journal 120513

Vol. 25 No. 46 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ December 5, 2013

by Ryan HunterNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

Winter is coming and withit approaches the potentialfor harsh storms and freez-ing temperatures. NavalSupport Activity Bethesda(NSAB) Safety Manager JimGanz and NSAB EmergencyManager Ron Kunz advocatefor base preparedness duringthe harsh winter months.“The time to get ready for

winter weather is long be-fore the first snowflake falls,”said Kunz. “If the snow advi-sory [on Nov 24] was any in-dication, the time to prepareis now.”

Supplies“Usually right before a

storm people panic and rushto the store to buy theirsupplies. You’re better offstocking up right now,” saidKunz.In addition to keeping

households stocked withboth perishable and non-perishable food items,Kunz recommends keepingseveral tools in a disastersupplies kit. These itemsinclude: rock salt to meltice on walkways; sand, toimprove traction for carsin snow; snow shovels andother snow removal equip-ment to dig yourself out ifthe need arises.“Prepare for possible

isolation in your home byalso having sufficient heat-ing fuel, since regular fuelsources may be cut off,” saidKunz. “For example, store agood supply of dry, seasonedwood for your fireplace orwood-burning stove. You canalso winterize your home toextend the life of your fuelsupply by insulating wallsand attics, caulking andweather-stripping doorsand windows, and installingstorm windows or coveringwindows with plastic.”

Vehicular Maintenance“In the event of a snow-

storm, your car will probablybe your main mode of trans-portation,” said Kunz. “It’s

important to make sure thevehicle is properly checkedfor serviceability before-hand.”Both managers recom-

mended that drivers ensurethat these commonly usedcomponents are fully opera-tional in your vehicle: thethermostat, brakes, heater,

defroster, headlamps, flash-ing hazard lights, windshieldwiper equipment, as wellas the fuel and air filters.Liquids such as the anti-freeze, motor oil, brake fluidand windshield wiper fluidshould also be checked andrefilled if necessary.“Battery and ignition sys-

tem should be in top condi-tion with clean battery ter-minals. Check for leaks andcrimped pipes in the exhaustsystem; carbon monoxide isdeadly and usually gives nowarning,” added Kunz.A strong emphasis was

also placed on vehicle tires.“It’s one of the most im-portant parts of your car.They’re what’s actually com-ing in contact with the iceand snow,” said Kunz, whoencouraged drivers to “con-sider buying snow tires withstuds or chains for bettertraction in icy weather.”Drivers who aren’t car

savvy were advised to seekan automotive service sta-tion, where most of theseprecautions and systemchecks can be included withregular service, and sign upfor road side assistance ser-vices that offer towing, carrepair and rental if the un-expected happens.

Dressing for the Cold“Bundling up is the best

way to stave off the cold toimprove your health anddisposition this winter,” saidGanz.When selecting winter

clothes for outdoor activities,Kunz recommended wearingseveral layers of loose fitting,lightweight, warm cloth-ing rather than one layerof heavy clothing. The outergarments should be tightlywoven and water repellentto protect against adverseweather conditions like rain,wind or snow. The inner lay-

Safety, Emergency Managers Advocate Winter Preparedness

Courtesy Photo

“Maintaining the regular serviceability of your vehicle while keeping ice scrapersand shovels on hand are absolutely necessary precautions to take if you plan ondriving this winter,” said Emergency Manager Ron Kunz.

See SAFETY page 9

2 Thursday, December 5, 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 301-400-2488. 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. David A. BitontiActing Public Affairs Officer NSAB: John EppersonPublic Affairs Office NSAB: 301-400-2488

Journal StaffStaff Writers MC3BrandonWilliams-Church

MASNApril BeazerSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorCat DeBinderRyan HunterKatie MolletKatrina Skinner

Managing Editor MC2 John Hamilton

WRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

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

Fleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087NSAB OmbudsmanMichelle 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/Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

CFC Drive ContinuesThe Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) of

the National Capital Area continues at NavalSupport Activity Bethesda and Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center. For 50years, CFC has been a vehicle for federal,postal and military employees to make chari-table donations to approved organizations un-der the CFC umbrella, making CFC the larg-est, most successful and only approved work-place charity campaign in the federal govern-ment. Walter Reed Bethesda’s CFC reportingnumber is 4031502. To donate, contact yoursection key worker for details. Donate onlineat www.cfcnca.org (click on donate now) or atmypay.dfas.mil on the MYPAY website (usecode 0990). The campaign runs until Jan. 15.

Hearing Clinic HoursThe Hearing Conservation Walk-In Clinic

at Walter Reed Bethesda is open Mondaythrough Thursday from 7 to 11 a.m., andFriday from 7 to 10:45 a.m. The clinic is openafternoons Monday through Wednesday from1 to 3:30 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 2 p.m.There are no afternoon hours on Thursday.The clinic is in Building 7, Liberty Zone, sec-ond floor, Rm. 2143, adjacent to OccupationalHealth Clinic. The clinic is available to adultpatients, active duty, and civilian employeesin the Noise Medical Surveillance Program.Care includes routine hearing exams includ-ing annual PHA, periodic, readiness, sepa-ration, retirement, commissioning and otherservices. For more information, call 301-295-4665.

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

cation tool for you to view and post questionsor comments for official responses from theWalter Reed Bethesda command leadership.The tool is on the WRB Intranet page. Clickon the Town Hall/Leadership Forum icon, andthen click on ‘Ask Your Leadership’.

Bethesda Notebook

We do three things atWalter Reed Bethesda: Ac-complish our Mission; Takecare of each other; Takecare of our Families. MIS-SION/PEOPLE — goodleaders do both.Tis the season! On Nov.

27, we lit a menorah in thelobby of Building 10 to be-gin the 8 days of Hanukah.On Thanksgiving Day, our NutritionCare Team made goodness happen!They led a group of us in handing outbaskets to our patients and staff onour wards. If you did not eat in our gal-ley you missed an incredible Thanks-giving Feast! Our Nutrition Team areamong our unsung heroes. Please SAYTHANK YOU!On Dec. 4, we lit our Holiday Tree,

sang carols, and recognized our in-credible Civilians and Red Cross Vol-unteers who have served for over 40years-truly special. If you missed thisexceptional event, you must not missthe 20 foot tall tree! OurWRB HolidayParty for our Service Members, Civil-ians, Contract Employees, Volunteersand Families will be 13 December.Tickets are selling fast. No speeches— just fellowship, food, and fun! It isgood for us to gather. Sue and I hopeto see you there.Our Combined Federal Campaign

(CFC) is underway and concludes inmid-January. This annual opportunityto donate to the charities of our choiceis a great way to make the world a bet-ter place, especially for those less for-tunate. Your department’s CFC repre-sentative is standing by to assist.This month we initiate our Prosper-

ity Plan. This is a structured approachto help each of us prosper: Personally,Professionally, Spiritually, and in ourRelationships/Family. Each of us willbe provided a Prosperity Plan Work-book. The Workbook is a tool to assist

each of us to specify goalsand to develop a plan toreach those goals; ones thatyou decide. This workbookcan also help your leader-ship, friends, and familysupport and assist you inreaching your goals. The in-dividual and collective well-being of our People and ourFamilies is our foundation.

As you know, this is a time of im-mense change. BRAC and the merger,under RADM Stocks’ leadership, werea huge success. Thankfully, OEF iswinding down and we are receivingfar fewer casualties. Both of these areblessings. But, there is also a new fis-cal reality. After a decade of essential-ly limitless resources, we are now in anera of limited (notlimiting) resources.We must be good

stewards and hold ourselves account-able. We will remain patient-centeredas we transform and continue to excelin our two Foundations and our six Pil-lars. Details of how best to transformourselves are currently being workedby our Board of Directors and manyof our other leaders. This is an excit-ing time, a time of change; one thateach of us will play a role in our future.During this time of change, I remaincommitted to MISSION/PEOPLE-goodleaders do both.I ask that you be as proud of who we

are, what we do, and most importantly,how we do it. During this holiday sea-son, I will recount my many blessings-among those is privilege of servingwith each of you on this great Teamand caring for our Nation’s Heroes.As always, thank you for all you do

and may God bless.

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey B. ClarkMC, USADirector, Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center

Commander’s Column

The Journal Thursday, December 5, 2013 3

By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public

Affairs staff writer

Navy Lt. WilliamJ. Walders, depart-ment chief for the In-formation Manage-ment Department atWalter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC), wasrecently honored asWRNMMC’s Junior Of-ficer of the Year for Fis-cal Year (FY) 2013 dur-ing a program in theMemorial Auditorium.Also during the pro-

gram,WRNMMC’s bluejacket, Sailors, nursepreceptor, junior officer,junior and senior civil-ians of the quarter werehonored.Sailors ranking from

seaman recruit to sea-man are eligible forblue jacket of the quar-ter. Junior Sailor of thequarter is awarded to athird class petty officer.Sailor of the quarteris awarded to a secondclass petty officer, andsenior Sailor of thequarter is awarded toa first class petty offi-

cer. Civilian employeesGS-7 and below or theirequivalents, are eli-gible for junior civilianof the quarter. Civilianemployees GS-8 andabove, or their equiva-lents, are eligible forsenior civilian of thequarter.Walders was respon-

sible for all informa-tion technology opera-tions at Walter ReedBethesda from October2012 to October 2013,the award period. TheNavy lieutenant over-saw operations staffedby approximately 240personnel and a bud-get of more than $144million. Walders wasdescribed as “the singlemost stabilizing influ-ence” of InformationTechnology (IT) opera-tions, sustaining themwith “presence and ex-pertise.”WRNMMC’s IToperation is describedas “the Department ofDefense’s largest andmost complex health-care information sys-tem.” Walders earnedthe Joint Service Com-mendation Medal forhis efforts.

Hospitalman LarissaLemke earned WalterReed Bethesda’s bluejacket of the 2013 FYfourth quarter award.She works in the Gen-eral Internal MedicineDepartment and iscredited with assistingin electrocardiograms,steroid injections, nailremovals, rapid strepcultures and investiga-tional new drug appli-cations and wound carefor more than 1,100 pa-tients.Earning the junior

Sailor of the 2013 FYfourth quarter award,Hospital Corpsman3rd Class Devante T.Valmont is creditedwith “expertly serv-ing as vice presidentof the Junior EnlistedMess where he led hispeers in numerous com-mand and communityevents.” In addition,he volunteered for themass casualty exerciseat the Pentagon, whichincreased first respond-er readiness in the Na-tional Capital Area.Cited for serving dual

roles in the cardiologydepartment as the as-

sistant leading pettyofficer of the cardiaccatherization depart-ment and leading thecardiac rehabilitationteam, Hospital Corps-man 2nd Class Christo-pher Nunez earned theSailor of the 2013 FYfourth quarter award.

“His tireless efforts andversatility proved to beinvaluable during man-ning shortages pro-duced by the furloughof civilian employees,”his nomination noted.Hospital Corps-

man 1st Class JasonYoung earned the se-

nior Sailor of the 2013FY fourth quarter hon-or for “implementingthree process improve-ments despite a reduc-tion the enlisted staff ”in the Inpatient War-

Walter Reed Bethesda Salutes Junior Officer of the Year

Quarterly Award Winners, Volunteers Also Recognized During Program

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Walter Reed Bethesda’s Junior Officer of the Year for Fiscal Year2013, blue jacket, Sailors, nurse preceptor, junior officer, junior andsenior civilians of the quarter are honored during a recent programin the Memorial Auditorium. Front row from left to right are Mi-chelle Thomas, Hospitalman Larissa Lemke and 1st Lt. AmandaKress. Second row, left to right are Hospital Corpsman 3rd ClassDevante T. Valmont and Navy Lt. William J. Walders. Third row,left to right are, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Christopher Nunezand Army 1st Lt. Christopher D. Reyes. Fourth row are seniorhealth physicist Kevin Allen and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class JasonYoung.

See AWARD page 5

01041277


By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 3rd Class

Brandon Williams-ChurchNSAB Public Affair staff writer

Tomorrow, Naval Support ActivityBethesda’s (NSAB) Morale, Welfareand Recreation (MWR) departmentwill host the annual winter festival,which aims to bring holiday tidingsto friends and family of all ages.The event will be held in Building

17’s gymnasium within the FitnessCenter from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.This year’s theme for the win-

ter festival is based off the classicChristmas movie ‘A Christmas Sto-ry.’“It’s going to be a family fun

event,” said Ket Pettaway, MWR cor-porate sponsorship manager. “We’rehoping that the leaderships will al-low their workers to bring their chil-dren into work with them that day,because we are having Santa Claus.”Children will be able to take ad-

vantage of Santa Claus’ appearancewith photos in his sleigh as well astoys to take home.“We will also have our second an-

nual Segway race between the com-manding officer of NSAB and SantaClaus,” said Pettaway. “We have Ja-mie Tate, and up and coming countrycinger, performing, there will also be

a nutcracker expert by the AmericanInstitute of Washington D.C. We willalso feature Christmas fairies fromMorocco, who will do traditionaldances from Morocco and displaytheir costumes.”Other incentives for attending the

winter festival will be a moon bounce,

gift giveaways, complimentary chi-nese food and a cakewalk where pa-trons can take away free desserts fortheir holiday, said MWR’s Marketingand Events Coordinator Ed Kenny.Anyone with base access is en-

couraged to attend and to bring theirfamily to share in the events.

“We hold the Winterfest becauseof the season and for morale,” saidKenny. “We hope that most depart-ments will make this their holidayparty. We need the base’s support tokeep having these functions. We puta lot of effort in our events so come,have fun and bring the family.”

Winter Festival to Ring in the Christmas Season with Cheer

Photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Parde

Twins, Will and Bailey Pearson, 4, and their brother Reilly, 3, sharea moment with Santa during Winterfest 2012.

Capt. Frederick “Fritz” Kass,former commanding officer ofNaval Support Activity Bethes-da, races Santa Claus in thefirst annual Segway Race on theBuilding 17 indoor track duringWinterfest 2012.

1036314 01040829


rior and Family Liaison Office. He is also creditedwith personally raising more than $41,000 forthe Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, whileinstructing five enlisted advancement programcourses to more than 86 Sailors.Earning the clinical nurse transition preceptor

of the fourth quarter for 2013 award, Army 1st Lt.Amanda Kress, a 5 Center nurse, was recognizedfor “demonstrating skills and expertise in thefield of nursing which exemplified commitmentto enhancing care for patients and families.” Shewas also credited for “providing invaluable guid-ance to novice nurses in the comprehensive careof patients.”Army 1st Lt. Christopher D. Reyes received the

Joint Achievement Medal for earning the juniorofficer for 2013 fourth quarter award. The clini-cal staff nurse was recognized for “displayinga commitment to professional development,championing patient safety and providing ex-ceptional patient care.”Cook supervisor for Nutrition Services De-

partment, Michelle Thomas earned the juniorcivilian of the quarter award for the 3rd quar-ter for calendar year 2013. She was recognizedfor providing “outstanding customer service andmanaging resources as supervisor of the Café8901 kiosk. She was our first choice to executethe mission and took responsibility for [it] andall of its challenges without hesitation. She isan extremely hard worker in an environmentand job that is both physically demanding andemotionally charged.”Senior health physicist Kevin Allen earned

the senior civilian of the quarter honor for the

third quarter for the 2013 calendar year. “Mr.Allen’s efforts in training modernization led tothe establishment of Annual Radiation SafetyTraining which can be used at WRNMMC toprovide training to more than 400 radiationworkers, but also can be expanded to all of theDepartment of Defense health-care facilities.”Also during the recognition program, Brig.

Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark, WRNMMC direc-tor, saluted the efforts of American Red Crossvolunteers who worked additional hours at themedical center during the government shut-down when many civilian employees were fur-loughed.The general also noted the efforts of Red

Cross volunteer Ora Shaver, who recently cel-ebrated her 95th birthday and has volunteeredat Walter Reed Bethesda for nearly 40 years.She has volunteered nearly 250 hours this yearat Walter Reed Bethesda.

AWARDContinued from 3

01040894

01041273


By Katrina SkinnerWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Physicians in trainingrepresenting Walter ReedNational Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC) recent-ly placed third in a contestwith other training pro-grams, testing their knowl-edge and skills in pulmonaryand critical care medicine.Army Captains (Doctors)

Gregory S. Brown, David C.Hostler and Brian M. Cohee,representing WRNMMC,placed third behind the Mai-monides Medical Center andthe Cleveland Clinic Foun-dation in the 2013 CHESTChallenge, sponsored annu-ally by the American Collegeof Chest Physicians (ACCP).The competition is open toall pulmonary and criticalcare training programs inNorth America, which in-cludes more than 100 insti-tutions.In the first round of the

competition, described as aJeopardy-style contest, fel-lows completed an onlinetest. The top nine scoringprograms nationally wereinvited to compete in a

live semifinal competitionround held in San Anto-nio on Aug. 27. “Our teamwon their semifinal roundto advance to the nationalchampionship, which washeld at the ACCP annualmeeting in Chicago on Oct.29,” said Army Lt. Col. JohnH. Sherner, program direc-tor for the National Capi-tal Consortium Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine Fel-lowship.“The finals also included a

hands-on portion where theywere evaluated on their pro-cedures in a simulation lab,”Sherner continued. He calledthe results “very close,” com-ing down to the final ques-tion.This was the 12th year

for the CHEST Challenge,which organizers describeas “a fun, educational event.”WRNMMC and the NationalCapital Consortium Pulmo-nary/Critical Care Fellow-ship participants have tra-ditionally performed well inthe event, said Sherner. Theyplaced third in 2007, first in2008, first in 2009, first in2010 and first in 2011.Walter Reed Bethesda and

the National Capital Con-

sortium Pulmonary/Criti-cal Care Fellowship providecomprehensive exposure topulmonary medicine andmultidisciplinary criticalcare. Fellows are exposedto all aspects of pulmonary

medicine across a wide rangeof patient demographics.Highlighted areas includeasthma, deployment relat-ed dyspnea, cystic fibrosis,sarcoidosis, and evaluationand staging of lung cancer.

Through rotations at areacenters, fellows also developexpertise in pulmonary hy-pertension, tuberculosis, andevaluation and care of lungtransplant candidates andrecipients.

WRB Physicians Shine in ‘CHEST’ Challenge

Courtesy photo

(from left) Two judges from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)CHEST Challenge evaluate the pulmonary and critical care knowledge and skillsof Walter Reed National Military Medical Center CHEST Challenge team mem-bers, (starting third from left) Army captains (doctors) David Hostler, Brian Co-hee and Gregory Brown, during the 2013 CHEST Challenge, sponsored annuallyby the ACCP.

By Cat DeBinder andBernard S. Little

WRNMMC Public Affairsstaff writers

The National MilitaryAudiology and Speech Pa-thology Center (NMASC)celebrated its 70th anniver-sary recently at Walter ReedBethesda.“There’s a tremendous

amount of history in the au-diology and speech pathologyprofessions that have beenpart of the military traditionfor a long time,” said NavyCapt. David Larson, deputydirector for clinical supportservices at WRNMMC. “Itstarted here,” he added.The NAMSC began at the

former Walter Reed GeneralHospital in Washington, D.C.in 1943 as the Audiology andSpeech Correction Center,and later, renamed as theArmy Audiology and SpeechCenter. Walter Reed GeneralHospital became the WalterReed Army Medical Center

during the 1950s, and waslater integrated with the Na-tional Naval Medical Centerin 2011 to form Walter ReedNational Military Medi-

cal Center (WRNMMC). Aspart of the integration, theNMASCmoved toWRNMMCin the America Building, thelargest military outpatient

facility in the world, at thenation’s largest joint mili-tary medical center, WalterReed Bethesda.“Throughout the decades,

patient care has been pro-vided to service memberswho returned from war withhearing loss, dizziness prob-lems, cognitive communica-tion impairments and swal-lowing deficits as a resultof injuries sustained whiledeployed,” said Dr. ThereseWalden, research audiolo-gist and chair of the 70th an-niversary committee for theNMASC.Army Col. Nancy Vause,

NMASC director, called hear-ing loss and tinnitus (ringingof the ears) “signature inju-ries of 10 years of the war”[in Iraq and Afghanistan].She added millions of people,including Soldiers, Sailors,Airmen and Marines, havetinnitus, and hundreds ofservice members have hear-ing loss. She explained thecare provided in the NMASCpreserves and improves the

health and quality-of-life ofwounded warriors, their fam-ilies and other beneficiariesof the military healthcaresystem, by developing, in-corporating and disseminat-ing state-of-the-art clinicalpractices in audiology andspeech-language pathology.Nearly 300 people from

various federal and localagencies and institutions, in-cluding Veterans Affairs, Na-tional Institutes of Health,Gallaudet University, NASA,the Montgomery County gov-ernment, Food and Drug Ad-ministration, University ofMaryland and Towson Uni-versity, attended the day-long celebration for the 70thanniversary of the NAMSC,which included workshopsand a reception.Workshops covered such

topics as hearing aid selec-tion and fitting; cognitive-communication assessmentand training for patients

Audiology, Speech Center Celebrates 70th Anniversary


Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, a beneficiary of the Nation-al Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center(NMASC) at Walter Reed Bethesda, speaks at the70th anniversary celebration for the NMASC, as NavyCapt. David Larson, deputy director for clinical sup-port services at Walter Reed Bethesda, and ArmyCol. Nancy Vause, NMASC director, look on.

See SPEECH page 10


By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 3rd Class Brandon

Williams-ChurchNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

Recently, the Bethesda NavalBowling Center, located near theFisher Houses, reopened its doorswith a new look.The nearly seven month project

brought new life back into the socialrecreation facility both inside andoutside its walls.“What a great opportunity this is

for us to cut the ribbon on the newrenovation that was done here atthe bowling alley,” said Naval Sup-port Activity Bethesda’s (NSAB)Commanding Officer Capt. David A.Bitonti. “Having been on the cam-pus for some time now, I rememberwhat the bowling alley was like. It’sawesome how open and refreshingthe new floor plan is. It makes iteasier for people to get around; it’slightened and brightened up so itputs a smile on your face as soonas you walk in the doors. This is agreat service that our beneficiariesare going to be able to take advan-tage of.”Noel Dysart, manager of the

bowling center, expressed his grati-tude and excitement for the newchanges to the alley.“It’s really a nice facility and

hopefully it will grow in the future,”said Dysart. “The idea is to try andget the word out about the bowlingcenter and if the people do that thenwe can establish something great.We bend over backwards for the ac-tive duty and the departments toget them to come out and have fun.”The snack bar and kitchen, out-

side patio, party room, restrooms,lighting and sound system are apart of the newly refurbished areasof the bowling center.“We wanted to modernize the

bowling center to make it morefreely accessible to our clients,” saidDysart. “Our bathrooms were from1979 and our outside deck was twolevels, not easily accessible for ourwounded warriors. The snack barwas old and the way it was laid outwasn’t very practical. We wantedto make more room for people to beable to sit down and enjoy their re-freshments. The party room was oldand parts of it were taken away forstorage, so a part of our project wasto open that space up. We also hadour lighting and sound system up-dated for our ‘Rock-n-Bowl’ (NSAB’sversion of cosmic bowling) on Sat-urday nights.”The changes made to the snack

bar allowed the bowling center toattain chairs and tables so cus-tomers can sit down and eat theirsnacks. Improvements were madeto the countertop, stoves, fryers andthe draft beer system.The party room is now a wide

open space that families and friendscan enjoy while watching patronsbowl, through the new glass lookoutover the lanes.“The bathrooms are now both

totally handicapped accessible, andthere are also baby changing tablesin the men’s and women’s areas,” saidDysart. “With our wounded warriors,this became very important becausemost of the time motorized wheel-chairs couldn’t fit through the doors.Now our bathrooms don’t have doors;the setup is similar to airport bath-rooms with each sex splitting off intothe opposite direction to enter theirrespective restroom. This allowed usto make the restrooms fully acces-sible for motorized wheelchairs. Thesingle level outside deck also makesaccess easier for wounded warriorsto enjoy the surroundings.”Along with renovations of the

bowling center, NSAB’s Morale, Wel-fare and Recreation department ispromoting a new Navy-wide bowl-ing initiative for active duty servicemembers.“As opposed to a traveling league,

we are trying to take all the basesthat have bowling centers to put outthe same conditions and get activeduty teams,” said Dysart. “The teamswill bowl in their home centers andsend the scores off electronically tobe compared to the other competi-tors weekly. It is no cost to the ac-tive duty base team competitors andthere will be two divisions, an openand a women’s division. We’re go-ing to get championship shirts anda team trophy along with other in-

centives for the teams. We are look-ing for participants before January,which is the start of the tourna-ment.”With these new additions to the

bowling center, Dysart and his staffare encouraging its base patrons toenjoy what the bowling center hasto offer. Bowling leagues, children’sbowling hours, parties, food andRock n Bowl are all on the table totake pleasure in.“Bowling is great for everyone,”

said Dysart. “It’s a sport that any-one can do until a very old age. It’s aphysical activity that you can comedown and get better at your skill.Come and have a good time. It’s afun, competitive and social sport.”

Bowling Center Reopens with Renovations and New Initiatives

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

The patio of the bowling center is now single level making it easier for wounded warriors to make theirway on and off the bowling center grounds.

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd ClassBrandon Williams-Church

The newly renovated snack barcontains a new countertop, im-proved draft beer system andbar chairs and tables for patronsto enjoy a meal.

photo by Ryan Hunter

Capt. David A. Bitonti, commanding officer of Naval Support Ac-tivity Bethesda (NSAB), NSAB’s Morale, Welfare and RecreationDirector Courtney Silvestre and Noel Dysart, manager of theBethesda Naval Bowling Center, cut the ribbon during the grandre-opening of the bowling center Nov. 21.


By Master-at-ArmsSeaman April Beazer

Public Affairsstaff writer

While the holidays are atime for laughter, joy and fun,don’t forget about drinkingresponsibly and never get be-hind the wheel of a car whileunder the influence.

“During the holiday timesa lot of celebration goes on.For those of us in the mili-tary community, a lot of usare away from our home andloved ones which can make theuse of alcohol an escape fromour reality and can lead to ir-responsible use,” said Master-at-Arms 1st class ChristopherVarga Command Drug and Al-cohol Program Advisor (DAPA)for Naval Support ActivityBethesda.

Drinking and driving is abig issue due to increased al-cohol consumption during theholidays, he added. “Have aplan. If you are going out besure that you have a safe wayhome,” said Varga. “If yourplan A fails, which would beyour designated driver, makesure you have phone num-

bers to taxi cabs and also yourchain of command so someonecan pick you up to prevent youfrom drinking and driving.”

If you realize that you havea drinking problem and wouldlike to seek treatment or help,there are many people youcan talk to and different waysto get the help that you need,Varga mentions.

“If you or someone you knowrealizes they have a drinkingproblem, the best place to visitis your command DAPA,” hesaid. “If that person doesn’tfeel comfortable [going to theDAPA] they could always go tomedical personnel, it could bea doctor, nurse, or anyone inthe medical field. They couldgo to a chaplain, someone theytrust within their chain ofcommand or a friend.”

“There are three ways youcould go about an alcohol refer-ral. You could have a self-refer-ral where the member admitsthemselves for treatment orhelp. The second option wouldbe a command referral whichhappens when the commandrecognizes a problem and re-fers them for help. The thirdway is an incident and it is not

recommend because it is de-rived from a driving under theinfluence. Anything associatedwith a legal issue while underthe influence would be con-sidered as an incident. Theywould have to go through legaland the command DAPA.”

If a person comes in as a selfor command referral, anythingthat is told to the commandDAPA is confidential, Vargasaid. There is no trouble, thereare no repercussions. The onlyway they would get in troubleis if the referral was derivedfrom an incident.

“The important thing totake from this is that every-one should use alcohol respon-sibly, only drink if they areof legal age, follow the com-mand policy and never drinkand drive. Always follow ournew motto, `keep what you’veearned’ which means everyonehas worked hard to get wherethey are so don’t waste it on abad night out there drinkingand cause the destructionof your career. Have a safeand Happy Holiday,” wishesVarga.

Be Safe During the Holidays and Always, Don’t Drink And Drive

Courtesy photo

01041008


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

The John P. Murtha Can-cer Center held its annuallung cancer summit Nov.15 on the campus of NavalSupport Activity Bethesda.“This meeting is intended

to provide researchers andclinicians an opportunityto find out the latest ad-vances in the treatment oflung cancer, including earlydetection, advances in sur-gical techniques, molecularanalysis, targeted therapiesin development, treatmentoptions to include advancedradiation, endobronchialtechniques and palliativetherapy,” said Army Col.(Dr.) Craig D. Shriver.Shriver is director of the

John P. Murtha Cancer Cen-ter, chief of General SurgeryService at Walter Reed Na-tional Military Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC), programdirector for the NationalCapital Consortium’s Gen-eral Surgery and professorof surgery at the UniformedServices University of theHealth Sciences (USU).Cmdr. (Dr.) Joel A. Na-

tions, chief of pulmo-nary medicine service atWRNMMC and chair of itscancer committee, explainedlung cancer screening is rec-ommended for those indi-viduals at high risk, includ-ing veterans 55 to 74 yearsof age and who smoked apack or more a day for 30years or more, even if smok-ing was stopped less than15 years ago, or those whosmoked two packs a day for15 years. Those also at highrisk are at least 50 years ofage who smoked a pack ormore a day for 20 years ormore, and were exposed to

other risk factors, includingoccupational exposure tocarcinogens such as radongas, asbestos, Agent Orange,silicon, air pollution, or whohave chronic lung disease.Those with a mother, fatheror sibling with lung cancerare also encouraged to bescreened.“Screening, coupled with

smoking cessation, likelyprovides the best method toreduce the mortality impactof lung cancer,” Nationsstated.Carolyn Mesnak, head

of internal medicine smok-

ing cessation at WRNMMC,added 68.8 percent of smok-ers want to quit smoking,but face challenges doingso. “Nicotine causes chang-es in the brain that makepeople want to use it.” Sheexplained smoking cessa-tion is a change process, andpharmacotherapy, combinedwith behavioral program, iscornerstone to quitting. Sheadded relapse counselingis also necessary for manysmokers to successfullyquit.Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Corey A.

Carter, hematologist and

medical oncologist and in-ternal medicine chief of tho-racic oncology at WRNMMC,discussed lung cancer treat-ment at the summit. “Theonly definitive therapy forlong-term survival, regard-less of [someone] being asmoker or a nonsmoker,” issurgery, he stated. “All pa-tients should be consideredfor surgery, complete lobec-tomies and lymph node re-section.” He added chemo-therapy decreases the rateof recurrence by approxi-mately 10 to 15 percent.Accounting for approxi-

mately 160,000 deaths ofAmericans annually, lungcancer is the leading can-cer killer in both men andwomen in the United States,according to the AmericanLung Association. The mostcommon cause of lung can-cer is long-term exposureto tobacco smoke, which ac-counts for 80 to 90 percentof lung cancers. Non-smok-ers account for approxi-mately 10 to 15 percent oflung cancer cases, attrib-uted to factors such as occu-pational exposure, genetics,radon gas, asbestos, and airpollution, including second-hand smoke.Since the Murtha Cancer

Center at Walter Reed Na-tional Military Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC) began offer-ing the scans in late 2012,it has screened more than100 patients. Accordingto the National Institutesof Health (NIH), NationalCancer Institute (NCI), thelung cancer five-year sur-vival rate (16.3 percent) islower than many other lead-ing cancer sites, such as thecolon (65.2 percent), breast(90 percent) and prostate(99.9 percent).The five-year survival

rate for lung cancer is 52.6percent for cases detectedwhen the disease is still lo-calized (within the lungs).However, only 15 percent oflung cancer cases are diag-nosed at an early stage. Fordistant tumors (spread toother organs) the five-yearsurvival rate is 3.5 percent,according to NIH, NCI.For more information

about lung cancer screeningat WRNMMC, call 301-295-4191, or email [email protected].

Murtha Cancer Center Hosts Annual Lung Cancer Summit


Army Maj. (Dr.) Christine Ko Bang (foreground), a radiation oncologist at WalterReed Bethesda, discussed stereotactic body radiotherapy during the Annual LungCancer Summit at Walter Reed Bethesda on Nov. 15.

ers should be clean, light-weight and easy to remove.This prevents overheatingby allowing the wearer toadjust the amount of clothesneeded as they move in andout of heated buildings.“If you have trouble re-

membering these tips,remember the acronym,C.O.L.D.; keep it ‘Clean,’

avoid ‘Overheating,’ wear it‘Loose and in Layers,’ andkeep it ‘Dry,’” said Ganz.Accessories are also essen-

tial when keeping extremi-ties warm. Both managersadvocated wearing hats andscarves to protect your head,face and even lungs fromwinter winds. Mittens werealso suggested as a warmeralternative to gloves.

DecorationsThe holiday season usu-

ally accompanies a flurry ofdecorations, but the combi-

nation of extreme elements,dry air, uneven heat andelectronic lights can causeproblems at home and in theoffice if not carefully main-tained.“If you plan on placing a

Christmas tree in your house,use caution,” said Ganz.“Most artificial trees are fireresistant, but live trees havea tendency to dry out overtime and create a serious firehazard. Any living Christ-mas tree you use this seasonshould be fresh. Newer treesare less flammable and can

be identified by firm, flexible,green, needles that are dif-ficult to pull from branchesas well as a trunk butt thatis sticky with sap. A tree dis-playing these signs will lastfor approximately a month ifkept away from heat sourcesand stored within a well-wa-tered basin.”While there are already

wreaths and trees adorn-ing the halls and offices ofNSAB, Ganz stressed that“there are strict guidelinesfor workplace decorationsthat service members and

civilians at NSAB mustobserve.” Artificial Christ-mas trees are allowed inNSAB workspaces, but liv-ing ones are not. If a deco-ration requires strings oflights, the lights must beUL-listed, used in modera-tion, plugged directly intothe wall without use of ex-tension cords and turnedoff when unattended. Nodecoration should com-pletely cover a door or blocka hallway or walking space.The use of aerosol artificialsnow is strictly prohibited.

SAFETYContinued from 1


with traumatic brain injury; co-chlear implantation; vestibular di-agnosis and treatment; a patient’sperspective of progressive hearingloss and treatment; dysphagia re-sulting from combat-related inju-ries; and current practices and newtechniques in assessing vocal foldmotion disorder.

During the reception, U.S. Sena-tor from Iowa Tom Harkin and U.S.Representative of Maryland ChrisVan Hollen praised the work of theNMASC. They spoke of their per-sonal experiences with hearing chal-lenges.

“Many of you may know I grew upwith a brother who was deaf,” saidHarkin, who explained he also be-gan to develop hearing challengesin recent years. He thanked Walden,“for taking such good care of meover the last several years when Ifirst noticed I wasn’t hearing peoplevery well. Through the years, youhave just been so helpful, [enabling]me to pick up on what people saywhen I am in meetings and thingslike that. I’m better capable of doing

my job because of your center here.“We’ve had a great progression

in technology, science and research,which have enabled people who havehad hearing or speech problems tobe fully functioning members of oursociety,” Harkin said. “People nowcan communicate better, and we aretaking that even further into the fu-ture.”

Van Hollen agreed, calling theNMASC and WRNMMC, “nationaltreasures.”

“The whole country is grateful forall the work you do. The successesyou’ve had in military medicine,including those in the areas of au-diology and speech pathology, havehelped those in the field, and menand women throughout the world,”said the Maryland congressman.

Van Hollen said his grandfather’shearing was impacted by his servicein World War II when a blast wentoff near his ear. “With the help of hishearing aid, we were able to commu-nicate with him.”

The ceremony concluded with dig-nitaries cutting the 70th anniversa-ry cake for the NMASC, located onthe fifth floor of the America Build-ing. The audiology and speech pa-thology department can reached at301-295-7820 or 301-295-7840.

SPEECHContinued from 6

NEX Supports CFC

Photo by Ryan Hunter

(From left) Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) Commanding Officer, Captain David Bitonti; Navy Exchange (NEX) StoreManager, Robin Dale; NEX General Manager, Rick Pimentel; and NSAB Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) coordinator CulinarySpecialist 2nd Class Welner Saravia hold a check for $2,260 donated from the NEX to the NSAB CFC.

For more news from other bases

around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.T6613570

Rockville

RentalTownhomes

Less than 3 miles to WRNMMC

01040922

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

OneOne MonthMonthOne MonthFREEFREEFREE

Rent on all 4 BR!Rent on all 4 BR!Rent on all 4 BR!Call for Details.Call for Details.Call for Details.

01040464

1036310


journal 120513

Documents

iceand snow

snow tires withstuds

snow advisory

warm clothing

freezing temperatures

sufficient heating fuel

ashing hazard lights

vehicle tires