Vol. 25 No. 33 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ August 29, 2013

By SharonRenee Taylor

WRNMMC Journalstaff writer

On Aug. 22, 1912,President Will iamHoward Taft signed abill from the 62nd Con-gress authorizing theSecretary of the Navyto appoint 30 acting as-sistant dental surgeonsas part of the Medi-cal Department of theNavy — establishingthe U.S. Navy DentalCorps.Today, Navy Dentist-

ry has grown to nearly14 specialties, withmore than 1,300 activeand reserve officersproviding care for ser-vice members, retireesand beneficiaries. Morethan 100 Navy dentalofficers serve as facul-ty, residents or staff ateither Walter Reed Na-tional Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC) orthe Naval Postgradu-ate Dental School(NPDS), a directorateof Navy Medicine Pro-fessional DevelopmentCenter (NMPDC), atenant command atNaval Support ActivityBethesda (NSAB), ac-cording to Navy Capt.(Dr.) Glenn A. Munro,who serves as NPDSdean and director ofNMPDC. Moving intoits next century of den-tistry, the Navy DentalCorps celebrates thepride of its past, andsets the foundation forthe course of its future— a future led by den-tists like Navy Lt. (Dr.)Gregory M. Gittleman,who recently completeda two-year Comprehen-sive Dentistry Residen-cy at NPDS.

“The Journal” fol-lowed Gittleman for alook at “the day in thelife” of a Navy dentistas he prepared to leavefor his first duty sta-tion, U.S. Naval Hospi-tal, Guam.After beginning

his Monday morningwith a 7 a.m. OfficersQuarters for a planof the week, Gittle-man heads to Opera-tory Room 2482 to seehis first patient of theday: Hospital Corps-man 3rd Class Hade-tamu Desta, a lab techin transfusion servicesat WRNMMC. The den-tist draws a pictureon a dry erase boardto explain an upcom-ing gum surgery anduses a camera to takephotos of his patient.He said photography isan important learningtool for students at theNPDS.The Naval Dental

Corps officer reviewsX-rays. His patientdoesn’t have enoughbone for a graft and hismilitary career ends inNovember. Gittleman

must change his origi-nal treatment plan —not uncommon for amilitary dentist.“There are unique

circumstances [which]come up that challengea person [to go beyond]the textbook answer ontreatment,” Gittlemansaid.One patient may de-

ploy much sooner thanexpected, another trav-els frequently. A mili-tary dentist must finddifferent options for apatient, like those for awounded warrior with-out enough manualdexterity to remove adental prosthesis, Git-tleman explained.“You have to be cre-

ative and really workwith the patient, talkwith them and fig-ure out what the besttreatment is for them,”he said. Changing vari-ables are routine chal-lenge for military den-tists.After Desta leaves

with a handshake anda smile, Gittleman ex-plains a casting tech-nique with Hospital-

man Shand Gilbert, anew dental assistant.“At some momentsof the day you’re theteacher, sometimesyou’re the student,” theNavy dentist said. “Asdentists, we’re alwayslearning.”Gittleman heads to

the office to completehis notes immediatelywhile they’re still freshin his mind. It’s 8:20a.m. He stops to an-swer a question fromDr. Benjamin Gantt, asecond-year compre-hensive dental resi-dent. Gittleman gradu-ated from the sameprogram two monthsearlier.It’s 9:30 a.m., and

Gittleman consultswith his next patient,retired Air Force Col.Gerald Volloy. The re-tired colonel said heattended the NavalPostgraduate DentalSchool’s June gradu-ation in full uniform,

to honor the residentsand show his gratitude.“I’ve been a patient

here for over five yearsand I couldn’t have hadbetter care anywherein the world; this is anoutstanding program,manned by outstand-ing students. They pickthe best to be here,and Dr. Gittleman isone of them,” Volloysaid, flashing a grin.“I’ve got a better smilenow than when I [first]walked in.”Gittleman returns

to his office to com-plete notes, and thenit’s back to the room torefine a set of porcelainveneers for a patient.It’s 10:20 a.m. He donsa set of lighted-magni-fying glasses and usesa tiny hand tool to addcharacter details.“Real teeth aren’t

perfectly smooth,” hesaid, interrupting hisclose inspection. He’llreturn the veneers to

the lab one last timefor another glazing. “Ifyou don’t have time todo it right, when willyou have time to do itagain?”“Looks good,” said

Navy Capt. (Dr.) ScottKooistra, who runs theOperative Dentistrydepartment at theschool. The expert ondental implants with18 years of service asa Navy dentist willjoin Gittleman for theplacement of the ve-neers.Gittleman heads

to the office at 11:10a.m. for a quick lunchand makes some phonecalls to confirm mov-ing arrangements ofhis household goodsto Guam. He looksforward to seeing theworld as a Navy den-tist. As the son of a re-tired Air Force surgeonand former Air Force

Navy Dental Corps Celebrates 101 Years

Navy Lt. (Dr.) Gregory M. Gittleman dons aset of lighted-magnifying glasses and uses atiny hand tool to add character details andrefine a set of porcelain veneers for a patient.

Photos by Sharon Renee Taylor

Gittleman uses his camera to take photos of his patient. He saidphotography is an important learning tool for students at the NavalPostgraduate Dental School.

See DENTAL page 7

2 Thursday, August 29, 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 Staff

Staff Writers MC2 John HamiltonMC3 Brandon Williams-ChurchMASN April BeazerSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorCat DeBinderRyan Hunter

Managing Editor MC2 Nathan Parde

WRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

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

WRNMMC Ombudsman VacantNSAB OmbudsmanJojo Lim Hector 703-901-6730Michelle Herrera 240-370-5421

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/Uni-formed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

Women’s Equality DayWalter Reed Bethesda staff members and the

Army Band “Downrange” will perform today from11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the America BuildingAtrium (piano area) in celebration of Women’sEquality Day. There will also be free food avail-able for sampling and everyone is invited to at-tend. For more information, call Sgt. 1st ClassJason Zielske at 301-400-3542 or Chief HospitalCorpsman Oluyinka Adefisan at 301-295-6482.

Sept. 11 ObservanceA Sept. 11 observance, “9/11 Remembrance:

Bringing Healing to Our Families and Nation,”will be held Sept. 11 at 7 a.m. in Building 17’sgymnasium. The guest speaker will be ChaplainBob Wyatt and the New Life Youth Choir of Wyo-missing, Penn., will perform. A complimentarybreakfast is scheduled to be served and everyoneis invited to attend. For more information, callWalter Reed Bethesda’s Department of PastoralCare at 301-295-1510.

Freedom 5KNaval Support Activity Bethesda Freedom’s

5K will be on Sept. 11 beginning at 11 a.m. at theNavy Exchange (NEX) Bethesda. Registration forthe event is scheduled for Sept. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m.at the MWR Fitness Center and Sept. 7 from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. at NEX Bethesda. Registration canalso be accomplished at https://nsabfreedom5k.eventbrite.com/.

Ask Your Leadership‘Ask Your Leadership’ is a new staff communi-

cation tool for you to view and post questions orcomments for official responses from the WalterReed Bethesda command leadership. The tool ison the WRB Intranet page. Click on the TownHall/Leadership Forum icon, and then click on‘Ask Your Leadership’.

Free Financial CounselingFree financial coaching for all service mem-

bers, federal employees, contractors and familymembers is available at the Fleet and FamilySupport Center (FFSC) in Building 11. Assis-tance is available to analyze your credit reportor credit scores, discuss retirement (Thrift Sav-ings Plan) options and create a budget. To sched-ule an appointment or for more information, call301-319-4087, or email ffsc@med.navy.mil.

Bethesda Notebook

Labor Day week-end is a time tocelebrate all ofthose workers, whothrough their ener-gy and efforts, havecontributed to thestrength, prosperityand well-being of ourcountry.

At Walter ReedNational MilitaryMedical Center, theNation’s MedicalCenter, the efforts of all of ourstaff – service members, civilians,contractors and volunteers – en-able us to deliver world-class carein a healing environment to ournation’s heroes and their familieseach and every day. The efforts ofour staff are the reason we are apreferred provider of the nation’sleaders, and why we are proudlycalled “the Presidents’ Hospital.”

As a team, over the past fewmonths, we’ve endured much,and I thank you for your stead-fast dedication and commitment.Your hard work has not gone un-noticed.

There’s no doubt, What You DoMatters.

Therefore, I encourage each ofyou to take some time this LaborDay weekend to celebrate your ef-forts. Whether you relax and cel-ebrate at home, or hit the road tocelebrate with family and friends,I encourage you to do so safely.

Although the end of the LaborDay weekend brings to a con-clusion the 101 Critical Days ofSummer safety campaign, safetyis an everyday initiative at Wal-ter Reed Bethesda. If you travel

this weekend, pleasedon’t drink and driveor get in a car withsomeone who hasbeen drinking. Re-member, always towear your seatbelt,don’t drive whileyou’re fatigue, don’tspeed, and avoiddistractions, includ-ing the use of a cellphone.

I urge motorcy-clists to wear personal protectiveequipment such as a helmet witha shield, proper boots or shoes,long pants and a long-sleevedshirt or jacket, and always weara reflective vest, whether you areriding during the day or night.

If you spend time outdoors,drink plenty of water in the heat,use sun screen and wear sun-glasses to protect yourself fromthe sun’s harmful UV rays.

Remember water-related activi-ties come with added responsibili-ties. Don’t swim alone, swim onlyin approved swimming areas, andalways wear a life vest when boat-ing. Also, don’t drink while boat-ing.

Again, I appreciate your dedica-tion and commitment. Enjoy thisLabor Day weekend, and safelycelebrate all the work you do tomake Walter Reed National Mili-tary Medical Center the flagshipof military medicine.

Commander sendsRear Adm. Alton L. StocksMC, USNWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center

Commander’s Column

The Journal Thursday, August 29, 2013 3

Photo by Ryan Hunter

The grass roof of the Navy Exchange shopping center keeps thebuilding cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

By Ryan HunterNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

The recently re-built Navy Exchange(NEX) shopping centeris quickly establish-ing itself as one of thegreenest buildings onNaval Support Activ-ity Bethesda (NSAB)after receiving a 2013National Merit Design-Build award.The NEX build-

ing was designed byCMH Architects to re-place the older 40,000square foot facilitywith a state of the art150,000 square foot,two story facility. “Thebase deserved a brandnew Navy Exchangeto match the needs of[Walter Reed Bethes-da],” said Rico Mac-araeg, NEX northerndistrict marketing andpublic relations man-ager. “The fluctuatingtenant hospital of over11,000 people reallyrequired a Navy Ex-change like the one wehave today.”However, the new

NEX building improvesupon the old in morethan sheer size andthe addition of a foodcourt. According to theDesign-Build Instituteof America, the pre-senters of the award,the NEX met budgetand schedule goals,but most importantly,achieved innovation indesign and construc-tion.The building’s con-

struction uses 100 per-cent American madematerials, a portion ofwhich were recycled

from the old NEX. Inaddition, there are anumber of design fea-tures which focus oneco friendly sustain-ability.The roof of the NEX

is covered with plots oflush green grass. Ac-cording to Macaraeg,the fresh vegetationnot only looks appeal-ing to commuters driv-ing by the base, but italso plays a vital rolein maintaining thetemperature inside thebuilding. “In the sum-mer, it absorbs the heatcoming from the sunkeeping our buildingcooler, as opposed to atar, shingled or cementroof. During the winter,it insulates the build-ing, keeping the build-ing warmer by trappingheat in the building.”The building also

houses an internal ir-rigation system, whichreduces public waterusage by collectingrain water. The water isstored in tanks insidethe building and laterused to irrigate thegrass roof and plantssurrounding the storeas well as operate thesprinkler systems andrestroom facilities.The store’s massive

second floor skylightprovides more than justnatural light for shop-pers. “There are sen-sors that are positionednear the skylight thatmeasure the amountof light that’s comingin,” said Macaraeg. “Ifthere is enough lightcoming in during theday that our store canoperate, the [electric]lights will turn off, re-

ducing energy use andincreasing efficiency.”“An eco friendly yet

pleasing to look atbuilding was alwaysour goal,” said Capt.Frederick “Fritz” Kass.“This project was agreat collaborationbetween our facilitiesteam, both with NSABethesda and NavalDistrict Washingtonalong with NEX andthe contractors. Therewas a lot of consider-ation involved with thedesign of the buildingin regards to surround-ing areas and com-munities outside thegates.”This isn’t the first

time the building wasrecognized for its greenconstruction and de-sign. Upon its comple-tion, the U.S. GreenBuilding Council (USG-BC) awarded the NEXa Leadership in Energyand Environmental De-sign (LEED) gold certi-fication. This designa-tion, the second highestcertification awardedby the USGBC, iden-tifies the building ashaving one of the low-est potential environ-mental impacts and thegreatest human benefitin the United States.“This is one of the

first LEED build-ings for the Navy Ex-change,” said Mac-araeg. “Its part of ourcommitment to the Sec-retary of the Navy andits service membersto make sure that any[NEX location] we’rebuilding or refurbish-ing is conscious of theenvironment and pre-serves it for the future.”

Eco Friendly Navy ExchangeRecognized With Award

Correction:In an advertisement for services at Walter Reed National Military

Medical Center (Comprint Military Newspapers, Aug. 22, 2013), thewrong advertisement was posted. The new Chief of Staff at WalterReed Bethesda is Capt. Sarah Martin, not Col. Ramona Fiorey as re-ported. Capt. Martin joined Walter Reed Bethesda as second in Com-mand in July of this year. We regret the error and any confusion it mayhave caused. For more about Walter Reed National Military MedicalCenter go to: www.wrnmmc.capmed.mil

01040719

By Terry SellarsPatient and Family-

Centered CareSteering Committee

The Breast ImagingCenter (BIC) at WalterReed Bethesda recentlymade patient-friendlyimprovements to lenditself to a healing envi-ronment.

When the clinicmoved to new spaceson the third floor ofthe America Build-ing in 2011, patientscommented about the“sparse and sterile”feel of the clinic en-vironment. This in-spired staff to makeimprovements for pa-tients and families,according to VanessaRodriguez, staff nursein the Breast ImagingCenter and Patient andFamily-Centered Care(PFCC) Steering Com-mittee member.

“Since joining thePFCC Committee, Ihave been stirred to

make our patients andfamily members under-stand how much theymean to us,” Rodriguezsaid. “We understandthat they are an inter-twined part of our lives,and we of theirs. My vi-sion was to make theirvisits [to the clinic] aspleasant and comfort-able as possible.”

She consulted withCourtney Reed, a for-mer member of theHealthcare FacilitiesDepartment, who was“more than happy”to supply the BreastImaging Center withartwork for the wallsthroughout the clinicspaces, Rodriguez ex-plained. “They perfect-ly matched the sooth-ing aesthetic qualitythat the staff was seek-ing.”

A benevolence club,which has tradition-ally donated items toWalter Reed Bethesdadepartments upon re-quest, contributed anarea rug to the clinic,

as well as a lamp andmagazine basket.

Wall decals depict-ing inspiring messageswere also added to thecenter’s décor.

According to Rodri-guez, the new appear-ance of the clinic has

elicited positive com-pliments from patients,families and staff. “Onepatient even copieddown the inspirationalwords from the center’swall displays to poston her Facebook page,”the nurse explained.

“These comments aremusic to our ears, moti-vating us to want to domore. It is a beautifulthing to walk throughthe waiting room andsee our patients andfamilies looking com-fortable and relaxed.”

The Patient andFamily-Centered CareSteering Committeemeets on the fourthThursday of the monthat noon. For more infor-mation, call Terry Sel-lars at 301-400-2791.

4 Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Journal

Photo by Terry Sellars

Wall decals depicting inspiring messages were added to the Walter Reed Bethesda BreastImaging Center décor to lend itself to a healing environment.

Patient-friendly Décor Brightens WRNMMC Breast Imaging Center

01040366

By Master At ArmsSeaman

April BeazerPublic Affairs

staff writer

Lee Miller, founderand Program Directorfor the Wounded War-rior Mentor Program(WWMP), stated that“Our mission is to tran-sition [wounded, ill, andinjured military] to anew life and profession.”

Founded in 2004,the WWMP started outwith just four mem-bers, but quickly grewinto a large volunteerprogram.

“We have been inbusiness for 9 years,”Miller explains. “Itstarted at the old Wal-ter Reed. Three class-mates of mine fromWest Point, class of1958 [and myself] wereattending events withthe wounded warriorsand we saw a gap. Ev-erybody was doingeverything for them.

They were scuba div-ing, golfing, skiing, butthey weren’t lookingat the future. Whatare [the wounded, illand injured military]going to do when youget discharged; no-body was working onthat with them at all.That is when we sawthis meaningful wayto employ ourselves.We started with a verysmall group from myclass of 58’ with men-tors and we got otherpeople involved to bementors. So for nineyears we built ourselveswith lots of mentors.”

Lee Miller spoke onthe process of signingup for the WWMP.

“We recruit woundedwarriors and do a onehour intake interview,gather all of their infor-mation and figure outwhere they want to go;whether it is education,internships, or jobs,”said Miller. “We pres-ent opportunities for

them and we go fromthere. We work veryclose with the staff, theoccupational therapists(OT) and the Navy SafeHarbor program. Weexplain the opportunity

to the wounded warriorand tell them what todo and then they go totheir OT and arrangefor an internship. TheOT does the work butwe guide them and

send them their way,we don’t take theirjobs.”

Spc. Eric Clark, awounded warrior fromthe 3rd infantry divi-sion, Ft. Stewart, Ga.,

talks about all the dif-ferent ways a mentorcan help military dur-ing their transition.

“They are willing tohelp you with so manydifferent things likethe Veterans Affairs,the whole medicalboard process, gettinginternships and be-ing prepared for yourtransition. Obviouslythere are tons of mov-ing pieces in all of that;it’s a lot for one personto comprehend who hasno idea about any of it.Having a mentor, whohas dealt with it him-self, helps me throughit whenever I havequestions.”

Mentors are therefor wounded warriors,from the very first dayall the way until theyare transitioned out ofthe military.

“What I like about[having a mentor] iswhenever I have a

The Journal Thursday, August 29, 2013 5

SeeMENTOR page 10

Photo of the Wounded Warrior Mentor Program

Mark Miller, Wounded Warrior mentor, talks with Will Thomas andhis wife Chanelle about his upcoming below-the-knee amputation.

Transitioning is Difficult, Having a Mentor Can Really Make a Difference

RentalTownhomes

Less than 3 miles to WRNMMC

1038537

Featuring: Oversized 2 & 3 Story Townhomes21/2 & 31/2 Baths

3, 4 & 5 Bedrooms . 1,400 to 2,100 Sq. Feet

q Pre-wired for FIOS cable &high-speed internet

q Newly redesigned kitchen& appliances

q Hardwood floors w/inlayq Ceramic tiled bathq 2" Plantation blindsq Cherry finish kitchen cabinetryq Self-cleaning ranges

Included Amenitiesq Side-by-side refrigerator/freezerq Garbage disposalq Stainless steel sinksq Built in Microwaveq Dishwasherq Full-size washer & dryerq Private entry patio w/additional

storage

11300 - 11476 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895 . www.rcptownhomes.com301-949-4466

STUNNING!

STUNNING!

STUNNING!

Completely

Completely Renovated

Renovated

Completely Renovated

NONO APPLICAAPPLICATION

TION FEEFEE for 4for 4 BRBR

NO APPLICATION FEE for 4 BR

Fully Furnished T

Fully Furnished Town Homes Also

own Homes Also

Fully Furnished Town Homes Also

AAvailabvailable for S

le for Short or Long T

hort or Long Term Lease

erm Lease

Available for Short or Long Term Lease

1038

548

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Journal

staff writer

The Department of Pas-toral Care at Walter ReedBethesda hosted a two-dayApplied Suicide InterventionSkills Training (ASIST) onAug. 20-21. The training pre-pares staff to be suicide firstaid intervention specialists.September is Suicide Pre-vention Awareness Month.Lt. Jon Craig, a Navy

chaplain and one of theASIST trainers, explained in2010 when the U.S. popula-tion was approximately 300million people, there werea reported 38,364 suicides,and 8.3 million people re-ported thoughts of suicides,according to figures from theCenters for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC). Inaddition, the CDC reported5 to 25 percent of suicidesgo unreported, and non-fatalsuicidal behaviors are 40 to100 times greater than thenumber of suicides. In addi-tion, suicidal behavior mayaffect a few or a very largenumber of individuals.The training consisted of

an introduction to preven-tion and intervention of asuicidal person, group dis-cussion and role-playing,all to develop participantsin how to be effective firstresponders and suicide firstaid intervention specialists.In discussing the focus of

ASIST training, Craig ex-plained the types of suicideprevention. The chaplainsaid prevention is impor-tant, but it cannot stop ev-eryone from having suicidalthoughts.Intervention follows pre-

vention and is the focus ofASIST training, Craig con-tinued. “Intervention is sui-cide first aid to prevent therisk of suicidal behavior,” headded.Following intervention is

“postvention,” which is “forthose who injure themselvesand those who are affected,”Craig said.In describing suicidal be-

havior, Craig used the anal-ogy of a river flow.Everyone experiences

stressors, which can become“contributaries” in the riverleading to suicide if not han-dled properly, the chaplainexplained. He said the con-tributaries in the river can“build and build,” placingpressure on the dam which

prevents people from havingsuicidal thoughts.“If it gets to a point where

those stressors become toomuch for somebody to han-dle, they may begin to havethoughts of suicide and pushthrough the dam into theriver suicide, where nowthey are actually engaged inhaving thoughts of suicide,”Craig said.“If [someone] continues to

go down that river, they aregoing to get to a point wherethose thoughts begin to turninto behaviors at the edge ofthe waterfall,” he continued.“Of course, that behavior canresult in death or harm.”The ASIST training is de-

signed to provide the par-ticipants with the skills andtools necessary to assistsomeone who has fallen “inthe river of suicide,” Craigexplained.Maj. Denise Hagler, an

Army chaplain and ASISTtrainer, said it can only takeone reason for a person notto commit suicide. “Most ofthe times you find out mostpeople do not want to com-mit suicide and they don’twant to die. They want youto come to them and say,‘Please let me help you,’ andthey will receive it,” she said.Craig added everyone be-

comes a “caregiver” in sui-cide prevention. “Most of thetime, the person who is go-ing to be doing the [initial]CPR or suicide first aid [in-tervention], is not going to bea chaplain, counselor or psy-chologist, but it’s going to bethe gunny, NCO or someonewho’s your buddy and seesyou on a daily basis.”When intervening in sui-

cidal behavior, Hagler saidit’s important for those at-tempting to help others atrisk not to “overstep” bound-aries. She added it’s impor-tant for caregivers to beupfront and possibly say tothose at risk, “I don’t knoweverything that you’re go-ing through, but I can empa-thize with you and I’m hereto help.” She said this couldhelp in making a legitimateconnection with the personin danger to assist him orher.Both Craig and Hagler

stressed asking about theperson’s intent [to commitsuicide], listening and pa-tience are important in theintervention process. “Takeyour time,” Hagler said.“Time is imperative. You mayspend a lot of time at your

connective phase, but staythere. This is how [a personat risk] will know you care,are genuine, and you are notpatronizing them.”ASIST trainer Lori Pass-

more says the goal of suicideintervention is for caregiversto “throw out a life preserv-er” [to individuals at risk]and it’s accepted.Craig concluded by stress-

ing the importance of follow-ing up with all commitmentsmade by the at-risk personto the caregiver, such as apromise to call the caregiver,as well as those made to theperson at risk, so he or she

feels supported and is keptsafe.For help at Walter Reed

Bethesda, chaplains are on-call 24 hours a day, sevendays a week at 201-295-1510 during normal workinghours, Monday through Fri-day from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,or via the Command DutyOffice at 301-295-4611 afterhours.Resiliency and Psychologi-

cal Health Service at WalterReed Bethesda provides cop-ing strategies for employeesand can be reached at 301-400-1974 or at WRNMMC-Resiliency@health.mil.

The Behavioral HealthClinic is available at 301-295-0500.The Employee Assistance

Program works in partner-ship with the resiliency pro-gram, and is available towork with civilian employeesin confidentiality on a vari-ety of issues, including stressmanagement. They are avail-able at 301-400-0077.Assistance is also avail-

able at the National SuicidePrevention Lifeline/MilitaryCrisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or at the web-site suicidepreventionlife-line.org.

6 Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Journal

U.S. Navy photo illustration

Walter Reed Bethesda Hosts Suicide Intervention Training

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 3rd Class

BrandonWilliams-Church

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

Football season is uponus and Morale Welfare andRecreation’s (MWR) LibertyZone, along with the Infor-mation, Tickets and Travel(ITT) office, have just whatthe avid football fan needs toget through the season.Whether it’s watching the

game with friends in a fun-filled environment, or watch-ing the game live with aloved one, either avenue cansatisfy the toughest footballfan’s hunger for excitement.The Liberty Zone, located

on the first floor in Building11, is the place to go to forsitting back in a large reclin-er and watching the game.Offering three big screensto catch your favorite team,with snacks and drinks onhand, internet access andvideo games to play duringhalftime, the Liberty Zone

provides its fans entertain-ment options on game day.“The patrons, E1-E6 and

all wounded warriors, cancome down and watch the

games whenever they like,”said Edward T. McLean II,recreation specialist at theLiberty Zone. “We will haveall the NFL Monday night

games being shown. For thenext 17 weeks, the gameswill be shown in their en-tirety. Even if it goes late orinto overtime, we will show

it until it ends. We will beopen for our regular hoursas well or until the game isover. We show all the NFLfootball games on Sunday aswell.We show from pregame,which starts around noon,until the primetime game.Unfortunately on Sundays,we won’t be open for theduration of the primetimegame unless it’s a specialevent that we have permis-sion to stay open later, thenwe will stay open.”If patrons feel the need to

bring food or snacks to TheLiberty Zone, they are al-lowed to do so, said McLean.The Liberty Zone will pro-vide snacks for patrons ondifferent occasions depend-ing on the event. There arealso brochures on handof several dining optionsaround base.“We also have the NFL

Sunday Ticket from Direct-TV,” said McLean. “That op-tion keeps everybody abreaston their favorite team so

The Journal Thursday, August 29, 2013 7

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Williams-Church

Lance Cpl. Eliseo Garza, stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., catchesup on SportsCenter in the Liberty Zone in Building 11 Friday.

MWR Has What Every Football Fan Needs

nurse, he knew he wouldjoin the military one day.Retired Navy Cmdr. Cur-

tis Reaves is his next pa-tient, at 1:15 p.m. The pros-tate cancer survivor soughtto become a patient at theNaval Postgraduate DentalSchool after his radiologisttold him about the NPDSprogram which providespatient care. Military medi-cine, the NPDS, and Dr.Gittleman have been verygood to him, the retiredcommander explained.After completing notes in

his chart, Gittleman takesa moment for conversationin the lobby to say goodbyeto the commander. Mostlikely this will be the lasttime Gittleman sees himbefore the lieutenant goesto Guam.At 2:30 p.m., the Navy

dentist reviews a cast ofDesta, his first patientthat day, with BernadetteKasozi, a dental assistantat the Naval Postgradu-ate Dental School. The castwill be used to make a re-tainer for Desta. Gittlemanwill end his day completing

paperwork, and reading arecent academic journal ar-ticle that may help with theSailor’s treatment plan.Spending some time in

the dry lab removing ex-cess material from a mold,Gittleman refines the castbefore dropping it off to thedental lab for the mouthguard. Next, he’s off to dis-cuss a case he will transferto Cmdr. (Dr.) Daniel Bar-comb, a dentist with thePublic Health Service com-pleting his second year as aresident at the school.As a resident, Gittleman

saw four to six patientsa day; less than the aver-age military dentist whosees about one patient perhour. He said NPDS resi-dents move a little slower,to do bigger, more challeng-ing cases so that when theygraduate and go to their as-signments they can be thesubject matter experts, theleaders in the field, the oneswho get the tricky cases,and provide answers to thetough questions.Munro called Gittle-

man one of the new “super-trained” dentists leading

the Naval Dental Corps intoits next century. “He repre-

sents the best of the best.Our future is even brighter.”

Photos by Sharon Renee Taylor

Gittleman reviews a cast of his first patient of theday with Bernadette Kasozi, a dental assistant at theNaval Postgraduate Dental School.

Gittleman examines a patient’s teeth.

DENTALContinued from 1

See FOOTBALL page 10

By Bernard S. Littleand Cat DeBinder

WRNMMC Journal staff writers

Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center (WRNMMC) hosteda meeting of the Federal InteragencyBreastfeedingWorkgroup on July 31,in honor of National BreastfeedingMonth, celebrated during August.Workgroup members came from

the Departments of Defense (DOD),Labor (DOL), Office of PersonnelManagement (OPM), U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S.Department of Health and HumanServices (HHS), which includes theOffice of the Surgeon General, Foodand Drug Administration (FDA),National Institutes of Health (NIH),Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC), Office of Women’sHealth (OWH), and other federalagencies to discuss initiatives to em-power more women to breastfeed byhighlighting its benefits.The workgroup, which began

in May 2011, meets annually “tobrainstorm and update each otheron breastfeeding initiatives andcampaigns throughout [the govern-ment],” explained Shannon Riley, aregistered nurse and board certifiedlactation consultant of the Motherand Infant Care Center (MICC) atWalter Reed Bethesda.“We provide an ongoing forum for

information sharing and joint plan-ning across federal agencies thatsupport breastfeeding in some way,”added Dr. Laurence M. Grummer-Strawn, a workgroup member andchief of the Nutrition Branch, Divi-sion of Nutrition, Physical Activityand Obesity for the CDC in Atlanta,Ga.“As HHS Secretary Kathleen Si-

belius has said, ‘Breastfeeding isvitally important to mothers’ andinfants’ health,’” Grummer-Strawncontinued. “We know that babies whoaren’t breastfed are at increased riskof ear infections, diarrhea, childhoodobesity, Type II diabetes, and SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Inthe mother, risks of breast and ovar-ian cancer decrease with each addi-tional month that she breastfeeds. Ithas been estimated that $2.2 billionin direct medical expenses could besaved annually if 90 percent of ba-bies were breastfed as recommend-ed,” said the CDC doctor who hasworked for the agency for more inthe 20 years in the areas of repro-ductive health and nutrition.One of the items discussed dur-

ing the Federal Interagency Breast-feeding Workgroup’s meeting atWalter Reed Bethesda, was the Ba-by-Friendly Hospital Initiative, “acommand-sponsored breastfeedingquality assurance initiative we arepursuing,” Riley added.

Grummer-Strawn explained theBaby-Friendly Hospital Initiative isa worldwide effort to recognize birth-ing hospitals providing optimal carefor feeding of newborns.“To be designated as ‘baby friend-

ly,’ hospitals need to demonstratethat they adhere to the 10 Steps toSuccessful Breastfeeding,” Grum-mer-Strawn continued. “These stepsdeal with hospital feeding policy, ap-propriate staff training, adequate at-tention to the continuity of prenataland postpartum care, and specificpractices to help get breastfeedingwell established in the hospital.”“Research has shown that women

who don’t get appropriate care in thematernity ward are 12 times as like-ly to stop breastfeeding in the firstsix weeks of life as those whose hos-pitals experience adheres to the 10steps,” Grummer-Strawn said.Also at Walter Reed Bethesda, the

Nation’s Medical Center was one of15 employers in the National CapitalArea, and only one of four hospitals,to receive the Breastfeeding-Friend-ly Workplace Award in 2012. WalterReed Bethesda received the award inNovember, along with other honor-ees, for what award sponsors called,“a win-win situation.”Walter Reed Bethesda’s award

was “mainly due to the incrediblelactation support from the commandwith breastfeeding and baby-friend-ly policies, rooms to breastfeed andother resources, and our fantasticlactation consultants,” said Cmdr.(Dr.) Gregory H. Gorman, programdirector for National Capital Consor-tium Pediatrics Residency, pediatricnephrologist at WRNMMC, and as-sistant professor of pediatrics at theUniformed Services University ofthe Health Sciences (USU).“Providing lactation support and

spaces for our employees meansthat they have less time away fromwork ... We repeatedly hear from ouremployees how grateful they are forthe available rooms, equipment andsupport that we are able to provideto make it easier for them to pro-vide breast milk to their children,”WRNMMC officials said.According to one Walter Reed

Bethesda employee, on her commentform, “the lactation accommodationsat the medical center were morethan [she] expected ... It’s somethingthat I can do for my baby even whenI’m not able to be at home with her,and I think that’s helped me bondeven closer to my daughter.”Another employee commented, “It

has been such a comfort to me know-ing that I can call one of the lacta-tion consultants if I need anything.That was such a help to me. I havealso used the conveniently-located

8 Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Journal

WRNMMC Hosts Federal InteragencyBreastfeeding Workgroup

SeeWORKGROUP page 1001040510

01040309

The Journal Thursday, August 29, 2013 9

question; I can call him up and askhim. If he doesn’t know the answer,he will get the answer. We are work-ing on doing tours of metal facilitiesbecause I want to be a welder,” saidClark. “He is helping me take a lookat that to see if that is something Iam still interested in. They are very,incredibly helpful.”

Having a mentor during the med-ical board process can really make adifference.

“I highly recommend [getting amentor] because anyone who thinksthat they can handle the medicalboard process on their own is wrong.It is ridiculous how complicated itis,” stated Clark. “Just having some-one there to help you through it isincredible! It is more help than you

can ever need. That is why I wouldrecommend [getting a mentor]. Itmakes [the medical board process]a lot smoother.”

There are so many ways to findinformation about the WWMP andall it has to offer.

“We have a website, www.wwmp.us. We recruit here at Walter ReedNational Military Medical Centerevery Wednesday; you can see ourbanner [in front of Building 62]. Werecruit and interview on Wednesdayfrom about 9a.m. to 2p.m.,” Mill-er said. “We also brief the warriortransition unit once a month andthe Joint Task Force Cap Med briefwhere all the commanders are at thepanel for 15 minutes. Every Fridaywe have an outpatient brief. Whenthey come out of the ward, they havea brief and we speak there. We alsoget referrals from the outpatientmanagers and the OTs. That is howwe get in contact with them.”

10 Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Journal

MENTORContinued from 5

they can go to the NFL Networkand catch their team as they score atouchdown or drive to the red zone.”

The Liberty Zone will also showevery Thursday night NFL footballgame and have their annual SuperBowl Party, as well as showcase col-lege football games on Saturdays.

If you are the fan that prefers towatch the game live to enjoy a one ofa kind experience, the ITT office canhelp you create that memory.

The ITT office sells tickets forhome games of the Washington Red-skins, offering decent seats at com-petitive prices, said ITT ManagerAlecia Pityk.

“If you want to go to a particulargame, it costs $130 per ticket. It’s avery competitive price compared toendorsement deals or going throughthe Redskins themselves becauseyou can’t buy the tickets individu-ally. So, it is a convenience and abenefit to our customers. Our seat-ing sections are in the 100 and 200levels so it’s not in the nosebleed sec-tions. We also have club seats, butare sold out for the Dallas Cowboys

game. They do cost more but are ata significant discount. We are sellingthem for $599 and they are an $840value, so it’s a good deal.”

No matter where you choose towatch your favorite team battle itout on the gridiron, MWR covers allthe angles. Football season is thetime that brings families, friendsand even rivals together.

“It doesn’t matter where yougo, football is an easy topic to talkabout,” said Pityk. “Girls or guys willtalk about it. Its competitive but ina friendly way and it brings peopletogether because if you support thesame team you will instantly click.But, if you don’t like the same team,even then, it will strike up a conver-sation.”

“No matter what backgroundyou’re from, ethnicity you’re fromor what part of the country you’refrom, when football season comesaround everybody shares that com-mon bond of competition and loyaltyto their team. You might have two ri-val teams playing but it’s respectfulcompetition. There’s no other sportlike that where you can always geta strong fan base of people support-ing who they like. I believe bringingfootball and the Liberty Zone togeth-er brings people to good spirits.”

FOOTBALLContinued from 7

breastfeeding rooms, both in thepeds clinic and in the main hospital.They are a nice, comfortable place toshare time with my baby or to pumpif I need too. Thanks again for allyour help.”

In 2010, President Barack Obamaasked federal personnel officials todraft “appropriate workplace ac-commodations” for federal employ-

ees who are nursing mothers, andthe Federal Interagency Breastfeed-ing Workgroup was created in 2011in direct response to the SurgeonGeneral’s Call to Action to SupportBreastfeeding.

For more information aboutbreastfeeding, including recommen-dations and policies, visit www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding. For informationabout breastfeeding policies andaccommodations at Walter ReedBethesda, call Shannon Riley at301-319-5048.

WORKGROUPContinued from 8

The Journal Thursday, August 29, 2013 11

01040563

01040745

Joseph W. KastlAttorney

Military Law in BethesdaFREE Initial Consultation

• Defense You Deserve• When It’s You Against the System• MEB Downloadable PDF(Medical Evaluation Board)

Schedule PhoneAppointment

1-800-651-5950

www.militarydef.net01040749

Retired Senior Military Judge

12 Thursday, August 29, 2013 The Journal