ofa small act that they can perform in a ship-mate’s life, and then send a photo with thesign to [email protected].

Submissions will also be accepted throughthe Real Warriors mobile app, which can bedownloaded on the Apple App Store or GooglePlay.

“We want to highlight people across thefleet as they share their ideas for supportingtheir shipmates and promoting psychologicalhealth,” Fisher said. “You never know when

that everyday action - a kind word, an offerto help - will make the big difference in some-one’s life.”

The “1 Small ACT” Photo Gallery will bedisplayed on the Navy Suicide Prevention Of-fice’s Operational Stress Control Facebookpage, building a virtual wall of hope for theentire Navy community. Submissions will beaccepted from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2016.

For more information, please visit the NavySuicide Prevention’s Every Sailor, Every Daywebpage at: http://www.npc.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/suicide_pre-vention/Pages/default.aspx.

Help is always available. Call the MilitaryCrisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (press 1), text838255 or visit www.militarycrisisline.net forconfidential, free support, 24/7.

For more news from Chief of Naval Person-nel, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnp/.

Small Acts Can Save LivesNavy Observes Suicide Prevention Month

Photo by MC2 Lorenzo John Burleson

Lt. David Dziengowski, left, Yeoman1st Class Silvia Raya, and Lt. j.g. Vic-tor Gutierrez, from the Chief of NavalPersonnel office, show support for the1 Small Act message as part of the Ev-ery Sailor, Every Day campaign duringSuicide Prevention Month. The cam-paign is designed to encourage dia-logue and provide early resources toprevent suicide.

The Journal Thursday, August 27, 2015 3

By Joseph NievesWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

In the coming weeks, pa-tients and staff will see severalprojects designed to upgradethe facilities at Walter ReedNational Military Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC). The projectswill create new possibilities foreven further upgrades in thefuture and allow WRNMMCto expand on its ability to con-tinue to provide world-class pa-tient care.

“The project (P130) modern-izes and adds additional capac-ity to the existing infrastruc-ture that supports hospital fa-cilities. This project allows forminimal utility disruptions tothe surrounding facilities thatare not directly impacted byother future work,” said MiguelBelen, Engineering and ProjectManagement Division directorfor WRNMMC.Belen said the projects will

bring noise and vibrations thatmight be a concern for staff andpatients.Throughout the life of P130,

the connecting corridor locatednear Brown Drive, betweenBuildings 8 and 9 will be closedindefinitely. The Peace Garden,Garden of Angels, Labyrinth,bus canopy area and sidewalkbetween Buildings 8 and 9 willbe closed, Belen explained.

There are several ways thehospital will help patients tominimize impact on traveltimes between their appoint-ments and their vehicles.

These efforts will includeposted signage throughoutthe facility, as well as theBlue Coat ambassadors andclinical staff providing direc-

tions to assist patients andvisitors.Currently, the skylights in

Building 9 are under renova-tion. There are sections of the

hallways that are closed offfor safety due to this work,but clinic hours remain un-affected and there are noplanned closures at this time.

Construction Presents ‘Growing Pains, A Vision For The Future’ As WRNMMC Evolves

Courtesy graphic

The Peace Garden, Garden of Angels, Labyrinth, bus canopy and sidewalk between Buildings 8 and 9 willclose indefinitely once construction begins on a utility tunnel at Walter Reed National Military Medical Cen-ter. The affected areas will not hinder hospital operation or clinic hours.

By Sarah MarshallWRNMMC Public affairs

staff writer

Listening to music, using acomputer, putting on deodorant… these are some of the tasksthat may not seem so simplefor some wounded, ill or injuredservice members.At Walter Reed Nation-

al Military Medical Center(WRNMMC), however, the As-sistive Technology programhas been creating devices andsoftware to help patients withthose everyday functions wemay often take for granted.Helping with that program

and its staff is Navy veteranJoel Kavet. He is among sev-eral American Red Cross volun-teers in the Assistive Technol-ogy program, and is among themore than 600 Red Cross vol-unteers at the medical centerwho contribute almost 6,000volunteer hours monthly.Kavet became a volunteer at

WRNMMC in October 2012 toshow his appreciation for themilitary not just with words,but deeds, he said. He retiredin 2010 from a career mostlyspent in public health andhealth care administration,and wanted to give back to thecommunity.When he started volunteer-

ing, he was unfamiliar with theAssistive Technology program,but was quickly intrigued bytheir services when he learnedwhat they have to offer, he said.Assistive technology specialistscreate adaptive and rehabilita-tive devices for patients, to helpimprove their basic living func-tions. He explained they spenda lot of time experimenting andstrategically piecing togethernuts and bolts to determinewhat will work best for eachindividual, depending on wherethey are in their rehabilitation.Additionally, these specialistswork in various areas of thehospital, such as OccupationalTherapy, Speech and Audiology,

and at the National IntrepidCenter of Excellence, as well aswith inpatients.These specialists have creat-

ed “switches,” allowing patientsto simply tap a lever with theirelbow, to change the channelor volume on their TV. This is

especially helpful for someonewho may be missing an armor unable to use their hands.They’ve also set up speech rec-ognition equipment to help pa-tients use their computers, andhave set up a device allowingpatients to move their com-puter mouse with their headmovement.Some devices they’ve pro-

duced may seem remarkablysimple, and may involve cre-ating “things that don’t existin the marketplace,” Kavetexplained, “but they make lifeeasier for individuals.”Kavet helps support the pro-

gram by giving the equipmenta “trial run,” he explained, tohelp foresee any trouble a pa-tient may have with using someof the assistive equipment. “I’msort of a beta test,” he said.Additionally, if assistive

technology specialists areworking in the hospital andthey need something from their

Assistive Technology Volunteer ‘Gives Back’

Photo by Sarah Marshall

American Red Cross volunteer Joel Kavet, left, comesto Walter Reed Bethesda once a week to support theAssistive Technology program. Pictured with AssistiveTechnology Specialist Mark Lindholm, the two discuss adevice created by the program that allows patients withlimited mobility to play and listen to music.

See VOLUNTEER page 5


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public

Affairs staff writer

“You are the patient ex-perience,” Lt. Col. ClausylJ. Plummer said to agroup of health-care pro-viders gathered in WalterReed National MilitaryMedical Center’s ClarkAuditorium for GrandRounds on Aug. 18.

Plummer, the execu-tive staff officer/PatientCaring Touch System(PCTS) manager, Officeof The Surgeon General,Army Nurse Corps, ex-plained while members ofthe Military Health Sys-tem (MHS) are busy, av-eraging 5,000 inpatientadmissions, 834,000 out-patient visits, 943 birthsand 28,000 emergencyroom visits per week, it’simportant staff remem-ber the patient is at thecenter of all that is donewithin the MHS.

The PCTS is a frame-work for nursing designedto reduce clinical qualityvariance by adopting aset of best practices to im-

prove the quality of careprovided patients andtheir families. Plummerexplained within PCTS isthe Care Team, which in-cludes the lead registerednurse (RN) responsiblefor building the thera-peutic relationship withthe patient. He added a“nursing imperative” forthe lead nurse as well asothers, is “being present.”

He said patients expe-rience vulnerability men-tally, emotionally, physi-cally and spiritually. Theprivilege of nursing ishaving the knowledge,skill, position and rela-tionship to interact witha vulnerable human be-ing in a way that allevi-ates pain and increasesmental, emotional, physi-cal and spiritual comfort.

“When we decide thatwe’re going to be pres-ent…that falls directly inline with the patient ex-perience,” Plummer said.He said within the pa-tient experience, “everyrole and every perceptionmatter.” He explainedthe patient experience “is

the responsibility of thoseproviding direct care, bethey nurses, physiciansor technicians, as well asothers who support anypart of the experience,from the individual whoschedules an appoint-ment, the Red Cross vol-unteer, nutrition servic-es to the housekeepingteam.”

In addition, “every in-teraction matters,” Plum-mer continued. “Everytouch point in health careis part of only one experi-ence for the patient andtheir family. We cannotisolate efforts, but mustwork to see how they allfit together in providingthe best experience pos-sible.

“Every perception mat-ters,” he added. “Everyaction we take or processwe implement is only asvaluable as the percep-tion it leaves with pa-tients and families.”

Plummer said JasonA. Wolf, Ph.D., recognizedas an expert on organiza-tional effectiveness, ser-vice excellence and high

performance in healthcare, “encourages all of usto proudly declare, ‘I amthe patient experience!’

With all respect to policy,process and protocol, theultimate resource in anunparalleled patient ex-

perience is you, your be-haviors, your actions andthe choices you make, inwhatever role you play,lend to the patient expe-rience.”

“Your attitude doesmatter,” said Claudia Avi-la, the wife of WoundedWarrior Army Capt. LuisAvila, who has been caredfor at WRNMMC for morethan three years after be-ing severely injured inAfghanistan by an im-provised explosive device.The Avilas have threesons – Luis Jr., Migueland Jose.

The Avila family hasfaced a number of chal-lenges since the captainwas injured, his wife said,as she encouraged health-care providers to “em-brace” their patients andfamilies. “If you help us,train us, teach us, we areon your team,” she added.“That means a lot.” Shesaid to the WRNMMCproviders, “Thanks to allof you, I have my husbandand my children havetheir father. Thank youvery much.”

‘I Am The Patient Experience’Ground Rounds Focuses on ‘Being Present’ for Patients, Families

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Lt. Col. Clausyl J. Plummer, the executivestaff officer/Patient Caring Touch System(PCTS) manager, Office of The SurgeonGeneral, Army Nurse Corps, discusses theimportance of staff members understandingtheir role in the patient experience at Wal-ter Reed National Military Medical Centerduring a Grand Rounds on Aug. 18 in ClarkAuditorium.

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public

Affairs staff writer

Clark Auditorium wasfilled to capacity withfamily members andfriends gathered to con-gratulate graduates of68 C Class 14-149 fromthe U.S. Army Practi-cal Nurse Course dur-ing a ceremony Aug. 14at Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC).

“I could not be moreproud of these Soldiersand Sailors,” said Maj.Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B.Clark, WRNMMC direc-tor, of the graduates.“This is truly a familyevent,” he added. He ex-plained those who wearthe uniforms of the U.S.military, whether at homeor abroad, could not do so

without the support oftheir families and friends.

Forty Soldiers andSailors graduated fromthe year-long coursewhich began with Phase Iat the Academy of HealthSciences, Army Medi-cal Department Centerand School at Fort SamHouston, Texas. There,they received 11 weeks ofdidactic study including10 examinations cover-ing human anatomy andphysiology, as well as ba-sic medical terminologyand concepts.

Phase II of the courseat WRNMMC included 18more written examina-tions concerning nursingproficiency, as well as 22practical exercises andskills labs culminating inmore than 1,900 didactichours. The training alsoincluded nearly 800 hoursof clinical nursing precep-

torship and 80 hours oftransition-into-practiceor on-the-job training.

The average first timepass rate of graduatesfrom the WRNMMC Prac-tical Nurse Course whotake the National CouncilLicensure ExaminationPractical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) test is, 97 percent, 12percent higher than thenational average, accord-ing to WRNMMC officials.

“If you ask any ofthe graduates, most ofthem would say that itwasn’t easy getting tothis point,” said ArmyLt. Col. Christine Lud-wig, director of Phase IIof the course. She addedthat among the graduateswere two Navy corpsmen,part of a one-year pilotprogram during whichthey trained alongside

Soldiers, Sailors Graduate From Practical Nurse Course

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Krucke

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) Direc-tor Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark praises the graduates who com-pleted the year-long U.S. Army Practical Nurse Course and thankstheir families, instructors and leaders for their support during aceremony Aug. 14 at WRNMMC. “I could not be more proud ofthese Soldiers and Sailors,” said Clark said of the graduates.See NURSE page 6


Costumes cannot include realistic looking weapons,she said, noting that light sabers are not realistic. Anyswords need to be peace tied [not removable from thesheath], she said.

There will be door prizes and giveaways on a first-come first served basis, she added.

Cornette said she’s heard people are very excitedabout the first MWR CON, and she hopes enough peo-ple attend so this can become an annual event.

“I’ve heard people say, I hope my costume comes intime,” she said.

MWR CON will be at the NSAB Bowling Center(Bldg. 56), from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Cornette saidpeople can RSVP to the event on NSAB’s Facebookpage. MWR CON is free and anyone with base accessis invited to attend.

Other upcoming MWR activities include:• Annual Freedom 5K: Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. at the

MWR Sports Complex. Registration is available atwww.nsab2015freedom5k.eventbrite.com.

• Tuesday Night Intramural Bowling: Tuesdays,starting Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. Registration ends Sept. 14and signs ups are available at the Building 17 FitnessCenter front desk.

• Super Fun Monday League: Mondays, startingSept. 21, NSAB Bowling Center, for anyone with baseaccess 18 and older.

CONContinued from pg. 1

their residency or internship,” the teen explained. “Ilearned all this and I saw a class of med studentscome in from USU, and they were doing the stuff Ihad learned. I actually picked it up faster than them,”she said with a smile.

“I got to do this thing that people much older thanme do, and they have to wait for it,” McCarver said,computing that the Volunteen experience enabled herto skip about eight years of schooling and proceedstraight to her third-year residence.

“I’m practically a doctor,” she said, laughing.

TEENSContinued from pg. 1

office in Building 62 – perhaps a gadget to assist inattaching a smart phone to an amputee’s wheel chair– Kavet will go back to the office, so the assistive tech-nology staff can continue working with their patients.

He also helps the program’s staff by writing mate-rial – be it for a brochure about the program, or help-ing draft correspondence to hospital administration.

Prior to his career in the health care industry, Ka-vet joined the Navy in 1962 after completing his un-dergraduate studies. He served on active duty for twoyears then held a commission for 11 years. Being inthe military during the height of the Cold War, hisjob was to monitor incoming and outbound aircraftheaded from Canada to Cuba. One of his most memo-rable moments, though, was riding out a hurricanewhile at sea.

After serving in the military, he became interestedin health care issues and worked in hospital admin-istration in both the public and private sector. Heworked for large corporations, managing employees’health benefits. He also helped develop health care

programs for coal miners, ensuring they had adequatehealth care resources.

Today, as a volunteer, he enjoys still being connect-ed to the military and medical community. Most ofall, he enjoys getting to see patients progress throughtheir recovery, and getting back to a sense of normalcy.

“That’s what I enjoy about it, [and] the opportunityto help out,” he said.

Though he may downplay his role and suggest he is“along for the ride,” the program’s staff describe himas an invaluable asset. Assistive technology specialistAmanda Reinsfelder said Kavet is among their “val-ued volunteers.”

“Joel’s expertise in health care administrationstands out,” Reinsfelder said. “He is one of our go-toguys when we need program development guidanceor to edit our correspondence with hospital adminis-tration.”

He has “extremely valuable knowledge,” she added,and he is not afraid to “get his hands dirty” cleaningequipment.

“His time is very valuable to us because he alsohelps with the multiple small tasks that add up to asignificant value,” she said.

At WRNMMC, the American Red Cross offers a va-riety of services for patients and their families, suchas providing clothing and blankets, movies, toiletriesand/or simply providing comfort. In Fiscal Year 2015,Red Cross volunteers provided more than 34,000items to support patients and families throughoutthe hospital. Volunteers include civilians and activeduty members, administrators and doctors, who prac-tice to the full extent of their credentials and supportactivities across Naval Support Activity Bethesda,where WRNMMC is located. They greet wounded,ill and injured service members arriving via medicalevacuation, and during the summer, approximately 75youth volunteers serve throughout the medical centeras well.

For more information about becoming a volunteerat WRNMMC, call 301-295-1538.

VOLUNTEERContinued from pg. 3

1051294


Soldiers and had the opportunity to sitfor the NCLEX-PN. She said so far, sixcorpsmen have successfully graduatedfrom the pilot program.

“This is an exciting day for all of thegraduates as they enter into the profes-sion of nursing,” Ludwig said.

Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj.Tom Craig, a paratrooper and combatmedic who earned the prestigious Ex-pert Field Medical Badge while on ac-tive duty, was guest speaker at thegraduation. The Soldier, who met hiswife in the Army’s LPN Charlie School,also stressed the importance of familyand friends, saying they provide servicemembers with the inspiration to be suc-cessful in their mission.

In addition, Craig encouraged thegraduates to continue to work hard andpractice good values, such as those of

the Practical Nurse Course which in-clude loyalty, duty, respect, selfless ser-vice, honor, integrity, personal courageand commitment. “Everything you do,give it 100 percent,” he continued.

Craig added maintaining tradi-tions is also important, as well as ser-vice members from different brancheslearning from each other and workingtogether to better serve beneficiaries.

“We must all carry a burning torch ofrespect with us every day, in every con-versation, and every act we have withSoldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Civilians,leaders and adversaries,” Craig said.“Treat others as we wish to be treated,”he said.

Craig concluded by recognizing thesacrifices of Wounded Warriors.

“We all have ties to Wounded War-riors and their sacrifices,” he said. Heencouraged the graduates to practicewith safety and compassion, “the sci-ence of medicine” they have been giventhe privilege to provide to WoundedWarriors and their families.

NURSEContinued from pg. 4

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