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FROM THE CHAIRMAN

To All MSC Association Members …. How much has changed since we

last met! It seems almost surreal as I sit here “locked down” at home

trying to find a way to be helpful as our nation struggles in response to the

pandemic. If you’re like me, you are proud of those serving (or asked to

serve again) today in their selfless and passionate response to our nation’s

call. We all salute you! We are especially proud of the contributions

MSCs will bring to the fight! Thank you all past and present … I like to

think there is a little bit of each of us shared among the generations of

MSC warriors. Gosh, I miss being in the “game.”

If you are like me, you have had some time to reflect on a number of

things. In a podcast I did with Beckers Health, I referred to it as “God’s

time out for mankind.” You think about life during the period of BC

(before coronavirus) and how it may be different in AC (after

coronavirus). I thought long and hard about how it will possibly change

my personal life, my outlook, my values and of course … our healthcare

system. I am trying to adapt to this “quiet time” to catch up on a few

things I have neglected … mostly my health and learning.

Let’s start with the idea of health. It is interesting, as a nation we are

supposedly the best-prepared nation in the world for an outbreak, but

struggling to contain and respond to demand. Maybe our healthcare

system hasn’t created health, just more healthcare or the system wants you

and I to say unhealthy for selfish reasons. I see them as different. Do you?

I could talk for days about the complexities of each. However, it is

unfortunate most the most effective “vaccine” to this particular virus is

the absence of chronic disease … and we as a nation are not healthy. I

hope we learn this huge lesson and reset our system to create healthier

citizens before our next challenge.

Next, I am finding time (for the first time in a while) to reflect on self-

improvement. I am certainly reading more, eating healthier and

exercising more regularly. I am reading a few things just for

entertainment, but I am really expanding my mind with some great works

on leadership, mindset, communication, and organizational change. I am

USAF MSC Association (MSCA) Inc. Spring 2020 NEWSLETTER

Aint No Stink’n COVID-19 Gonna Scare an USAF MSC!

MSCA Team

Col Don “Bulldog” Taylor, Chairman

Brig Gen Chuck Potter, Vice-Chairman Col Leslie Ness,

Treasurer Lt Col Joe Haggerty, Secretary

Col Doug “DrQD” Anderson, Director/Newsletter Lt Col Ty Obenoskey,

Director/By Laws Col Steve Pribyl, Director/Education

Lt Col Joe Burger Director/Member Support Capt John Haas

Director/Awards Lt Col Bryan Schneider, Director/Total Force

Col Greg Cullison, ADAF Liaison Col Brian “B-TAG” Acker

Project Connect Col Jim Moreland, Webmaster/Reunion Capt Wm. M. Copeland,

Gen Counsel

Capt Ken Bonner, Member Services

Col Tal Vivian Historian Lt Col Dan Sherred,

Chaplain Col Linda Eaton Survivor Support

Charlie Brown Honor Roll Emirza Gradiz,

Sponsorships

Past Chairmen

Col Doug Anderson Col Denise Lew Col Randy Borg

Col Joe Vocks Col Jim Moreland Lt Col Arthur Small

Col Frank Rohrbough Col Steve Mirick Col John F. Riley

Col Lewis D. Sanders Col Ben P. Daughtry Col Edward S. Nugent

BGen Don Wagner Col William M. Johnson

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also enjoying teaching “virtually” to my students. Even though I am not enjoying the limited

mobility, I do enjoy the open schedule to do things I want and need to do. I hope you are as well.

Lastly, let’s talk of values. I may have

taken too many things for granted over the

years. Yes, we have all had life challenges

and none of us has been immune from a

“broken road” to where we are today. But

I think we can take a “time out” that God

has given us and reflect regardless of

location such as Balad. Take a few

minutes each day and recognize the

people, relationships, opportunities and

memories you are grateful for. I did

everyday while deployed to Balad. I

believe we all have been blessed with great lives. All it takes is the first RPG to remind you. We

were blessed with a career no matter how difficult or dangerous that had a sense of purpose. A

higher calling beyond a paycheck It offered some level of prosperity and assembled good friends

we can count on whenever we need them That is a blessing we must never forget. We are

especially blessed. Remember that. Leave no one behind.

So, for my final thought, if any of you need anything during this unique time in history, please

reach out to any of us, the MSCA exists for each other. We are here for you, so please just ask.

I know I have a few extras rolls of TP to spare to anyone in need...

~Don

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VICE CHAIRMAN MESSAGE

Greetings! I think you all have heard enough on COVID-19, the Stock Market, Oil prices and all the other

unsettling things that are happening around the world. So let’s talk about something that is very positive.

As the Assistant Vice President for University Programs down in San Antonio Texas, I would like to tell

you a good news story about the College of Allied Health Sciences. First, a little background for those who

don’t know about the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) located in Bethesda

Maryland and San Antonio Texas. It consists of four separate schools, the School of Medicine, the Graduate

School of Nursing, Post Graduate Dental College, and the College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS).

The mission of the USUHS is to provide the highest quality education and research programs in the health

sciences to those selected individuals who demonstrate dedication to a career in the health professions of the

uniformed services. The USU is authorized to grant appropriate undergraduate transcripts, certificates,

degrees, and advanced academic degrees as well as to establish postdoctoral, postgraduate, and technological

institutes related to treatment and research in the health sciences. The USU develops and supports academic

and training programs designed to ensure maximum utilization of the health science labor force, facilities,

and equipment within the Department of Defense and military medical departments worldwide.

In particular, the CAHS was established in 2017, by law, to award credit and grant degrees to qualified

students of the Medical Education & Training Campus (METC). METC delivers instruction to primarily

enlisted personnel; these classes count as credit within the Major Requirements of an Associate of Science

in health Sciences and/or Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree(s). General education credits are

received in two ways: recognizing military training as academic credit and transferring credits from other

accredited and DoD approved colleges and universities.

This is a tremendous opportunity for our enlisted medics. They leave METC with college credits towards

their individual training subjects and can pursue that course of study or use that credit towards whatever

their interests are when they get out of the Service. Others who return to METC after they have been out in

the MTFs becoming proficient in their medical AFSC/MOS/NEC, come back for specialty training and they

can then earn their certificates or degrees with those additional credits from USUHS. Not only is this a

READINESS issue, but for Guard and Reserve troops, this gives them the opportunity to work in those

medical areas back home and then when recalled to Active Duty, they are already a full-up round as they

say. No two-week train-up period necessary because they already have earned the proper credential and are

fully trained. This is a wonderful program and I am proud to be part of it.

If you have any questions about USUHS or CAHS, just give me a call.

Charles E. Potter,

MA, FACHE

Brig Gen, USAF (ret)

#19 MSC Chief,

Assistant VP, USU

Southern Region

No Reunion Attendees were harmed during the making of these photos!

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FEATURE STORIES

AND

SPECIAL

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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CORPS CHIEF’S MESSAGE

SUSAN J. PIETRYKOWSKI, Brig Gen, USAF, MSC, Director, Manpower, Personnel & Resources

(SG1/8) & Medical Service Corps Chief, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General

Note: edited variation from the original and printed with permission from the Corps Chief

MSC Teammates! No doubt this message finds you in the throes of COVID-19

response, where every day feels like a sprint toward a finish line not yet in

sight. Make sure to practice healthy self-care and engage those around you to

check on their wellness. I am incredibly proud of you and feel immense gratitude

to lead a group of professionals dedicated to health solutions for our nation and

patients in every environment. I hear and read every day how many of you are

leading innovative practices in COVID response such as Col Mary Stewart and

her team implementing a drive-thru pharmacy at the 59 MDW safely

dispensing medication to patients in over 1200 vehicles a day! A big shout out

to Col Foutch and the 88 MDG physicians who are working on ground-breaking

treatments for COVID-19 patients. Here’s a quote from Col Foutch in a recent

article:

“Wright-Patterson Air Force Base prides itself on our interaction and coordination in our local community,” said Air Force

Col. Michael Foutch, 88th Medical Group Commander. “We could not be more proud of these dedicated physicians and

our ever expanding partnerships with the greater Dayton area medical community.”

There are a myriad of great things happening in our Corps beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. First, I want to

thank Col Lynn Johnson, Col John Mammano, Col Fred Grantham, Col Patty Fowler, Col Antonio Love, and Col

Brad Weast for their service on our MSC Development Team and Senior Council. We now welcome new

Associate Corps Chiefs Col Charlie Marek (Medical Logistics) and Col Dolphis “Z” Hall (Resource

Management), accompanied by our new At-Large members, Col Alisha Smith, Col Greg Coleman and Col Lauren

Byrd. Further, we just released results for CY20A Col (MSC), Lt Col (MSC), and Maj (MSC) promotion

boards. Congratulations to those officers selected to serve at the next rank! Continue to represent our Corps, the

AFMS, and AF well!

Additionally, I want to highlight the State of the Corps teleconference we held on 24 Mar 20. Thank you to the

396 participants who were able to dial in. I realize many of you had other things going on that week ☺!

Fortunately, we recorded the event, and the slides with audio are uploaded to our MSC Facebook page.

Additionally, PDFs of the slides and question and answers are uploaded to the MSC KX. Spoiler alert: we have

several MSCs with mad rap skills. You’ll have to scour the audio to find out more ☺. Lastly, the ACHE AF

Regent, Col Craig Lambert and I would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2019 ACHE AF Regent Awards:

• Senior Career/Mentor Leadership Award: Colonel Wade B. Adair, FACHE

• Mid-Career Leadership Award: Lt Col Jason M. Estes, FACHE

• Early Career/Junior Leadership Award: Captain Tamiko T. Gheen, FACHE

• ACHE Joint Federal Sector Award for Diversity and Inclusion (Early Careerist) Award: Major Sean D.

Rotbart, FACHE

This recognition is well-deserved and the hardware is in the mail! Thank you again! Between AF Med Reform,

4684 reductions, COVID-19, what we are doing is both challenging and amazing as we hunker down and venture

forward at the same time. But I can’t think of a more talented and professional team to be a part of!!

v/r, ~BGPie, π

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THE VALUE OF A LEADERSHIP ETHOS: INTERVIEW WITH MAJOR GENERAL SEAN

MURPHY, DEPUTY SURGEON GENERAL (COO), AIR FORCE MEDICAL SERVICE

Douglas E. Anderson, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, DHA, FACHE

Author’s Note: This article is an outgrowth of my personal experience, observations, teaching graduate-level leadership courses, and conducting two seminars at the Annual Congress on the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

I want to thank my colleague, David Womack, SVP, Kaiser Permanente as part of our partnership in the ACHE seminars

and Major General Sean “Tigger” Murphy for his time and willingness to share their leadership insights.

Introduction

Many leaders charge into new leadership positions with

aspirational words or phrases--inspire, trust, mission first and

people always, collaborates, open door policy, and integrate,

etc. Many have no idea what those terms truly mean much less

practice them consistently over time. As time passes, these

leaders risk becoming ineffective, even toxic by their

misguided decisions, confusion of expectations,

misinterpretation of others, apathy, etc. Eventually, the

department or organization spirals downward—the mission

falters or fails, people suffer, culture becomes corrosive, etc.

The Big Question: How do leaders spiral themselves and

others upward and sustain positive momentum? Partial

answer: a well thought out written leadership ethos. Part 1

explains the WHAT, WHY, and BENEFITS of a leadership

ethos. Future Parts will explain HOW to develop and live by

your ethos, thus helping you achieve your aspirations and keep

the organization spiraling upward.

What is a Leadership Ethos?

A personal leadership ethos does more than describe

someone’s leadership style. It serves as a foundational purpose

and reference point. The ethos defines guiding principles to

manage departments, teams, and organizations. It serves to

hold leaders accountable to their principles by leading by

example and setting the tone and pace for their environment

culture. It should answer the question: Who Am I? What can

others expect from me?

More specifically, a leadership ethos is a personal written

statement to convey YOUR leadership beliefs, principles,

expectations or YOUR commitment to live by and for others

to embrace. The ethos is meant to get past a grey area

especially when new leaders assume their positions as the

formal leader. Thinking about it, writing it down,

communicating it, and “living” it gives you and those who

work with or for clarity and consistency. Figure 1 illustrates how some leaders have crafted and refine their ethos

for years as part of their leader development journey. For you, it should be part of your personalized leader

development journey. Sadly, for many it’s a missed opportunity.

Figure 1

My Cs on Leadership

Major General Sean L. Murphy, Deputy

Surgeon General (COO), Air Force Medical

Service

Civility: Be kind and supportive. Share

credit, be a good wingman, and keep your

sense of humor! Treat others as they would

like to be treated.

Confidence: Be calm and steady always. Do

not let ego stand in the way of progress. Take

pride and ownership - this is our house!

Communication: Understand first, and then

be understood- Listen before you react. Find

the truth. God gave us two ears and one

mouth for a reason. :^)

Creativity: Be a sparkplug! Always ask,

"How can I do this better?" Be part of the

solution, not a contributor to the

problem. Ask "How can we say

YES?" Don't tolerate the "It's not my job"

mindset.

Common Sense: Use it.

Care More: They don't care about how much

you know until they know how much you

care.

Collegial/Collaborative: Work together: think

win/win. No one of us is as smart as all of

us. All voices count.

Candor: Do the right thing every time, even

when no one is looking. Tell the truth

without hesitation.

Courage: Be proactive, not reactive. Begin

with the end in mind - develop a clear vision

on all we do. Always be willing to put your

job on the line. Never, never, never give up!

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A leadership ethos is revised over time. It is based on alignment with individual experiences, current or future

roles, or an organization’s aspirations and values. As a result, the leader’s ethos should be deeply personal and

professional, conveying not only priorities, expectations, and communication style but also their values and

morals. In summary, the ethos answers the question: Who Am I … in more depth on authenticity.

Why a Leadership Ethos is Important?

How many leaders do you know published and lived by their leadership ethos? Did they reflect their true

authenticity? In my experience teaching graduate level courses and seminars, "Gimme SHELDR: Preparing for

Strategic Health Leadership" at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), development of a

leadership ethos was the most instructive and challenging segment of the seminar. In addition to presenting 17

strategic health leadership (SHELDR) competencies, students create a “self-reflective” leadership ethos followed

by a leader development plan. For most students, the ethos and leader development plan is their first exposure to

self-development and growth.

While novel or apprehensive for many, the leadership ethos answers the questions: Who Am I? What Do I

Believe? What Will I Tolerate? Not Tolerate? What’s Our Aspiration? Most health administration students

have never been challenged to develop a leadership ethos and according to the research, most healthcare

organizations do not have a leader development plan. Neither have many health leaders. Some, such as Major

General Murphy, developed their ethos early on. For example, he developed his ethos 12 years ago, revised it 5

times, and updated it two years ago. According to General Murphy, the value of a leadership ethos is captured in

Figure 2 during an interview.

Figure 2

Leadership Ethos Interview: Major General Sean L. Murphy

Deputy Surgeon General (COO), Air Force Medical Service

What was the primary source of inspiration or idea to develop the first version of your ethos (i.e., class,

mentor, book, boss, speaker, my idea, other)? Both were combination of significant events early in my career

and began after I read the Covey book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. My mission and values statement

was generated in the early 90s. The first version of the 7Cs (now 9Cs) began in 1997 when I was the Chief of

Hospital Services at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. The CEO (Commander of the Medical Center)

inspired me to dig deeper into the insights of Covey, attend the courses, and read the other books such as

Principle Centered Leadership and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. The 7Cs came as a result of an

inspirational champion for the AFMS Skunk Works (Customer Service Leadership) training program and

strategy. The real value of the session was working through our leadership team dysfunctions. We worked

through our conflicts, misperceptions, poor communication, understanding each other’s biases, and strengths.

After 2.5 days, we signed a set of mutually agreed upon cultural norms manifesto on how to deliver care and

service in a positive environment. Combined with my mission and values statement, the cultural norms became

my 7Cs thus my commitment to servant leadership. Both are tied to my spiritual, human and psychological

behaviors or how people interact. In my following assignments I would use these to shape the norms and

behaviors of my staff.

List and discuss 3-5 reasons why you developed your leadership ethos? We are always part of a team and I

have always participated in a team sport regardless of location or level. Understanding culture and human

behavior contribute to greater team effectiveness. First, understanding the team members helps the “coach” align

their strengths and weaknesses with the goals to pull in the same direction. It is very similar to knowing what

position a person should play on a team. A first baseman is very different then a shortstop. Second, what it

means to rely on faith and be a servant leader. I have used both faith and the whole concept of servant leadership

as a fallback during adversity and as a means to be resilient and bounce back. The 7Cs reflects my faith. They

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Figure 2

Leadership Ethos Interview: Major General Sean L. Murphy

Deputy Surgeon General (COO), Air Force Medical Service

help me work through complex issues, understand there is something out there bigger than me, and help me

define myself as a servant leader. Third, by the time you get old enough it is important to understand that we

are all going to die. The 7Cs drive me to live life backwards so you do not end up “lost” during your journey in

life. If you do not have a map, you will never know where you are. The 7Cs became my personal tactics,

techniques, and procedures to drive me to be more resilient, drive my faith and friendships and helping me grow

to the person I wanted to be, and not the person I am at times.

Summarize the top 2-3 ways or how you have used or applied your ethos? After development and revision,

I became assigned to greater levels of leadership. I would discuss the now 9Cs in the first month of my

assignment to convey what I believe, set expectations, behaviors, and decision making. For example, while

directives are important, the 9Cs drive behaviors and decisions to meet the spirit and intent of the directives as

well as challenging the status quo or deviate when beneficial to the mission. I use them when I talked to any

crowd. I reference them often during meetings and other forums as part of my servant leadership style. I believe

the 9Cs guide decisions, keep individuals out of trouble, and makes my job easier. I use them in staff and town

hall meetings, discuss with new senior leaders, various leadership education forums such as Commander’s

(CEO), department leader courses, and human resources development teams. It continues to be a foundation for

strategic communication and guide for tactical behavior as a servant leader.

If you have revised your ethos since your first version, why did you revise it? The 7Cs went 9Cs as result

of listening to the Air Force Chief of Staff at a Commander’s call. I added common sense and care more.

Common sense was an “aha” moment. Often people will follow rules just because they have been there for a

while as opposed to using their brain to actually make a decision that would be best to get to the goal. They do

not realize that people wrote those rules and can re-write them if it makes sense. The “care more” is the classic-

those you serve care less about how much you know, and much more about how much you care about them as

individuals.

From your perspective, what’s been the value? Has it made a difference in your leadership journey (or

not)? Please explain. As a Commander (CEO) at the medical facility and various headquarter staff levels, once

you start rolling this out and talking about it all the time it became easier to reinforce positive behavior and talk

through correcting poor behavior or performance. It made things and decisions simpler and easier. The 9Cs

helped me and others make better decisions, acquire feedback, and create a more open environment. By

referencing them, the 9Cs helped me reduce a ton of work by not using other tools as a hammer such as law and

directives, and it also supported the empowerment of others to do what’s right, do a better job listening, and

most importantly, hold myself accountable. That is why I fall back to my mission and value statement and 9Cs

and constantly ask myself: How Can I improve as a leader, as a person? It helps me become the servant leader

I want to be.

How could development of a leadership ethos be used in a leader development program? Where should

the process start? Or, should it? Covey emphasized the value of the mission and values statement as a

foundation. Covey inspired me to develop the personal mission statement and to modify it as you mature. It

helps hold yourself accountable for your own behavior and helps you not become your worst own enemy. It

helps you be more human by allowing others to understand you, communicate what you stand for and what you

won’t tolerate. As I read leadership books, I find they say the same thing, but we all learn differently. That’s

where the value of storytelling and personal development helps remove individual biases or misperceptions of

others, improves our active listening, challenges status quo and allows us to ask questions in a safe environment.

Teaching this could help others learn this early on in their careers, contribute to better teamwork, and build trust

at all levels. While we are all different learners, we can insert a developmental activity into various forum as

means to improve emotional awareness. The activity should be part of ongoing leader development and training

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Figure 2

Leadership Ethos Interview: Major General Sean L. Murphy

Deputy Surgeon General (COO), Air Force Medical Service

programs, the earlier the better, updated between assignments or jobs. It can be introduced in various courses to

help aspiring leaders with their personal leadership development journey. There must be a strategy on who to

develop and how much you want to spend on their personal development.

Do you have any other comments, questions, or concerns? Live a good and honorable life. Remember,

someday you’re going to die and you should have no regrets looking back. The mission and values statement

and 9Cs helped me to become my true self, understand myself and others better and helps others in the process.

Source: Personal Interview, 14 Apr 2019

Sound like Covey’s Principle Centered Leadership? It is. When you create a leadership ethos, you have to think

about your leadership competencies and evaluate values most important to you or it's not the “real” you. You

make yourself, subordinates, and colleagues accountable and more authentic and predictable. The leadership

ethos should serve as an ethical and professional compass everyone on your team or in your organization can

refer to, embody, and embed in their interactions, decisions, and actions. By writing it out, you'll know it by heart,

able to rattle it off without hesitation, connect it to a story or experience, and use it for opportune moments such

as a 30-second elevator or key note speech. Here is a summary of benefits of a leadership ethos:

1. Provides discernment (to uncover what you know): clarity, objectivity, and a foundation for actions, decisions,

and priorities … points toward your authenticity.

2. Helps build trust among followers, stakeholders, and superiors with a constancy of purpose

3. Makes you more confident and accountable to match words with actions

4. Drives you to become grounded regardless of the chaos, situation, and dilemmas you face

5. Signals you are a predictable serious centered, grounded, and resilient leader.

6. Assures you won’t get lost at crossroads and improved ability to find your way

7. Causes you think through what you mean, what you say, and what you do

8. Makes it easier to share with others and causes you to self-reflect more often.

Who Needs One?

Anyone in a leadership position should develop an ethos. Even

if you’re not managing teams or departments, creating a

leadership ethos will make you a better follower, informal

leaders, and formal leader later. Thinking about your priorities,

what drives you, and codifying your personal and professional

principles is a valuable professional exercise everyone can

benefit from. As a bonus, Major General Murphy developed a

personal mission statement. It is summarized in Figure 3. While

similar to his 9Cs, these reflect his competencies and personal

“pledge” to be the best he can be as a leader. If you’re not in a

leadership position, someday, you will. Figuring out exactly

what you value most as a leader early helps you become more

self-aware, confident, and consistent in your approach.

Ultimately, your ethos builds your persona and reputation

leading to trustworthy relations with others and opportunities.

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Summary

Most leaders succeed in their positions. However,

many leaders charge into new leadership positions

with aspirational words or phrases only to falter or fail.

The Big Question: How do leaders spiral themselves

and others upward? Partial answer: a well thought out

written leadership ethos. Part 1 has explained the value

and definition of a leadership ethos—it serves as

foundational purpose and reference point. It answers

the question: Who Am I? What can others expect from

me? A leadership ethos answers the questions: Who

Am I? What Do I Believe? What Will I Tolerate? Not

Tolerate? What’s Our Aspiration? For some, this may

sound a bit CoveyISH. It is.

When you create a leadership ethos, you must think

about your leadership competencies and evaluate the

core values most important to you. Otherwise, it's not

the “real” you. By writing it out, you will know it by

heart and be able to use it as your executive messaging

guide. Anyone in a leadership position should develop

an ethos. Even if you are not managing teams or

departments, creating a leadership ethos will make you a better follower, informal leaders, and formal leader later.

Ultimately, it builds your persona and reputation leading to trustworthy relations with others. Do you have one?

Share it.

Stay tuned for Part 2. (References and citations available upon request)

Figure 3

Major General Murphy’s Personal Mission

Statement

I will have a positive impact on others I interact with

(from their perspective, personal or group). Other lives will be enriched by our interaction

(family, friends, work, church, social, etc.). I will: 1. Remember interactions as a moment of

choice/integrity/truth I can influence positively. 2. Not forget how my attitude, good or bad,

influences others’ attitudes in a positive or

negative direction. 3. Influence people positively. It is my choice. 4. Leave each situation, which I engage in, better

than it was prior to my engagement. 5. Have integrity while accomplishing my mission

statement. 6. Try to correct any situation in which I fail at my

mission statement. 7. Not let assumptions or pride get in the way of

accomplishing my mission statement

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ANNOUNCING THE 2020 MSCA WEBINAR SERIES

Stephen J. Pribyl, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, LFACHE and Curt Prichard, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, FACHE

We are pleased to announce the 2020 MSCA Webinar Series. With so many face-to-face opportunities for

travel and gathering together for professional development postponed or cancelled at this time, the series serves

as a great venue to stay connected and learn.

April 27: Paul Batz, international speaker and founder/CEO of Good Leadership Enterprises will be providing

an overview of insights on how to assess your balance in life and how to develop an action plan for

improvement. Based on his book, What Really Works, Paul will share how to live with less stress, and lead

with less fear.

August 10: Jon Mohatt, Lt Col (ret) USAF, MSC will share his personal story of being confronted with a

breach of integrity within his organization, his journey as a whistleblower, and lessons learned.

October/November: Curt Prichard, Col (Ret) USAF, MSC and currently part of Defense Health Agency

leadership will be leading a panel discussion discussing transition from active duty to civilian.

Unless otherwise stated, all presentations will be broadcast via Zoom with final details to be shared a couple of

weeks before each presentation. It is best to use your personal PC. In addition to the 2020 Series, we are

already starting to plan for 2021 and invite suggestions for topics and speakers. Please forward to

pribyls@gmail.com.

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MSC HISTORY, LEGACY,

CULTURE

AND

MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLES, TIPS, AND ADVICE

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THE FLU PANDEMIC OF 1918: THE ROLE OF MILITARY MEDICINE

Talbot N. Vivian, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, DHA, FACHE

In 1918 the Great Flu pandemic struck the world and the United States, where over 675,000 Americans died.

This pandemic strained the capabilities and resources of the United States Army Medical Department. The

epidemic officially raged from January 1918 and ending in December 1920. There were at least three waves of

the Flu, with the second wave being the deadliest.

In April 1918, the first wave of Flu victims was identified in Haskell County Kansas, but the pandemic was given

the name the Spanish Flu. This misnomer was partly due to the First World War and censorship in the United

States. The world press had free access to Spain, who was neutral in the war and events there very closely watched.

The Flu in Spain, killing over 8,000,000.

In recent years historians and epidemiologists have attempted to discover an exact origin of the 1918 Flu. There

have been several theories put forth as to the Flu’s origins. One was that it came from China, along with 98,000

laborers brought to England in 1917. There had been a flu outbreak in China in 1916, but more recent studies

have shown that the Chinese epidemic was not the H1N1 Flu. Haskell County Kansas reported the first 5 cases

on 5 April 1918, and recent genetic studies of tissue from soldiers who died from the Flu of 1918 point to its

origin being from southwestern Kansas in 1918. It is speculated that it was brought to Camp Funston, Kansas,

by a new Army recruit or National Guardsman. Camp Funston was a Basic Training site used by the U.S. Army

and forms part of Ft. Riley, Kansas.

The U.S. Army Medical Department Expands

A fortuitous event occurred that allowed the U.S. Army Medical Department to expand beginning in early 1916.

The U.S. Army activated the Nation Guard to deal with Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution. The Surgeon

General of the United States Army at the time was Maj. Gen. William S. Gorgas. General Gorgas pushed hard

for the expansion of the Army Medical Department. In his testimony before Congress in January 1916, he noted

that the size of the medical department had not changed since 1908. The size of the Army had increased by 50%.

The resultant ratio of fewer than five physicians to 1,000 men was, in his opinion, woefully inadequate.

General Gorgas believed that seven physicians for every 1,000 men were a bare minimum for peacetime and that

10 per 1,000 would be necessary to meet wartime needs. Should Congress decide upon a peacetime Army of

140,000 men, the medical department would need to be more than doubled in size requiring 537 new medical

officers to reach the required total of 980. The timing of the Army Medical Department expansion allowed for

adequate medical staffing to meet the needs of both the war in Europe and the coming Flu Pandemic. In addition

to personnel, the Army Medical Department was short materiel. The Army had only one-quarter of the

congressionally recommended emergency supplies on hand. General Gorgas, when asked by congressional

leaders, responded that the Mexican expedition had depleted stocks. In reality, the Line of the Army had siphoned

off money intended for use by the Medical Department.

The Medical Department and Flu treatment

When the Flu hit Camp Funston in late 1918, it was treated as “the regular flu,” which is to say providing palliative

care with soldiers being placed in unused barracks and supply warehouses. The Isolating of patients was hoped

to limit the spread of the disease. Treatment for the Flu at this time was limited to providing a healthy diet,

ensuring adequate hydration, administering aspirin (which was given in such high doses that it killed some

patients), and time was all that was available.

Though the first commercial ventilator was patented in Germany in 1907 by Heinrick Drager, they were

unavailable to the U.S. Army. Mass production was slow, and by 1918 only 6,000 had been produced. Antibiotics,

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as we know them, were unknown at this time. Penicillin was not discovered until 1928, and Sulpha drugs did not

come along until 1935. By August 1918, the Army Medical Department was beginning to address what seemed

to be a much more virulent Flu strain that was killing more soldiers than normally expected. The symptoms being

reported were also somewhat unusual. The death frequently occurred within two days of the appearance of the

first recognizable symptoms.

Camp Devens Massachusetts

Camp Devens was a point of debarkation for soldiers headed for Europe. In June 1918, troops from the 1st Infantry

Division, Camp Funston Kansas arrived. Shortly after cases of the Flu began to appear. The first case of Flu was

initially labeled as meningitis. Within ten days, both the hospital and infirmaries were overwhelmed. Many

patients recovered within a few days, but the sheer number of those affected was unprecedented, with 8,000

patients needing hospitalization at the facility designed for 2,000 within the first week. By the end of September,

Camp Devens had seen a total of 10,000 cases of influenza. Pneumonia complications in 2,000 of them ended in

500 deaths. This death rate was to prove low compared with other sites.

At Camp Devens, almost 1/3 of the regular nurses at the base hospital were also among the ill. When cases begin

to appear at other camps, the Surgeon General’s Office sent to Camp Devens, a team of eminent medical scientists

from such institutions as Johns Hopkins, the Rockefeller Institute, and Harvard University, to study the situation.

After praising how the outbreak was being handled at the camp, especially the work of the Surgeon and

epidemiologist, the team submitted recommendations that included quarantine of the camp and having all men

eat at the same side of the mess hall tables. The disease spread too rapidly for the team’s findings to be of material

help.

The Rest of the Army

Within a week of identification of the first case at Camp Devens, eight more widely separated mobilization camps

were affected. Medical personnel, in their exhausted state, fell easy prey to the disease. At Camp Grant Illinois,

100 medical enlisted men were ill. Eventually, six nurses and 12 enlisted men from the hospital detachment died

in the epidemic. Eleven physicians were stricken though none died.

The Red Cross began moving additional nurses in from Chicago to help with patient care. The nurses were a

mixed blessing in that civilian nurses fell ill at a higher rate than the Army nurses. The Red Cross and the Army

refused to use fully trained African American nurses. The Flu peaked between 14 September 1918 and 8

November 1918. During these eight weeks, 316,089 soldiers were infected, killing over 45,000 U.S. soldiers. This

is more than died in combat. Exact numbers are unknown as some who died had comorbidities such as having

been wounded or gassed in Europe, where the cause of death was frequently attributed to combat.

Effects of World War I and the Flu Pandemic

Physicians managed all administrative activities until 1917. Army line leadership and members of Congress

recognized physicians could not be jacks of all trades and whose skills were needed to treat patients. Over the

objections of members of the Medical Department on 23 January 1917, the Army Ambulance Service was

created, and on 30 June 1917, the Army Sanitary Corps was established. It was not until 4 June 1920 that the

Medical Administrative Corps was formed.

The Army Nurse Corps had been founded in 1901, but they were all contract nurses. They were not commissioned

until 1947 and up until then held courtesy rank. During the pandemic, the Army Nurse Corps was supplemented

by nurses from the American Red Cross.

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THE IMPACT OF BILL MCHAIL ON THE COMBAT CASUALTY CARE COURSE (C4) AND THE

EVOLUTION OF MEDICAL READINESS TRAINING

Col (Ret) Ray Benedetto, DM, LFACHE, Co-Author of It’s My Company TOO!

With Lt Col (Ret) Bill Mays, FACHE, and Dorothy McHail

Introduction

In 1979, the Service missions were in a significant state of flux after Vietnam despite an ongoing sizable presence

in Europe to contain Soviet expansion. When President Carter assumed office after Gerald Ford, he faced a

Congress that was equally confused and uncertain about national security policies; estimates of Soviet strength

by the CIA were remarkably soft by some accounts1. Carter’s strategic leadership was also questioned because

he announced troop withdrawals from Korea, decided against building the B-1 to replace the B-52 platform, and

cut back the Navy’s shipbuilding program, despite the fact he was a Navy veteran. Carter was an intelligent

leader, but his “process” approach to problem resolution may have been his biggest hindrance, especially in

dealing with immediate crises2.

Although the threat of nuclear war appeared to be lower in the late 70s and early 80s, it was very real, especially

for those of us stationed in Europe and facing the Iron Curtain “up front and personal.” The Soviet deployment

of SS-20 missiles upset the balance of power in Europe, which was a provocative step in challenging NATO as a

stabilizing entity3. Strategic Air Command’s mission of nuclear deterrence was still valid from a defense planning

perspective, but how the US faced the Soviets was muddied.

Senior USAF leaders acknowledged the Air Force, as a whole, had moved away from a warfighting state of mind

toward a managerial mindset that needed correction4. The rise in terrorism directed at US personnel and

installations around the world also added to the urgency to improve readiness, 5 but weaknesses in US military

capabilities were never more apparent than in the events of April 24, 1979.

Disaster in the Desert

Forty-one years ago, militant Iranian college students who supported deposing the Shah of Iran overran the

American Embassy in Tehran, Iran, seizing and taking hostage 53 American diplomats and citizens, including

US Marines who served as Embassy guards. For six months the political standoff between the US Government

and rebel forces grew increasingly frustrating, to the point where President Carter ordered Operation Eagle Claw,

a military rescue mission to retrieve the hostages. The operation, also known as Desert One, involved a multi-

service Special Ops force but failed miserably when two aircraft collided in the desert, causing the deaths of five

USAF personnel and three Marines as well as injuries to five other troops6.

Several factors contributed to the debacle, not the least being lack of interservice training. Carter blamed his loss

for reelection on his failure to secure the release of the hostages, but the debacle represented much more. When

President Reagan was inaugurated on January 20, 1981, he vowed to “begin an era of national renewal.” He

stated, “When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act. We will maintain sufficient strength

to prevail, if need be, knowing that if we do so, we have the best chance of never having to use that strength7.”

Still a very fresh memory that contributed to President Reagan’s resolve to strengthen our Military Services,

Desert One revealed US policies, practices, and training in dealing with terrorists required immediate attention,

especially interservice cooperation and training in response to such threats.

The Beginning of Medical Readiness

In response to perceived weaknesses in military medical preparedness, Lt Gen Paul Myers, USAF/SG from

August 1978 through July 1982, established Medical Readiness as a top priority and sponsored the first Medical

Red Flag (MRF) exercise in November 1979 at Keesler AFB. MRFs were week-long exercises that eventually

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reached hundreds of medics at the six USAF medical centers-Andrews, Keesler, Lackland, Scott, Travis, and

Wright-Patterson. Each MRF was designed to train battlefield casualty management to hospital personnel

expected to deploy to Europe where medical planners anticipated significant casualties if conflict erupted8.

An additional motivation was the realization that knowledge and practice in military trauma medicine gained

through years of experience in Vietnam was quickly evaporating as military physicians retired or returned to

civilian practice. The stop-gap effort to recruit fully qualified physicians from private practice through the “Pony

Express” Program had yielded only a handful of “retreads” with combat medicine experience from either Korea

or Vietnam. Although the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) had begun yielding results with

military-sponsored physicians in civilian and military residency programs, newly minted HPSP grads lacked an

understanding of what they would face in whatever future conflicts they might serve.

Building Operational Medical Readiness Capabilities

The success of any operation depends on the strengths of the human capital employed to create solutions for

complex problems. In addition to the Air Force’s MRF initiative, the Service SGs agreed that interservice medical

training program for physicians was paramount considering the Desert One debacle. The Service SGs envisioned

the Combat Casualty Care Course (C4) as the first of several courses that would change medical preparedness

for future conflicts; its mission has not changed since its inception: “To enhance the operational medical readiness

and pre-deployment trauma training skills of tri-service medical officers9.” General Myers knew having “the right

people on the bus10” was critical to getting the medical readiness courses up and running successfully in the

shortest possible time, thus it was no fluke he selected then-Captain William (Bill) A. McHail, Jr. as the first

USAF member of the fledgling C4 cadre.

A Warrior Mustang

Bill McHail began his 35-year military career in 1957 as an enlisted 902X0 medical technician. Three years later

he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Shannon, with whom they raised two sons, both of whom would

eventually follow their father into the Air Force. As a 90250, Bill participated in the optical screening of the

original Mercury 7 astronauts and by February 1970, he had advanced to Staff Sergeant. While stationed at Offutt

AFB, he obtained his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha under

Operation Bootstrap. He also completed NCO Leadership School where, as a student, he initiated a speech

competition that was recognized for adding a new dimension to the professionalism of the school. Shortly

thereafter, he headed to Bien Hoa, Vietnam, where he served as NCOIC, Professional Services for the 6251st

USAF Dispensary.

Bill’s superiors recognized his exceptional organizational skills and thorough knowledge of his field, noting his

poise, confidence, and leadership in guiding others and prioritizing Medevacs and caring for the wounded,

especially during rocket/mortar attacks. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Bill engaged frequently in Medical Civic

Action Programs (MedCAPs) where he used his clinical expertise to care for the indigenous population on a

routine basis. These frequent excursions into “the bush” gave Bill a much broader perspective of “combat

medicine” that would have impact in future assignments.

In March 1972, Bill returned to Conus with a one-day promotion to Technical Sergeant, beginning OTS at

Lackland the following day. He excelled in officer training and began his MSC career at the School of Health

Care Sciences, USAF (SHCS) in July 1972. Little did I realize when Bill and I met at Sheppard AFB as classmates

in Class 72-C that the paths of our Air Force careers would be so intertwined. I had found my brother.

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The Silver Fox

Bill and I lived in the same off-base apartment complex during the 9021 Course, carpooled to class, played golf

at least twice a week together as part of our “required” individual PT requirement, and socialized together since

we were the only 9021 students with children in tow. Although our dates of rank were nearly the same, Bill had

over 10 years of active duty under his belt as well as a mane of silver hair to show for his wisdom and experience.

Bill had a great sense of humor, related well to everyone regardless of rank, was an exceptional student and

teammate, and readily shared his wisdom as a “mustang,” all of which earned him the nickname “The Silver Fox.”

Bill went on to Patrick AFB as Assistant Administrator/Registrar, where he eventually served as Medical

Squadron Commander and Medical Logistics Officer and was engaged in the Apollo and Apollo/Soyuz Space

Programs. Bill joined Recruiting Service at Shaw AFB in January 1976 as part of the second wave of professional

medical recruiters. We reconnected personally in November 1977 at SHCS where we were assigned as Group

Training Evaluation Officers with adjoining desks. Our common experience in the 9021 Course, medical

recruiting, and conducting Phase II evaluations across the country served as foundation for continuing

collaborations over the years.

During our tenure at SHCS, Colonel Bill Holder (dec) transformed the School’s culture with his “Touch of Class”

initiative, which included the way all visiting senior officers were met and served while at Sheppard. Bill and I

were regularly tapped as escort officers, which required attention to the smallest details of each visitor’s itinerary.

These opportunities to interact with the “movers and shakers” of the AFMS introduced us to senior officers with

whom we would eventually serve in other capacities. In short, Colonel Holder was grooming us for future

assignments through this additional duty.

Evaluator and Action Officer Par Excellence

Bill’s vast background in field operations, healthcare delivery, and hospital management enabled him to develop

rapport across all teaching departments as well as rapidly achieve proficiency as a training evaluator. His

exceptional attitude, maturity, and skill in addressing sensitive issues with senior officers served him well when

he attended SOS in Residence in late 1978, where he was one of the top three graduates in a class of 643 students.

Bill honed his executive communication skills at SOS where his team was also recognized with the Chief of Staff

trophy for being the top section in both academics and field leadership.

Bill’s drive for excellence resulted in several significant improvements when he returned to SHCS, particularly

the planning and implementation of training evaluations for the new Medical Red Flag (MRF) training program

for physicians. He adapted MRF tests to ensure easy administration at Wilford Hall Medical Center, which was

the largest MRF conducted, and “then directed computer scoring and results reporting to participants, MAJCOMs,

and medical education accrediting agencies.” Bill’s “superior initiative and can-do attitude, especially with

respect to MRF exercises” positioned him as the sole evaluator for MRF workshops that engaged several hundred

physicians.

Bill’s “comprehensive reports received wide distribution with USAF/SG, MAJCOMS, and staff agencies of other

services,” and MRF’s high visibility required frequent briefings to senior level visitors to SHCS and the Sheppard

Training Center Commander and staff. Holder “used him in more varied and expanded roles more than any of

the other captains in his command because of his outstanding talent” and the trust and credibility he generated.

Although more of Bill’s time was being directed to readiness initiatives, the Chief of the Nurse Corps requested

him “by name to conduct a special survey of critical care nursing” that resulted in restructuring nurse training at

SHCS. Bill’s performance also earned his appointment as the only USAF Evaluator to the Tri-Service Evaluation

Committee for C4 as well as supervisor of the tri-service evaluation team. Bill’s devotion of time to medical

readiness training programs made him the logical choice to be the “first USAF officer assigned to the Tri-Service

C4 course at Fort Sam Houston, TX.”

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The Birth of C4

Prior to his physical relocation to San Antonio in June 1981, Bill was involved in a Joint Air Force/Navy

evaluation of C4 and assisted in the formulation of the organizational chart and responsibility descriptions for

principal C4 staff. As a member of the C4 Curriculum Working Group, he helped write criterion objectives for

the course that were subsequently approved by the Tri-Service Surgeons General as the basis for combat training

of military physicians. As a result of these initiatives, Bill received the US Army Academy of Health Sciences

Commandant’s Award for “unselfish devotion of time and effort as C4 Task Force member.”

The Start-Up

Since C4 was a start-up without a designated TOE at the time, Bill served under SHCS as Chief of the Tri-Service

Support Branch with Fort Sam Houston as the operating location (O/L). He alone developed AF requirements for

first and second Task Force personnel increments, including AFSCs, grades, and justification of need for all

human and material assets. He also established the AF Task Force operating location with little to no resources,

securing scarce resources to support the mission, including blank ammunition for field exercises. As the only Air

Force officer officially assigned to C4, he served as sponsor for all AF personnel arriving for duty and ensured

their smooth transition to a Tri-service organization and culture.

Bill “dedicated long hours, excellent judgment, and sound

applications in negotiating with various agencies to gain resources

for C4” and “prioritized, organized, and executed a myriad of very

short suspense taskings with 100% on-time delivery” that resulted

in the first C4 course for 120 student physicians “under extremely

difficult working conditions.” As an ATC instructor, he taught

Army, Navy, and AF physicians field medicine and AF

aeromedical evacuation systems. He was the ubiquitous leader,

involved at all levels of operations, ensuring all details were

addressed for immediate and long-term needs. He developed all

C4 communications as well as numerous internal management

systems, e.g., student and faculty records, curriculum, and

evaluation, that included accreditation with the College of

Surgeons.

Mc Hail in his standard C4 uniform

of the day.

I was one of several USAF MSCs selected to serve as tactical officers in the second C4 course in January 1982.

I saw Bill’s leadership firsthand and his impact well beyond the Air Force. From out of nothing Bill set in motion

the foundation through which 1800 physicians from across the Services were trained in 1982 alone. Superiors

cited Bill’s leadership behind the high morale throughout the growing tri-service military and civilian force; he

consistently got “optimum results in spite of shortages or time constraints.” His immediate superior noted, “He

was one of a select team who took an untried idea and made it work—better than anyone could have imagined.”

Solidifying the Foundation

When C4 was designated a DoD Joint Activity, Bill’s role in guiding all operational aspects of the C4 course

expanded to include Chief of Administration, which involved creating, coordinating, and guiding interfaces with

local commanders, MAJCOMs, and agencies of all three Service SGs. At the executive level, Bill’s “exceptional

briefing and negotiation skills were instrumental in getting agreement and support from the Army’s Academy of

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Health Sciences, HQ Air Training Command (ATC), SHCS, and the AF Surgeon General.” His “exceptional

communication skills” included authorship of the manuscript the Academy of Health Sciences Commandant used

in briefing the three Surgeons General and the introductory letters to C4 DVs, faculty, and students. He “excelled

in representing the AF and developing ways and means to conduct C4” and performed “all decision actions

between the Tri-Service Task Force and USAF agencies” required to build the medical training pipeline.

By the second year, C4 was pumping through 20 classes annually, each with 120 officer students and 16 tactical

officers from all services. Bill’s oversight included 100 C4 Task Force members while he juggled full-time

management with classroom requirements in field conditions with 16-hour days nearly 40% of his time. As the

AF/SG representative on the Tri-Service Evaluation Committee, he was charged with “quality assurance of

medical readiness training” and “structured evaluation formats to guarantee objectives were met.” The

consummate professional in handling “critical projects down to the last detail,” Bill coordinated protocol activities

for visiting dignitaries that included the Secretary of the Army, the ATC Commander, and the Surgeons General

of all three Services, 12 NATO Air Forces and the British Army.

Building on an Exceptional Design

Bill’s backgrounds in instructional design and evaluation were critical when he wrote the Plan of Instruction and

associated curriculum that were presented to the three SGs for approval. The C4 course was the first of what are

now several resident continuing education courses under the Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute11.

C4’s mission has not changed since its inception, but the medical specialties it targets have expanded to include

physician assistants, nurses, dentists, and other medical specialties. All receive “training in field leadership that

prepares medical officers with the knowledge critical in conducting Role I and Role II healthcare operations in

an austere, combat environment”11.

The current course design -- three days of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) followed by four days of field

training -- has not changed significantly since its inception. Although the internal topics may have changed titles,

the stresses of delivering “care under fire” remain the same. Simulated mission-oriented medical scenarios were

always part of the design, but what has changed is a simulated Role II facility utilizing simulator technology.

As a Tac Officer in one of the first classes, I recall field exercises as opportunities to teach young physicians

critical thinking about triage and delivering care under stress, skills as critical today as then. From its inception,

the course has challenged students in “encountering combat scenarios in varying roles of leadership and team

organization” and engaging them in “the planning, rehearsals, and execution of the medical mission.” To date,

thousands of officers have completed the course, which is the only National Association of Emergency Medical

Technicians (NAEMT) Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) course endorsed by the American College of

Surgeons.

Bill received numerous commendations for his work in “formulating and conducting the first C4 classes,” most

notably from the Army and the Air Force SGs, the latter of which also acknowledged “his inputs into Medical

Red Flag exercises.” In his final months with C4, he facilitated revisions to the Plan of Instruction and lesson

plans and served as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for over $40,000 in administrative fees paid

to the American College of Surgeons for ATLS certification of C4 students. The intensity and breadth of his

efforts in building and supporting C4 were embodied in receipt of the Professional Excellence Award by the

Standardization/Evaluation Team from Sheppard AFB, promotion to Major on 1 May 1984, and receipt of the

Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Bill was also selected to attend Armed Forces Staff College (AFSC) in

Norfolk, VA, where “all of his work…exceeded course requirements.”

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Impact on Readiness Beyond C4 and Medical Red Flags

Bill was assigned to the Air Force Combat Operations Staff as

Medical Readiness Training Manager after graduating AFSC. His

“keen grasp of Medical Readiness policies and procedures” and

“skillful command of the English language” were evident in his

complete re-write of AFR 160-25, Medical Readiness Plans and

Training, which included reducing the volume in half; a

comprehensive revision of AFR 50-20, Self-Aid and Buddy Care

(SABC), and the “formulation and publication of revised medical unit

reporting requirements in AFR 55-15, Unit Combat Readiness

Reporting.” His “expertise in course design methods and sensitivity

to man-years” were critical in “restructuring the Medical Red Flag II

training program” to support “increasing wartime readiness while

increasing peacetime productivity.” Bill’s impact as a key AF/SG

staff officer was extremely broad as the “Air Force’s authority on

medical readiness training.”

Bill represented the AF/SG on all joint Medical Readiness Training (MRT) matters with the Assistant Secretary

of Defense (Health Affairs) (ASD (HA) panel for Wartime Medical Skills Training. As Program Manager of the

AF Contingency Medical Readiness Training project, Bill expedited MAJCOM approval of the curriculum and

training of actual assemblages AF medics would operate if deployed. The breadth of his actions “greatly

influenced the increasing state of medical readiness Air Force wide:” Conceiving, formulating, and disseminating

the SABC refresher program to preserve the AFMS four echelon concept; guiding the Medical Readiness Training

(MRT) to being the “model program among the Military Services” according to ASD(HA); streamlining the

Continuing MRT program to save nearly 400,000 training man-hours AF-wide; expanding combat training for

medical professionals within Reserve components of the Armed Forces; and the meticulous and unparalleled

organization and delivery of the Medical Readiness Symposia in 1986 and 1987.

Bill McHail’s broad experience, leadership, indomitable spirit, and ability to work “jointness” were crucial in his

subsequent assignment as Chief, Medical Plans Division for US European Command (USEUCOM) in Stuttgart,

Germany. He worked directly for the future AF/SG, then-MG Alexander (Rusty) Sloan, who gave him

additional responsibilities as Executive Officer during “continuous contingency operations (SHARP EDGE,

DESERT SHIELD/STORM, PROVIDE COMFORT).” Bill “directed the medical mission to Syria to recover

Frank Reed from Arab terrorists” as well as “two major Joint Staff medical exercises.” Bill molded “joint service

and allied subordinates into a superbly capable multi-talented team” that “revolutionized unified command

medical planning” with the NATO Southern Region support concept. His briefings to US and NATO general

officers on a myriad of complex theater issues reinforced his reputation as an exceptional officer slated for a “high

level leadership position.”

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Changing Perspectives

Bill and I were “brothers in spirit” throughout our officer careers, making every promotion through Lt

Colonel together, advancing within ACHE to fellowship, and sharing so many life events while

stationed at Sheppard and living in San Antonio. As the 0-6 promotion board neared, we had a

conversation about the future. I was not surprised he and his wife, Dolly, wanted to spend more time

with family. Although sorely disappointed our mutual AF journey would be coming to an end, I fully

understood his perspective since all our children were older and going their own ways.

Their older son, William Arthur the 3rd (Butch)

had completed eight years of AF active duty as

a dental lab technician and had moved to Idaho

where he and his wife Janelle were raising their

family and setting up their own lab. Their son

Jack was also serving in the Air Force but

would eventually return to civilian life. Thus,

Bill and Dolly decided it was time to move to

Idaho to be closer to family, especially their

new grandkids. Retirement would allow more

time for fishing, hunting, and hiking with his

family as well as for the music he had played

professionally throughout his career as an

accomplished keyboardist.

Bill McHail doing the honors in re-enlisting his

younger son, Jack.

Bill began his second career in Boise, Idaho, as a nursing home administrator. Bill and Dolly later moved to

Meridian, ID, when Bill assumed the role of Administrator of the Idaho State Veterans Nursing Home at the

request of Governor Kempthorne. Even in his “retirement” Bill continued to serve his military brothers and sisters

to the best and maximum of his abilities.

Conclusion

At least two generations of AFMS warriors have gained knowledge and experience through medical readiness

training programs that stem from sources on which Bill’s invisible handprints still exist. During our lifetimes, we

hope our efforts have positive meaning and impact on those we serve; Bill’s life and contributions to the Air

Force, the other Services, and our allies should serve as a guide in achieving this goal. Throughout his career, Bill

never held back, constantly and consistently giving everything he had to the mission and those he served. He was

more than a “super leader” as he was once characterized by the commander of Wilford Hall Medical Center at

the time. Bill was an “uber” leader to whom all of us owe a debt of gratitude for his unwavering devotion to duty

and the very significant, long-lasting, and unparalleled impact he has had on medical readiness.

Epilogue

Bill suffered a stroke several years before his death on May 25, 2017, which left him incapable of playing the

music he loved. He eventually succumbed to cancer at the age of 77. Bill had been a devoted husband to his wife

Dolly for two weeks shy of 57 years, and he was fortunate to be surrounded by a loving family after serving our

Country for so long.

Born on the 4th of July 1939, Bill was fittingly laid to rest on 6 June 2017, when flags were flying across our

country in recognition of the 73rd anniversary of D-Day. It was a clear, crisp day when Bill received the Rite of

Christian Burial at Holy Apostles Church in Meridian followed by interment at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery

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with full military honors by the Mountain Home AFB Honor Guard. I was honored and blessed to deliver the

eulogy for my best friend who truly was the epitome of an exceptional leader all future MSCs should strive to

emulate.

Footnotes

Other than cited works within the footnotes below, all direct quotations within this article were extracted from

official performance reports throughout Bill McHail’s most notable career.

1 Correll, J.T. (2019, May). Team B tackles the CIA. Air Force Magazine, 102(5),

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/team-b-tackles-the-cia/

2 Hess, S. (2000, January 21). Jimmy Carter: Why he failed. The Brookings Institute

https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/jimmy-carter-why-he-failed/

3 Correll, J. T. (2020, February). The Euromissile showdown. Air Force Magazine, 103(1),

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/the-euromissile-showdown/

4 Berry, F. Clinton. (1982, August). Project Warrior. Air Force Magazine, 65(8),

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0882warrior/

5 Taylor, J. (2016, November 18). This month in AFMS history: Medical Red Flag begins.

https://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Article/1008715.

6 Kreisher, O. (2008, July). Desert One. Air Force Magazine, 91(7),

https://www.airforcemag.com/?s=Desert+One&o=1

7 Reagan, R. (1981, January 20). President Reagan’s Inaugural Address 1/20/81.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LToM9bAnsyM

8 Taylor, J. Ibid

9 Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute. Combat Casualty Care Course. https://health.mil/Training-

Center/Defense-Medical-Readiness-Training-Institute/Combat-Casualty-Care-Course

10 Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap…and others don’t. New York, NY:

HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

11 Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute. Ibid.

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IT'S ALWAYS NICE WHEN YOU CAN PLAY THAT 'GET OUT OF JAIL' FREE'CARD!

AN INTERESTING BIT OF WW2 HISTORY. TRUE STORY

Submitted by Lewis Sanders, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, Past MSCA Chairman

Starting in 1940, an increasing number of British & Canadian Airmen found themselves as involuntary guests of

the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape. One of the most

helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but also showing the

locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter.

Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out

rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush. Someone in MI-5 (similar to America’s OSS) got the idea of

printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as

needed, and makes no noise whatsoever. At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had

perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington Ltd. When approached by the

government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.

By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game Monopoly.

As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into ‘CARE packages',

dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war.

Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of

Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each region

of Germany, Italy, and France or where ever Allied POW camps were located. When processed, these maps

could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece.

As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:

1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass

2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together

3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the piles

of Monopoly money!

British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged'

Monopoly set – by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located

in the corner of the Free Parking square. Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an

estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to

secrecy indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another,

future war. The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well

as the firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony. It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of

Jail' Free ‘card! Many of you are (probably) too young to have a personal connection to WWII (Sep. '39 to Aug.

'45), but this is still an interesting bit of history for everyone to know.

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TRIUMPH OF DIVERSITY: WHAT THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN TAUGHT EVERYONE

Douglas E. Anderson, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, DHA, FACHE

Today, the word “diversity” ranks high on leadership’s plate. Some say it is another buzzword for success while

others state it is related to equal opportunity. I doubt it’s another buzzword, nor should it be. To me, it’s a way

of life, a part of US culture and heritage, and means to continually improve any organization’s mission. A notable

group, the Tuskegee Airmen, taught everyone how to triumph and capitalize on diversity.

To illustrate, the combat deeds of black pilots in the 332nd Fighter Group, a.k.a. the Tuskegee Airmen in W.W.

II, serve as an unforgettable example of professions overcoming discrimination through persistence and ultimately

the triumph of diversity. In fact, the strength of will in these young black pilots proved decisive in W.W. II.

Between May 1943 and June 9, 1945, the Tuskegee Airmen compiled an enviable combat record. None of the

bombers they escorted were lost to enemy fighters. They destroyed 251 enemy aircraft via pursuit and attack and

won more than 850 medals. Their record was not without losses. Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen were killed in action.

On an inspirational level, the respect and admiration earned by former Tuskegee pilot General Benjamin O. Davis,

Jr. won world renown. Unfortunately, much like many of their black compatriots and civilian counterparts, he

had to live against the social fabric of segregation and the broad canvas of war. However, through persistence,

he wanted to be judged on his character and deeds. He was. Gen. Davis triumphed by racking up a W.W. II

flying record second to none and eventually retired as a three-star general. In addition, many others like him

stood tall and stood proud of their accomplishments and contributions to our military way of life.

The military has come a long way on diversity since W.W. II. Although not perfect, and not without turbulence,

we can all be proud of hitting the target on diversity in the workplace as a force multiplier. As we celebrate

“Black History” month, a few reminiscent, but simple reminders on the value of diversity in the workplace will

help everyone:

1. Flying bomber “escort” with supervisor to assure them you support all equal opportunity policies

and will protect them when the odds are against them. You will encourage them to stand tall for

their ideas. Assure them their diverse perspectives count for something.

2. Engaging in fighter “pursuit” of diverse idea generation to get multiple solutions for a given

situation or complex challenge set before you. Constantly remind your personnel they are battle

tested, poised for the future and diversity is the natural ammunition for mission success.

3. Conducting ground “attack” operations to minimize the loss of individual spirit and

organizational rhythm when advised of any "intel" leading to discrimination or sexual harassment.

Ignoring it may only fuel it. Ignoring is the equivalent of blood on your hands. It could infiltrate

your entire organization without you knowing it until it’s too late.

4. Publicly reinforcing “character and deeds” through recognition. Allow your personnel to stand

tall and stand proud of their accomplishments in front of their peers regardless of their heritage or

physical characteristics.

Sadly, the number of Tuskegee Airmen is fading, however their persistence example will not. Diversity is not

new to the military and other organizations. While many inroads have been made by the triumph of diversity, we

can always improve for mutual benefit. The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and persistence of current leadership

in the recent past has resulted in a workplace environment where diversity has triumphed over race, color, gender,

religion, or creed. Today, we continue to build on that legacy. By standing tall, and standing proud, we will

continue to accomplish our organization’s mission through the triumph of diversity.

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TECHNOLOGY LESSONS LEARNED FOR TEMPORARY HOSPITAL DEPLOYMENTS

Jason Hall, Col (Ret), USAF, MSC, FACHE

https://www.healthcareitnews.com/blog/technology-lessons-learned-temporary-hospital-deployments

As the COVID-19 crisis forces hospitals to get

creative, a retired Air Force Colonel offers some

perspective on IT preparedness gained from

previous emergency medical deployments.

There is never good news when pandemics spread.

As we move to deploy remote and IT-driven

medical-care infrastructures, note that many

American institutions (government, military and

private sector) have already demonstrated

extraordinary proficiency in these areas. We’ve

done this before. We can do it now.

Make no mistake, the infrastructure needed to deliver world-class medical care is challenging to develop from

scratch. Whether in a pop-up field hospital or a repurposed existing building, the demands are wide-ranging.

These challenges run from setting up physical security, clean electric power and internet access, to deploying IT

solutions secure enough to protect privacy and provide the analytics required by epidemiologists.

But this is nothing new for our nation. The U.S. military regularly sets up field hospitals in a matter of hours or

days. These remote facilities have sterile surgical lab services that offer first-world care to our war fighters. I’ve

seen far-away patches of dirt quickly become bustling centers equipped with the impressive services found back

home.

Beyond the military, construction companies often set up remote operations with turnkey packages for housing,

power, internet, security and medical care. The same is true for utility companies responding to disasters, or NGOs

delivering humanitarian assistance. Frankly, our American expertise is unrivaled. Our nation’s disaster experts

are specialists, working their areas with a "spotlight focus" to deliver full-spectrum medical care. Since IT is so

central to care delivery – either in-person, remote or outpatient – let’s leave the physical infrastructure to the

experts for now and focus on the remote IT solutions and data collection needed in a time of a pandemic.

Lessons Learned

My experience in these situations has been instructive. I am a retired USAF Colonel and Healthcare Administrator

with more than 24 years of experience running healthcare facilities around the globe. I have deployed five times

to set up temporary healthcare facilities (Expeditionary Medical Support Hospitals) in remote locations, mostly

in the Middle East. Here are some lessons learned by me and my team.

Keeping it Simple. Keep IT simple. IT is provisional in nature. When the pandemic passes, and it will eventually

pass, the facility will be dismantled, and the temporary IT infrastructure will be absorbed into a permanent

framework. There’s not always a need for on-site costly servers when cloud solutions are available through

internet connectivity. If bureaucracy is involved in facility design – and it will be – leadership should resist

complicated, multi-layered IT solutions.

Technology Integration. Don’t engage in ad hoc systems integration. This is no time for freelancing. Seek out an

experienced technology-solutions provider to deliver custom solutions that extend enterprise IT capabilities to

remote users. The partner must have enterprise-class, remote-delivery experience, ideally with federal, state, or

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local government agencies, or the DoD. It will configure solutions to spec and deploy integrated storage, compute,

network, unified communications, wireless and security technology.

Sometimes that requires a ruggedized container; sometimes it’s just deployed over the internet. These solutions

enable secure collaboration and communications, no matter where field workers are located, putting enterprise IT

functionality at their fingertips. Clean Power. Uninterruptible power sources with backup are key in the field.

Today’s IT is very refined, but it still runs on old-fashioned AC power, which must come from a clean source.

Don’t overlook this, as unglamorous as it may seem.

Physical Security. Establish a physical-security plan. Adhere to it with military discipline. In a pandemic, when

panic is possible, or disruptors want to sow chaos, protect the facility and IT assets. Security solutions can range

from a simple lockable facility up to web-based cameras, video surveillance and AI-driven visitor analytics.

Prepare for BOYD. In all emergencies, workers will bring their own devices including all phone types, Apple

devices and PCs, tablets, wireless lab and medical equipment, and BI and analytical tools required by the

government. All must be accommodated, but that’s easy to do with browser-based access solutions.

Desktop-as-a-Service. Workers will be remote, yet still need access to the applications, data and file storage of

their regular enterprise systems. So, strongly consider Desktop-as-a-Service. DaaS solutions can be set up within

hours, allowing workers anywhere to leverage a secure cloud platform (allowing HIPAA compliance) that

delivers applications and desktops to any device with a browser. With DaaS, employees can use their personal

devices without security concerns or complicated software.

Collect Just What’s Needed. For electronic health records, collect only pertinent patient data for dissemination to

authorities or to allied healthcare facilities, e.g. a patient’s current condition, disease trajectory, whom they

contacted when contagious and a notification protocol for those contacts. (These guidelines should be set by the

commanding agency, such as the CDC.) Keep in mind that these pandemic operations are essentially a triage and

not meant to deliver a full range of medical care. Clear Understanding. Finally, keep all crisis information simple,

clear, concise and focused. Consider Microsoft Teams as a solution to set up “channels” and conversations that

are focused on specific tasks of conversation themes. Microsoft Teams can be invaluable for keeping appropriate

information in the hands of the right people in a focused, disciplined manner, while allowing access to a wide

range of communication and file-sharing tools. In the meantime, keep safe by following CDC hygiene protocols.

Take care of one another. We will soon look back at this time and be thankful we got through it with such

professionalism, fortitude and human decency.

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KAISER, CLINICA JOIN DIGNITY IN PROMOTING GREATER USE OF TELEMEDICINE https://www.bakersfield.com/news/kaiser-clinica-join-dignity-in-promoting-greater-use-of-telemedicine/article_ccb9db8e-72ab-11ea-809e-8f467ffa191b.html#comments

Note: Dave Womack (pictured left), Col (Ret), USAF, MSC has been

fighting the war on COVID-19 and employing his “lateral leadership” skills

to deliver telemedicine despite the obstacles ….

Two of Kern's most prominent health-care providers said Monday they are

looking to make greater use of telemedicine, joining a national acceleration in

the use of videoconferencing to connect doctors and patients without

unnecessary risks of infection during the pandemic.

Kaiser Permanente Kern County said it hopes to maximize its use of video and

audio appointments as it consolidates "face-to-face care" into fewer offices

locally. Separately, Clinica Sierra Vista announced its adoption of a virtual

platform using the popular videoconferencing software Zoom.

Kaiser and Clinica emphasized the idea is to limit physical interaction where

appropriate and that they will continue to see patients in person as necessary during the coronavirus emergency.

"We are doing a hybrid model. Depending upon the patient’s health need we determine if we can treat in person

or over telehealth," Clinica spokeswoman Cassandra Martinez said by email. "It is dependent upon the patient

and their medical condition."

DIGNITY LAUNCH

The moves follow Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals' March 20 launch of a "virtual urgent care

service" free to anyone in the community experiencing mild to moderate symptoms that might be caused by the

new coronavirus. Dignity Health said in a news release anyone experiencing severe symptoms of respiratory

illness, such as a high fever or difficulty breathing, should call 9-1-1 or visit the nearest care site. It encouraged

people to call their medical facility in advance to notify personnel of any COVID-19 symptoms before arriving

in person. Telemedicine, or telehealth, makes use of technology that was being rolled out gradually, but which

suddenly makes more sense during the pandemic. Seeing a nurse or physician over the phone averts the need for

sick or vulnerable people to congregate inside the same building.

GREATER ACCEPTANCE

A 2019 physician survey found that adoption of telemedicine increased 340 percent in the United States between

2015 and 2018, but that at the end of that period, still only 22 percent of doctors had used telemedicine technology

to see patients. That rate is likely to jump during the pandemic. Last week's $2.2 billion federal stimulus makes

it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to get telemedicine and relaxes insurance-related restrictions on people using

virtual doctor visits. The measure also sets aside money to increase remote medical care available to veterans and

improve rural clinics' access to telemedicine.

KAISER CONSOLIDATION

Kaiser said by email the telemedicine push coincides with the closure of its medical offices at 3700 Mall View

Road and 4801 Coffee Road. Those operations with be folded into other locations, it said. It has also closed its

vision care services at The Marketplace and said optometry and ophthalmology services will now be provided

out of its Chester Avenue medical office building. During this consolidation, it said, members with in-person

appointments will be directed where to go for medical attention. It said its urgent care at the Stockdale Medical

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Office Building, 3501 Stockdale Highway, will remain open. Members requiring COVID-19 tests are being

directed to a drive-thru testing station, it said.

Members can order prescriptions online for mail delivery and that curb-side prescription pick-up will begin in

some locations next week, it said. It directed members to call its appointment and advice line, 877-524-7373, or

securely email their doctor with questions about ongoing care needs.

“I want to assure everyone Kaiser Permanente is open and providing care and quickly adapting to the

challenges generated by the COVID-19 virus," Kaiser's senior vice president in Kern, David Womack, said

in an emailed statement. "The safety and well-being of our members, the community and our physicians

and staff are our highest priority.”

CLINICA SYSTEM

Clinica, in its announcement, said people in Kern and Fresno counties can now get live attention 24 hours a day

with a medical provider certified in primary care, pediatrics, OBGYN, behavioral health or dental care. Regardless

of patients' ability to pay, Clinica said it will deploy its MyChart Virtual Visit with Zoom to provide chronic

disease management for diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as treatment

for acute conditions like sore throat, stomachache, earache and fever. "Medical providers can diagnose patients,

prescribe medications and suggest follow-up care when it is appropriate," Clinica said in a news release. "If

follow-up care or further testing is necessary, CSV Anywhere Care providers will refer patients back to their

regular CSV care team — or can recommend a new CSV physician when a new relationship is needed."

DIGNITY SERVICE

Dignity advised anyone wanting to use its service to visit www.dignityhealth.org/virtualcareanywhere or

download the Virtual Care Anywhere app or call 855-356-8053 and use the coupon code COVID19. It said

patients may have to wait half an hour or more to get an appointment, depending on call volume. Although the

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service has a fee of $35 per visit, the company said the fee will be waived for any patients who think they may be

experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT,

CAREER MANAGEMENT,

TRANSITION

AND

NEWS YOU CAN USE

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MY EXPERIENCE WITH LIFE-LONG LEARNING IN THE MILITARY

By 1st Lt Bin Ma

My name is Bin Ma, and I am a First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force (USAF). I have been a USAF

Medical Service Corps Officer for more than three years and am currently stationed at Travis AFB. The USAF

has given me fantastic memories due to the great people I have met and the wonderful life experiences it has

provided me. I want to share a little bit of my lifelong learning experience both before and after joining the USAF.

Unlike most Airmen, I was not born in the United States. I grew up in Wuhan, China –a city along the Yangtze

River. My grandparents were very well-to do before the Communist Revolution, owning large areas of land and

many shops. After China became a Communist country, my family was forced to give up everything to the

Communist government. This occurred over a number of years, before the Cultural Revolution started in 1966.

My parents had to restart our family with nothing. However, they instilled important ideals in me.

As a child, I was told, “If you have a goal in life – even if it has only a 1% chance to succeed – you should give

it 100% effort and let God decide if it is going to work or not.” I never forgot this. I have set goals for every stage

of my life. When I first arrived in the United States in 2008, I was full of excitement and anxiety. I had come to

the United States on a scholarship, attending Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN. I was scared, as

English was not my first language; I had no friends nor family, and I was not familiar with the culture. I thought

about quitting often, but I always heard my dad’s voice in my head: “You have tried so hard to get this opportunity;

you should not quit easily. Surely you have more than a 1% chance to succeed; therefore, you should try 100%.”

With this motivation, I started working even harder. I wanted to prove to the school and to everyone that although

I was not born in this country and English was not my native language, I deserved to be as successful as any

American.

When I arrived in the United States, I could not imagine becoming a USAF Medical Service Corps Officer. I

started first as an enlisted Airman. I will never forget my military training instructor in basic training. She was a

Master Sergeant at the time. I had one conversation with her that had a big impact in my life. It was at the end of

the training. She called me into her office. I was extremely nervous. I thought I had done something wrong. But

to my relief, it was a nice conversation. She noticed that I was the only Chinese descendant trainee in her flight.

She asked me, “Trainee Ma, do you feel there is anyone in this flight who treated you unfairly because of who

you are?” I said, “No, Ma’am.” She looked at me and said, “If there is someone who treated you unfairly – it

doesn’t matter if it is a trainee or instructor – you need to let me know.” I said, “Yes, Ma’am.” Then she said, “It

is not easy to be in the military. I am a woman, but I made it this far to become a Master Sergeant. Do you know

why?” I said, “Because you are awesome?” She said, “No, because I fight for myself. You have the potential to

be a leader, but you need to learn that when you see things that are wrong towards you, you need to stand up and

fight for yourself. Then you will also find the confidence and ability to fight for your wingmen when they are in

tough situations.” I have remembered this and carried it with me ever since.

Before I came to the United States, people said, “America is a country of gold, and if you come here, you will

become rich.” After 11 years of living here, I don’t think America is a country of gold. It is a country of

opportunity. If you work hard, become well educated, and have strong drive and motivation, you can succeed.

America will give you the opportunity.

I worked extra hard, kept my scholarship, completed a master’s degree in ministry and a master’s of business

administration, and gained my US citizenship. My ten years of hard work led to many achievements that I am

proud of, including advanced degrees, US citizenship, and a great job in the USAF.

Life is a good teacher, and it has taught me valuable lessons. My early learning experiences and time in the United

States taught me not to give up on opportunity, even when challenges may seem daunting. This country may not

be a perfect country, but it is the best nation I know. It gave me a fair opportunity to succeed with my own hands.

My time at university taught me to never quit, be strong, and always fight for winning. My time in the military

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 33

taught me not only to fight for myself but to fight for others and to fight for what is right. It helped me to be a

better Airman, better Officer, and better Medical Service Corps member.

Eleven years of life in the United States has taught me that life is a process of learning, and one lesson I learned

was to never settle in my comfort zone. There are two kinds of birds in the sky: the eagle and the dove. The reason

the eagle is the king of the sky is because the eagle pushes its children out of the nest to survive by themselves.

The dove, however, always keeps its children close, and they grow up as a family. There is nothing wrong with

that, but if you want to succeed, the best way to gain experience is going through a tough situation. During the

learning process, there will be happiness and enjoyment as well as obstacles and pain. The obstacles and pain

provide the good lessons that help you mature.

Life is not always easy, but when we meet obstacles, instead of complaining about them, we can learn from them

and prevent the same difficulties from happening again in the future. If you can do that, you can succeed

anywhere.

A man can’t choose where he is born, but he can definitely choose what he wants to be. My early life experiences

were not pleasant, but I would not trade them for anything else. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

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A FOLLOWER’S PERSPECTIVE

By Col Alan Hardman

By the time leaders mature within an organization they have generally participated in a plethora of leadership

courses. These courses contain a mixture of conventional leadership theories along with anecdotal leadership

principles du jour. Phrases like “your ability to lead effectively got you here” convince some that a replication

of such abilities illuminates the pathway to success. However, followers experience the practical outcome of the

leadership principles implemented and draw different conclusions than the leader. Listed below are five

leadership principles explained from a follower’s perspective:

Leadership is a topic often written about, difficult to get right, and interpreted in the eye of the beholder. Are

the leadership principles you think you are implementing the same principles as the followers perceive?

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DISEASE CONTAINMENT PLAN TABLE TOP EXERCISE

By Col Jennifer Garrison

On 31 January 2020, Alex M. Azar II, Health and Human Services Secretary, declared a public health emergency

for the United States. This effort was to ensure our nation’s healthcare community can respond to the Novel

Coronavirus. At the same time, the 332 Air Expeditionary Wing (332 AEW) had been preparing for months for

a Disease Containment Plan (DCP) table-top exercise. The exercise was coordinated by 332 Wing Inspection

Team and the 332 Medical Group executed on 1 Feb 2020. This is the first time an exercise has occurred with

two co-chairs leading an exercise, a partnership shared with me as the 332 Expeditionary Medical Group CC and

the 332 Air Expeditionary Wing IG. All Group Commanders, Squadron Commanders and subject matter experts

showed up for the table-top exercise to be able to provide advice to ensure the DCP plan was executable. Our

goal was to ensure the Wing was armed to invoke emergency health powers necessary to respond to a public

health emergency and coordinate all emergency health power actions with Host Nation and Coalition partners.

The DCP exercise was designed to test the abilities of Wing personnel to respond and contain a potential

contagious disease outbreak. The six objectives were the following: 1) ability to respond to and care for patient

surge; 2) identify response options while continuing operational capabilities (Restrictions of Movement; Isolation,

Quarantine, Sustaining Flight/Maintenance Operations); 3) capacity for long term recover actions; 4)

strengthening local community and health support; 5) capability to conduct public health response and

epidemiological investigation; and 6) effectively demonstrate internal/external communication across the base.

My main responsibility was to lead the medical response capability working in coordination with the IG who led

the Wing response capability. Both of us designed a scenario that focused on a biological weapon where a

contagious disease was being dispersed to the public. This action caused many patients to be symptomatic and

worry patients that were asymptomatic. The greatest challenge in planning this exercise, was the amount of

strategic joint interoperability coordination needed between all the units on base working towards a unified plan

with many possible outcomes.

The scenario was a success as Wing leadership worked together successfully to activate and direct a mass

prophylaxis, medical surge capability while using disease containment strategies by standing up a quarantine

facility, isolation facilities, executing a mass prophylaxis point of dispensing (POD), and establishing restrictions

of movement while still meeting mission requirements. All Groups on base worked effectively together to

demonstrate a sense of urgency and provide long term remediation strategies to get the base back to normal

operations. A total win to ensure the base has an executable plan and understand what agencies bring to the fight!!!

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THE BRAVEST THING COL. RANDY HOFFMAN EVER DID WAS TO STOP FIGHTING

Michael M. Phillips, Wall Street Journal, 13 Dec 2019

Suggested Article for All to Read. Submitted by Craig Matsuda, Lt Col (Ret), USAF, MSC

Submitter’s Note: A friend shared this with me. It's about a Marine officer's

struggle with PTSD. You'll find it to be simple, straightforward, and brutally

honest. Men who are trained and indoctrinated to be almost indestructible

psychologically can be broken no matter how strong they think they are. War

isn't just hell, it can be a living hell for those who survive. It also tells me that

it's always up to the little people...the ones leaders send into battle. They

follow orders and do their duty like universal soldiers. They suffer most

when bad decisions are made, and, in the end, the only solace they have is

their comrades. It's like an ongoing therapy group which disappears when

war is over. Not surprising that they falter individually. Let's hope our

leaders remember what it means to the little people. America does stand for

freedom and is the world's standard bearer. It's up to us, but make sure the

little people have a voice, and we think very, very carefully before engaging

and deploying our military. It can exact a high price. ~Craig

An Extract for the Article: The Bravest Thing Col. Randy Hoffman Ever

Did Was to Stop Fighting

Enmeshed in Afghanistan for much of his adult life, the officer spurred the Marine Corps to confront the

traumas of America’s longest war. Marine commando Randy Hoffman’s plane took off from Kabul, climbed

over the jagged mountains and turned toward home. Somewhere down there was his tent, a piece of canvas

stretched across a pit he had carved into a high-altitude ridge. Randy had spent most of the previous 2½ years in

the mountains along the Pakistan border. Rugs covered the tent’s dirt floor. He had a wood stove for heat and

collected catalogs of farm equipment and RVs to remind him of home in Indiana. A metal thermos stored the

goat’s milk and cucumber drink delivered each morning by the mountain men who fought alongside him. He and

the Afghans would sit on a dirt bench, talking about poetry, faith and honor, and how to make it through the next

day alive.

Randy’s camp watched over the narrow passes and smuggling paths used by al Qaeda and Taliban militants to

sneak into Afghanistan from Pakistan. He kept mortars aimed at likely approaches. At times, he was the only

American for miles.

On Randy’s last trip down the mountains, a caravan of Afghan fighters in Toyota pickups escorted him on the

seven-hour drive to a U.S. base. From there, he caught a helicopter to Kabul and trimmed the beard he had grown

so he wouldn’t stand out as a target during gunfights. It was July 2005. As Randy headed home, he couldn’t

escape one thought. U.S. troops had been in Afghanistan for three years and nine months—as long as they had

fought in World War II. Yet the Afghan war wasn’t close to won.

On the flight home, Randy pictured the many villagers lost in combat, men he had come to admire for their

courage and strict sense of right and wrong. He thought about those left legless by militant bombings and now

facing a life ahead in mud-brick compounds perched on mountainsides. He turned away from the others on the

plane and cried. Since the first U.S. troops arrived in 2001, Afghanistan has become a generational war. The

youngest recruits stepping off the bus at boot camp today were born after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that ignited

the war they may soon fight. Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-bravest-thing-col-randy-hoffman-

ever-did-was-to-stop-fighting-11576244128

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 37

PROMOTIONS

MSC MAJOR SELECTEES MSC LT COL SELECTEES MSC COLONEL SELECTEES

ALDAHONDO, RICARDO ANT ANGELOVA, RENI B BAKER, CORY L

BANGEREZAKO, CHRISTOPH BAIN, ALLISON N BURKS, FELICIA L

BERHEIDE, ADAM C BAKER, SCOTT A CALDERWOOD, LEA ANN

BROWN, RASHIDA J BERNABE, JOHN M FEWELL, JEFFREY S

CANTU, BILLY JACK BIGBIE, JOHN D HAMILTON, MICHAEL T

CARROLL, NICHOLAS W BUEHRIG, CRAIG M KERSTEN, MICHAEL J

CHECKETTS, RYAN L CERON, STEPHANIE A MCFARLANE, JOHN P

CLARENCE, DAPHNE MIGNO COTHREN, KRISTINE L MONIZ, CHARLES R

DONAHUE, JOSEPH WILLIA DELA CRUZ, MELISSA S NAYLOR, KATHY A

EARLY, DENNIS CORNELL EVANS, VANESSA V PAYETTE, JAMES W

ESTACION, MICHAEL A HAYNES, BRANDEE N RICHTER, JASON P

FERNANDEZ, IRENE MICHE HENDERSON, CARMELLA S RUSSO, AMY ELIZABETH

HARRIS, AMBER E HOLSTEIN, JAMES N SCOTT, VIRGIL L

HARTMAN, AMY HELEN LEONHARDT, ELISABETH E TOWNSENDATKINS, PAMELA

HOGAN, ALICIA DAWN LOPEZ, VIKKI LORRAINE WILLIAMS, STEPHENIE D

HUGHES, KELSIE LYNN MAZEY, BRETT J KELLETT, NATHAN T (BPZ)

HUIE, SEAN EDMUND MCMILLIAN, CHRISTOPHER

JOHANSON, BRYANT SCOBE MUNERA, ANDRES

KINDER, DEVIN S NEWBERRY, CYNTHIA L

KULIKOWSKY, THOMAS J OGREN, CHRISTOPHER

LAUGHRIDGE, JAMES L REESE, BARRY O

LAWRENCE, MICHAEL C ROSE, SUMMER A

LEAHY, SEAN P SHY, TAMMY S

LEE, BEN D TAYLOR DORSETT, GILLIAN

LOEBS, TODD G TOMLINSON, JENNIFER J

MALLORCA, KIMBEN MAGAD WISNER, GRANT W

MARGEVICIUS, EDGARAS BAH, CHEICK A (BPZ)

MCGHEE, MENYIKA L EL AMIN, AMBER J (BPZ)

MORSHED, CHRISTINE M

NICOL, SCOTT ANDREW

OGWELA, GEORGE O

PEELER, MARLON DARNELL

PHILLIP, JOSELINE

PIERSON, RICKY A

QUINN, BRIAN J

RENFROW, THOMAS F III

RIOS, GEORGE M II

RIZVI, BILAL

ROBOSKY, CHRISTOPHER J

RODA, CZAR JOSEPH

ROSA, FATIMA T

SAUL, GRANT C

SENGER, LINDSAY

SHAY, KRISTEN L

STANLEY, NICOLE

STEELE, MATTHEW GERALD

SUTER, SCOTT DAVID

SWAIM, JESSICA ANN

TURNER, ROBERT CRAIG

WALLER, SONATA R

WOOD, NOAH C

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 38

CELEBRATION

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 39

TRANSITIONS

Thank you for your years of dedication and service to Air Force and the Medical Service Corps!

January

February/March

Col Mike Roberts

Lt Col George Delaney

Lt Col Nathaniel Decker

Lt Col Kenneth Perry

Col Mary Ann Garbowski

Col Dan Lee

Lt Col Richard Keller

Lt Col Mary Ann Marquez

Lt Col Mark Overlie

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 40

VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS!

Submitted by Jody Williams, Lt Col (Ret), USAF, MSC and MSCA Historian Interviewer

Note: One organization which retired MSCs might consider is

the Medical Reserve Corps. Older MSCs or those in the high risk

due to medical conditions group may find tele-work/phone bank

opportunities providing valuable administration skills to their

local health departments. I just signed up to help my husband,

the Medical Director, in the Three Rivers Health District in

Virginia. I need to take some on-line courses and then I'll be able

to start working. ~Jody

About the Medical Reserve Corps: The Medical Reserve Corps

(MRC) is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to

improve the health and safety of their communities. The MRC

network comprises approximately 175,000 volunteers in roughly

850 community-based units located throughout the United States

and its territories. MRC volunteers include medical and public

health professionals, as well as other community members

without healthcare backgrounds. MRC units engage these

volunteers to strengthen public health, improve emergency

response capabilities, and build community resiliency. They

prepare for and respond to natural disasters, such as wildfires,

hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, and floods, as well as other

emergencies affecting public health, such as disease outbreaks. They frequently contribute to community health

activities that promote healthy habits.

Why Should I Volunteer? You've worked hard in your career to master a variety of skills – in medicine, public

health, safety, logistics, communications or a number of other areas. Volunteering with the Medical Reserve

Corps is a simple and effective way to use and improve those skills, while helping to keep your family, friends

and neighbors safe and healthy. For example, you may put those skills to use during an emergency, or while

providing some services for the most vulnerable members of your community. Volunteering can give the great

satisfaction of helping others. For many individuals, volunteering gives them a sense of purpose and meaning in

their lives. It helps to broaden their social networks, and that can have many positive effects. Volunteering

provides opportunities for social interactions with fellow volunteers while supporting an important activity in the

community. Interacting with others with a common interest is also a great way to create new relationships.

What Would I Do as A Volunteer? MRC volunteers train - individually and with other members of the unit -

in order to improve their skills, knowledge and abilities. Sometimes the training is coursework, and other times it

is part of a drill or exercise conducted with partner organizations in the community. Continuing education units

and credits are even available for some programs. Many MRC volunteers assist with activities to improve public

health in their community – increasing health literacy, supporting prevention efforts and eliminating health

disparities. In an emergency, local resources get called upon first, sometimes with little or no warning. As a

member of an MRC unit, you can be part of an organized and trained team. You will be ready and able to bolster

local emergency planning and response capabilities. The specific role that you will play, and the activities in

which you will participate, will depend upon your background, interests and skills, as well as the needs of the

MRC unit and the community.

Read more at: https://www.naccho.org/programs/public-health-preparedness/medical-reserve-corps

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 41

DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE PROVIDING PAYMENT SERVICES OF THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - MARCH 2020 AND DECEMBER 2019 NEWSLETTERS

or copy the link you’re your browser https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/newsevents/newsletter

March Newsletter

Director's Message

Welcome to the December 2019 Retiree Newsletter!

It’s Tax Season: Do you still need your tax

documents? - We are quickly approaching April 15th

and want to make sure you are aware of all the options

to get your tax documents.

Benefits of Using myPay - Instead of waiting on hold

to talk to a customer service representative, you can

use these convenient self-service options for getting

your retired or annuity pay information, and for

making updates to your pay account.

We're Making the School Certification Process

Easier - New easier, more convenient options for

school certifications.

The Latest News on the SBP-DIC Offset Phased

Elimination - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

now available!

More New Form Tools – New Additions for

Annuitants - We have launched a few more helpful

form tools for Annuitants that include PDF checklists

and videos. Check out our forms page to see what’s

new!

Tip: Changing Bank Accounts for Your Pay?

Make sure you don’t miss a payment when you need to

change your direct deposit banking info. Start early!

News from Our Partners: Army Emergency Relief

AER kicks off 2020 Fundraising Campaign!

News from Our Partners: Air Force Assistance

Fund - Read about the USAF charities and how you

can donate.

News from Our Partners: Armed Forces

Retirement Home Offers Affordable Independent

Living for Eligible Veterans!

Now accepting applications for residency in 2020!

Click here for a PDF of the March 2020 Retiree

Newsletter - Download a PDF of the March newsletter

to read, print or share (right click and choose “Save

As” to save to your computer)

December Newsletter

Director's Message – Welcome to the Newsletter!

Tax Season is Here - We want to make sure you are

aware of all the options on getting your tax documents.

Making Forms Easier to Fill Out and Submit - This

year, we began rolling out new tools to help retirees

and annuitants fill out/submit forms easily/correctly.

What to Expect in Your Year-End Mail from

DFAS - For those of who still request postal mail from

us, here is what you'll receive in your year-end mail.

Check the SBP-DIC News Webpage for Info on the

SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination - we want to

make sure you know where to get info on how this

change may affect SBP.

2020 CRDP/CRSC Open Season - The 2020

CRDP/CRSC Open Season is January 1-31, 2020

2020 COLA/Pay Schedule - There will be a 1.6

percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for most

retired pay and SBP annuities and the Special Survivor

Indemnity Allowance (SSIA), effective Dec. 1, 2019.

Annuitant CEI Change - More authorized officials

can verify identify and sign the CEI to make it easier

for annuitants to submit this certificate.

Who to Contact for Pay/Benefit Questions - Ever

wondered if you are contacting the correct agency?

Read this to find out who to call about your question.

Convenient Options for Getting Pay Information

and Making Pay Account Updates - Instead of

waiting on hold to talk to a customer service

representative, you can use these convenient self-

service options for getting retired or annuity pay info,

and for making updates to your pay account.

News from Our Partners: TRICARE - Qualifying

Life Events - Beneficiaries can only enroll in or make

changes to their TRICARE health plan if they

experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE)

News from Army Emergency Relief - For 78 years

AER’s mission has been to strengthen the financial

readiness of Soldiers and their families by providing

support to our comrades experiencing hardship.

News from Our Partners: Armed Forces

Retirement Home - Now offering residency

opportunities for married couples.

Click here for a PDF of the December 2019 Retiree

Newsletter

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 42

EVER STATIONED IN OR TDY TO KOREA? KOREAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL

BACKGROUND: The Department of Defense

approved the Korean Defense Service Medal in

February 2004 to be given as recognition for military

service in the Republic of Korea and the surrounding

waters after July 28, 1954 and ending on such a future

date as determined by the Secretary of Defense.

CRITERIA: Individuals must have been assigned,

attached, or mobilized to units operating or serving on

all the land area of the Republic of Korea, and the

contiguous waters out to 12 nautical miles, and all

airspace above the stated land and water areas. To be eligible for the KDSM, personnel must have been

physically present in the stated areas for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or must meet one of the

following:

• Be engaged in actual combat during an armed engagement, regardless of the time in the areas of eligibility

• Be killed, wounded, or injured in the line of duty and required medical evacuation from the area of

eligibility

• While participating as a regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the

area of eligibility in support of military operations. Each day that one or more sorties are flown in

accordance with these criteria shall count as 1 day toward the 30 or 60 day requirement.

MEDAL DESCRIPTION: The KDSM shall be positioned above the Armed Forces Service Medal. Only one

award of the KDSM is authorized for any individual, regardless of the number of days over 30 (or 60), tours,

TDYs, or deployments served in the areas of eligibility.

AUTHORIZED DEVICE: None

WEIGHTED AIRMAN PROMOTED SYSTEM POINT VALUE: 0

Never Forget!

Send your Pictures and Articles Today!

Perform some CPR: Compliment, Praise, and

Recognize a Mentor!

History: Wanna be an Interviewer? Interviewee? historian@mscassociation.org

ORLANDO 2021!!

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 43

MILITARY HOSPITAL TRANSFORMATION – INTRODUCING THE MARKET CONSTRUCT

Barclay Butler, Ph.D., MBA, assistant director of management at DHA,

explains the market concept to an audience of active-duty and civilian

conference attendees at the 2019 AMSUS Annual Meeting in National

Harbor, Maryland, Dec. 4.

The Defense Health Agency launched the most significant change to the

Military Health System in over three decades when in October it initiated the

congressionally directed transfer of authority, direction, and control of

military medical and dental facilities in the United States to DHA. That set in motion plans to establish a market-

based structure to manage the system’s 51 hospitals, 424 clinics and 248 dental clinics, with the first four markets

coming on line in early 2020.The DHA expects to create and certify a total of 21 large markets in major geographic

areas in 2020 and stand up a management office to oversee stateside hospitals and clinics not aligned to a market

such as those in rural areas or outside of major cities. In 2021, facilities in Europe and Indo-Pacific will transition

into Defense Health Regions.

Dr. Barclay Butler, the DHA’s assistant director for management who heads up MTF transition planning,

explained these upcoming changes at the 2019 annual meeting of the Society of Federal Health Professionals,

known as AMSUS, in National Harbor, Maryland, on Dec. 4. According to Butler, a market is a group of MTFs

working together in one geographic area, operating as a system to support the sharing of patients, staff, budget,

and other functions across facilities to improve readiness and the delivery and coordination of health services.

“It’s that geographic space encompassing all of the (health) care delivery organizations within that space,” Butler

said. For patients, a market gives them access to a larger network of providers and specialties, and centralized

day-to-day management will increase standardization of patient facing services, business and clinical practices.

“It’s really driving standardization across the organization,” Butler said. “Wherever we drive standardization in

health care, we always see an improved quality and lower cost.”

He explained the difference between DHA headquarters and the markets in terms of scope of responsibility. The

DHA, as a combat support agency, coordinates strategy and operational requirements with the Military

Departments and the combatant commands, collects and prioritizes those requirements against strategy, and

communicates and assesses performance. “The market offices are fundamentally execution offices,” Butler

explained. “They oversee the delivery of care, manage and administer the MTFs, and deliver readiness (within

the market). That’s an important construct for us, because the market becomes DHA’s unit of engagement.”

DHA currently establishes requirements for health care delivery at hospitals and clinics. The market office, once

established, tailors those requirements to their geographic region, both domestic and overseas, based on patient

population and hospital performance, to ensure compliance. Markets would also fully integrate MTF and

Purchased Care the TRICARE Health Program is often referred to as purchased care. It is the services we

“purchase” through the managed care support contracts through the TRICARE Health Plan, and work to create

healthcare networks with other federal facilities such as Veterans Affairs hospitals. “We have a very good need

to expand our partnerships with civilian hospitals out there. That’s what I want market directors to be doing,

looking at the entire care delivery system and how they can optimize care within that market,” Butler said.

Butler said he is excited about the potential success of these markets, bringing DHA closer to quality, patient-

centered care. “It’s about putting the patient at the center of everything we do,” Butler said. “Focusing on that

patient-centered approach to care results in better understanding of our patients, leading to improved quality of

life.”

For more information on the Military Health System Transformation, visit the MHS Transformation website on

Health.mil.

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 44

SECARMY MEMO: MILITARY MEDICAL REFORM EFFORT RISKS COMBAT

HEALTHCARE QUALITY, R&D

Ben Werner, February 5, 2020 2:58 PM

U.S. Army officials worry a lack of planning and poor funding for a pending consolidation of how the Pentagon

manages military public health and medical research activities will result in dire battlefield consequences. The

Pentagon is in the middle of a decade-long effort to revamp the way military health care is managed by pulling

medical treatment, research and management under a unified command: the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The

DHA is still consolidating management of roughly 400 military treatment facilities (MTFs) while by the end of

Fiscal Year 2022, will run the military’s combatant command health care, defense-wide public health services

and medical research and development activities. The shift in control of military health research and development

and public health is supposed to be finished by the end of Fiscal Year 2022.

But Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy questioned the readiness for DHA to adequately assume these new

roles, according to a Dec. 19 memo he sent to the Department of Defense leadership, which was recently obtained

by USNI News. “I am concerned about the lack of performance and planning of both the Defense Health Agency

(DHA) and DoD Health Affairs with respect to the MTF transition,” McCarthy wrote. “Both have failed to

provide a clear plan forward with respect to policy and budget.”

A spokesperson for McCarthy did not respond to multiple USNI News requests for comment. McCarthy’s memo

does not call for reversing the planned changes. Instead, he questions whether the DHA, while trying to manage

the military’s existing health care system, is taking on too much responsibility by taking management of specific

programs away from the individual service branches. Specifically, McCarthy wants to halt plans to:

• Designate the DHA as a combat support agency

• Establish the DHA Research and Development

• Establish a command under the DHA that focuses on public health.

The lethality and the readiness of all DoD forces could be endangered if the transition to DHA of services currently

performed by each military branch continues at its current pace, McCarthy states. Medical research and

development will suffer, he says, by pulling this work away from the Army and its proximity to front line troops.

“As conditions during war may change rapidly, medical research and development is essential to respond quickly

and effectively to support warfighter capabilities and survivability,” McCarthy states in his memo. “If [the Army

Medical Research and Materiel Command’s] medical research and development assets are not left with the Army,

the Army’s ability to fulfill its Title 10 responsibilities and integrate medical capabilities with warfighting systems

for service members will be degraded and at risk.”

The military’s development of freeze-dried plasma is a current example of what McCarthy describes as the close

alignment of military research and development efforts are with combat forces. The Army started working with

Minneapolis-based Vascular Solutions in 2014 to develop freeze-dried plasma. The company, now owned by

Teleflex Inc., is currently working to get its plasma product approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration. At the same time, the Marine Corps started using freeze-dried plasma in combat situations since

2017. The Marines were so anxious to use the product critical for saving lives in combat, they received special

permission to use French-made freeze-dried plasma until the U.S.-made product is approved.

Under the new system, McCarthy worries more administrative layers will separate researchers from the

warfighters in the field, adding delays to the process fielding and developing new medical technology.

Lawmakers have already shown some unease over the pace of the Pentagon’s military health care changes.

The Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act put the brakes on a proposal to cut military medical

billets until the Pentagon made a stronger case for supporting the reductions and until DHA finished taking over

the administration of all military treatment facilities.

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 45

The Department of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request called for cutting about 3,100 medical billets as

part of the larger Department of Defense plan. Up to 5,300 medical personnel positions were to be cut during the

course of the five-year Future Years Defense Program.

The Navy’s medical community leaders at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) started voicing

concerns about possible medical services funding cuts since November 2018, according to a memo viewed by

USNI News. The BUMED memo predicted money saved from cutting medical personnel would be used to

increase Navy lethality. If the Department of the Navy has any concerns about the pace of DHA changes, officials

are not saying so publicly.

“Each service has a distinct mission and distinct goals with respect to the Military Health System transition. It

would be inappropriate for the Department of the Navy to comment on another department’s memo,” Lt. Cmdr.

Derrick Ingle, spokesperson for acting Secretary of the Navy, told USNI News in a statement.

“The Secretary of the Navy is focused on the readiness and well-being of all sailors and Marines. That means

ensuring they receive the best care possible, and that they remain healthy and ready to deploy. While the ongoing

transformation of the Military Health System will bring challenges, this is an opportunity for the Department of

the Navy to refocus on medical readiness while transitioning the administration health care benefit to the Defense

Health Agency (DHA). The Department will continue to approach these reform efforts with deliberate planning,

solid analytics and sound decision-making,” Ingle said

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 46

Military's Plan to Cut 18,000 Medical Staff Should Be Shelved During Pandemic, MOAA Says

The Military Officers Association of America has joined growing calls in

Congress for the Pentagon to scrap or at least postpone plans to cut staff at

military hospitals and send retirees out into the community for health care

during the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The Defense Health Agency's plans appear to be especially misguided at a

time when local hospitals and clinics are being overwhelmed in certain parts

of the country with COVID-19 patients, MOAA said in a statement.

"With medical capacity in extraordinary flux across the civilian health care

system, it becomes increasingly prudent to officially halt all proposals to transition military families and retirees

to civilian providers," it said.

There was no immediate response from the DHA, which has been putting in place a long-range plan to take

over management of the 51 military hospitals and 400 clinics worldwide in the Military Health System, while

cutting nearly 18,000 medical billets. The facilities have until now been managed by individual military service

branches. The plan would also transfer retiree patients and their families into Tricare community networks, also

managed by the DHA, with the intent of having the military health care system focus more on active-duty

troops and readiness of the force, according to the Defense Department.

"The unprecedented challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic demand all plans to reduce MHS

direct care system capacity cease now; they can be reconsidered at a later date," MOAA said in the statement.

A March 14 letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Rep. Ross Spano, R-Florida, urged that the restructuring

plan for two military health care facilities in his Tampa Bay district be put on hold. The current plan would

"involve transitioning nearly 30,000 [military retiree] enrollees from their current providers" into a civilian care

sector in flux because of coronavirus, Spano said.

The coronavirus outbreak, with a total of more than 163,539 confirmed cases and more than 2,860 deaths in the

U.S. as of midday Tuesday according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has already forced the

DoD to revise numerous plans as travel restrictions were imposed, joint military exercises were canceled or

postponed, and the military was increasingly called upon to bolster the civilian response to the crisis.

The plan to cut medical billets and transfer retirees to Tricare was approved by Congress as part of the National

Defense Authorization Act of 2017. DHA officials have since said that the implementation will be "conditions

based." Karen Ruedisueli, director of health affairs at MOAA, said the pandemic's crisis conditions should give

the DoD pause. "It's very clear the nation is turning to DoD for assistance" in combating the threat, she said.

“We can’t just hit the pause button on MHS reform – we need a full stop. It doesn’t make sense to think we can

pick up with these MTF and billet cuts after the immediate COVID-19 threat is over. Those plans were based on

a pre-coronavirus assessment of medical readiness requirements. Any future MHS reforms must consider

lessons learned from this pandemic and potentially a new vision for DoD’s role in national medical

emergencies.”

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 47

IMPORTANT

MSCA MEMBERSHIP

UPDATES AND INFORMATION

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 48

ATTENTION DUES PAYING MEMBERS!

ITS NOT TOO LATE!

2020 DUES PAYMENT OPTIONS AND

2021 DUES INCREASES

Decision: During the 2019 Reunion business meeting, the Board of Directors (BOD) and members approved

2020 ANNUAL DUES PAYMENT OPTIONS AND 2021 DUES INCREASE. While the 2021 annual dues

increase amount has not been determined, the approved 2020 PAYMENT OPTIONS are provided below:

Category 2 Year 5 Year 7 Year Active duty in the grades of 05-07 and retired members

$40 $100 $140

Active duty, drilling

guardsmen and reservists in the grades of 01 – 04

$30 $75 $105

Rationale: Several factors drove the decisions:

1. Many members suggested the payment options as an improvement over the annual process for a small

amount; similar to what other Associations offer members.

2. Provides annual dues paying members a transition period.

3. Provides members a savings who take advantage of the offer as

the 2020 pending annual dues amount increases.

4. Aligns with the 2-year complmentatry membership for HSA

Students (previously BOD approved).

5. Reduces the administrative process burden to process small

amounts of dues payments.

6. While not decided, annual dues could be increased anywhere from

10-15%. This is required to offset increased overheard costs. It

will represent the first dues payment cost increase since the 1990s.

7. Life time membership is still available but are subject to change

with the anticiapated 2021 annual dues increases.

Other:

1. New members will automatically receive electronic versions of the newsletter.

2. Member promotees and retirees in the grade of 04—06 may receive a 1-year complementary membership

but must notify the membership team within 90 days of the effective date.

3. Non-member promotees and retirees in the grade of 04—06 may receive a two-year memebrship for the

price of an annual membership but must notify the membership team within 90 days of the effective date.

Send Inquiries to Membership@MSCAssociation.org

Life Time Memberships Are

Always Available

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 49

THE BRIGADIER GENERAL DONALD B. WAGNER PERPETUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Editor’s Note: While the Brigadier General Don Wagner Scholarship Fund is a separate and distinct function

and organization from the MSC Association, we most certainly endorse and support its purpose and fund-raising

activity. As such, we will be including information about the Fund on our web site. In the meantime, Col (ret)

Steve Meigs, President of the Fund, has provided the following information about the Fund.

The Brigadier General Donald B. Wagner Perpetual Scholarship Fund was chartered in Texas in 1982, as a 501

(c) 3 non-profit corporation in honor of the general's contributions. He was the first Air Force Medical Service

Corps Officer to achieve general officer (or flag) rank. The corporation was formed exclusively for charitable,

educational purposes providing scholarship grants to children of United States Air Force Medical Service Corps

officers (Active, Reserve, Air National Guard, Retired) who are enrolled in graduate or undergraduate programs

in health care management or related fields of study at an accredited institution of higher learning.

Status Update: I finally have good news regarding the non-profit status for the Fund. After almost 3 ½ years of

back and forth with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), The Brigadier General Donald B. Wagner Perpetual

Scholarship Fund’s status as a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt, public charity has been reinstated retroactive to the date of

revocation – May 15, 2010. Based on this decision, we also filed for and received verification of tax-exempt status

in Texas. A huge debt of gratitude is owed the law firm of Clark Hill-Strasburger and attorneys Katy David and

Brooks Caston for their assistance in petitioning the IRS for resolution of this issue. Their persistence,

professionalism, and expertise were critical to this outcome.

What does this mean? Because our non-profit status lapsed, we were not able to legally conduct fund-raising

activities as a charitable entity. With the status reinstated, we can conduct fundraising activities and donors can

deduct contributions according to IRS rules. With the recent changes in the tax code, this may not be a big deal

for most individual contributors, but it will make a difference for corporate donors. This status also qualifies the

Fund to receive other tax-deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under IRS rules.

What’s next? Thanks to the generosity of several individual donors and the Medical Service Corps Association,

the Fund has continued its mission of providing scholarships to children and grandchildren of United States Air

Force Medical Service Corps officers. This will continue and I will discuss that more in the next paragraph. We

also intend to re-start fund-raising activities in the future, including the annual golf tournament. Last, we will be

expanding the Board of the Fund. Currently, the Board consists of myself, Col (r) Randy Borg and Col(r) Adolphe

Edward. Our revised Bylaws indicate the Board may consist of no fewer than three, but up to seven directors.

Several individuals have volunteered to serve on the Board in the last three years, but we decided to wait until the

IRS issue was resolved before making any changes. I will be contacting those who have volunteered their service

and will have an update regarding this for the next newsletter.

Call for Scholarship Applications: Children and/or grandchildren of members of the United States Air Force

Medical Service Corps (MSC) officers (Active, Reserve, Air National Guard, or Retired) who are enrolled in

graduate or undergraduate program in health care management or related field of study at accredited educational

institutions of higher learning are encouraged to submit an application for a Brigadier General Donald B. Wagner

scholarship. The Board anticipates awarding three scholarships in 2020 of at least $1,500.00 each. Interested

students and their qualifying sponsor must complete the application found in this newsletter and mail it to:

Brig Gen Donald B. Wagner Scholarship Fund, PO Box 780833, San Antonio, TX 78278

To be considered for a grant award for this academic year, completed applications must be received by

Jun 30, 2020. Questions should be directed to Col (r) Steve Meigs at stevemeigs165@gmail.com.

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 50

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

The Brigadier General Donald B. Wagner Perpetual Scholarship Fund

Applications may be submitted any time during the year, but to be considered for calendar year 2020 must be

received no later than June 30, 2020. Send your application and support material to: Brigadier General

Wagner Scholarship Perpetual Scholarship Fund, PO Box 780833, San Antonio, TX 78278.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

NAME: ____________________________ DATE OF BIRTH: ________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER: __________________

___________________________________

QUALIFYING SPONSOR INFORMATION

NAME: ____________________________ RANK: ________________________________

ADDRESS: _________________________ STATUS (AD/RET/RES/SEP): ______________

_________________________________ PHONE NUMBER: ______________________

RELATIONSHIP TO APPLICANT: _______________________________________________

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

HIGH SCHOOL (Complete this section only if you will enroll in college/university in Fall 2020)

NAME OF SCHOOL, CITY, STATE ________________________________________________

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (PLEASE INDICATE SCALE) _________________________________

CLASS STANDING/TOTAL CLASS SIZE _____________________________________________

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND OFFICES HELD (YOU MAY ATTACH YOUR RESUME IN

LIEU OF LISTING ACTIVITIES) ________________________________________________________

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (Complete this section if currently enrolled in college/university or if you are

entering a graduate or post-graduate program)

_______________________________________________

NAME OF SCHOOL, CITY, STATE ________________________________________________

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GRADE POINT AVERAGE (PLEASE INDICATE SCALE) _________________________________

SEMESTER/QUARTER HOURS COMPLETED (CIRCLE ONE) ____________________________

MAJOR AREA OF STUDY: ______________________________________________________

EXPECTED GRADUATION DATE_________________________________________________

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND OFFICES HELD (YOU MAY ATTACH YOUR RESUME IN

LIEU OF LISTING ACTIVITIES) ________________________________________________________

FINANCIAL DATA

HOW WILL YOUR OTHER TUITION/FEES AND EXPENSES PAID?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

OTHER DATA

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING WITH YOUR APPLICATION

- LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE TO COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (IF A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR)

- COPY OF HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT (IF A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR)

- MOST RECENT COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT (if applicable)

- A ONE-PAGE LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE DESCRIBING YOUR

ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS

- A ONE-PAGE LETTER FROM YOUR QUALIFYING SPONSOR RECOMMENDING YOU FOR

CONSIDERATION FOR THIS GRANT

APPLICANT’S STATEMENT

I certify I meet eligibility requirements for the application for a Wagner Scholarship Fund Grant. I understand

that the scholarship award is a competitive process, and that awards are made on a best qualified basis.

If awarded a grant, I will faithfully pursue degree attainment in Health Administration/ Management or a related

field.

I understand that in the event I fail to satisfactorily complete degree requirements, maintain good academic

standing, or if I withdraw from school, I will be required to return the scholarship funds to the Scholarship Fund

within three months.

If awarded a scholarship, I will provide my social security number to the Wagner Scholarship Fund for Federal

tax reporting purposes.

My signature below also authorizes publicity release in event of an award.

______________________________ ________________

SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT DATE

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LAST CALL FOR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD NOMINATION

(RETIREE) FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2019

DOUG ANDERSON COL (RET), USAF, MSC, FACHE, BOARD MEMBER

The period for this award is for service AFTER the person’s retirement from active duty/Guard or

Reserve, so please focus your narrative accordingly. We are making the process as simple as possible too.

Submit nominations, 2 pages maximum to this email: membership@mscassociation.org. Suspense date: 1 Mar

2020. Format:

Name of Person Submitting Nomination:

Email:

Date joined the MSC Association: _______________ (if you don’t have this information, it will be entered)

Nominee Information:

Rank:

Last Name:

First Name:

Middle Initial:

Describe the nominee’s contributions after he/she retired from the Air Force, including Guard/Reserve,

in one or more of the following areas:

− MSC Association (offices held, committee membership, etc. – be specific)

− USAF Medical Service Corps

− USAF Medical Service

− Military Service members or veterans

Describe how the nominee is a consummate team player, and role model for others in the Association

and Medical Service Corps:

Describe the individual’s community and public service following retirement:

Additional directions:

1. Keep the primary submission to less than 2 pages. Y

2. Use continuation sheets as necessary (place the nominee’s rank and name at the top center of each

continuation page and number them).

3. Only one nomination for each person.

Nominators may provide letters of support from other Association membersin lieu of duplicate nominations. If

letters of support are used, the nominator is responsible for inclusion.

Ready to upgrade to Lifetime

Membership? Switch to the

E-Eversion of the Newsletter?

… It’s Easy! Send Inquiries to:

membership@MSCAssociation.org

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 53

HONOR ROLL A/O 1 APRIL 2019

CHARLIE BROWN, COL (RET), USAF, MSC

2020 MONTHLY ADDITIONS TO HONOR ROLL

MONTH DATE OF

REPORTED GRADE FIRST NAME LAST NAME DEATH

JANUARY Lt Col James R. Bellor (LM) 3-Dec-18

Capt Joseph V. Balesky (M) 21-Dec-19

FEBRUARY Maj Theodore H. Williams LM) 1-Oct-19

Maj Julius J. Budelis (LM) 31-May-19

Capt Andrew K. Duncan (LM) 10-Jan-18

MARCH Capt Raymond L. Smith (NM) 19-Mar-20

Capt Kristine

Willingham (S of LM

Col Paul Willingham) 24 Mar 20

LM=Life Mbr M=Mbr @=Corps Chief S=Spouse NM=Non Mbr

OBITUARIES

Kristine Goryanec Willingham / Date of Death: March 24, 2020: Kristine

Goryanec Willingham, 48, United States Air Force Major retired, passed away

peacefully on Tuesday, 24 March 2020 at her home where she was surrounded by

loving family. Kristine was a graduate of the University of New Mexico and a proud

member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She was commissioned an Air Force

Officer and entered active duty in 1995. She graduated from the Uniformed Services

University of the Health Sciences Registered Nurse Anesthetist program in 2007 and

was awarded the Board of Regents Graduate School of Nursing Award, the highest

University honor a graduating student can receive. Kristine also served as a vital part

of the Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Team and was a veteran of Operations

Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, touching the lives of injured Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen

and Marines in their time of greatest need. She is preceded in death by her sister,

Lisa Gravitte; uncle, Jasper N. Edmundson; her grandparents; and stepfather, Jack

Ward. She is survived by her husband, Colonel (ret) Paul A. Willingham of Wichita,

KS; mother, Ruth Ann (Dennis) Pipal of Sunset, TX; father, George Thomas Goryanec of Albuquerque, NM;

aunt, Vicky Edmundson of Poplar Bluff, MO; cousins, Matt, Jay, Lorrie, Tim, Chelsea, and Leeza; sister-in-law,

Renee (Dr. Steven) Hamilton of Knoxville, TN; nieces and nephew, Alexis, Jessica and David Hamilton. Private

services will be held at a future date with planned inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,

the family requests donations be made to the Kristine Willingham Fund, an endowment that provides a memorial

scholarship through the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Foundation using the online giving

link: http://app.mobilecause.com/form/vt_mQQ?vid=6cxse

Please write “Kristine Willingham Fund” in the gift comment box.

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 54

Help the USAF MSC Association with your story (i.e., current experiences,

opinion or commentary, deployment, special project, leadership advice, family

support, lessons learned), pictures, links, other artifacts. We can’t make this

stuff up! Many of the stories are being submitted to the AF and AFMS history

offices as we speak! More importantly, regardless of your status, member or non-

member, retried or active duty, PLEASE provide our current and future generation

of MSCs the history, context, lessons, insights, advice and contributions YOUR

STORIES. That’s what legacy is about – capturing the wisdom, insights, and

advice of those who have been there, done that! Membership Categories and

Working Ideas on Requested Topics for the Historian and Newsletter!

1. Spouses: Summary of your spouse’s career from YOUR eyes or perspective;

what you miss most about the USAF; experience as a spouse in all eras, family support experiences, faith,

travel or retirement advice; career options, opportunities, and challenges; experience with installation key

spouse program; special story of family resilience, overcoming tragedy and setbacks, dual spouse challenges;

tips and advice on PSCing.

2. Newly Assigned Personnel: Share your first 1-2 years of experience and perspectives as a new and aspiring

MSC. What do you like most about the MSC? Who’s helped you and how? What do you wish you had paid

more attention to in HSA?

3. Experienced Flight Commanders: Share your first 3-5 years of experiences as flight commander—skills

applied? Skills you wish you had more of? What would you have done differently? Who’s helped you and

how? Or, a deployment experience.

4. Staff Officers at all Levels and Positions (current and past): Challenges and transformational leadership

associated with a system wide project, initiative, or team you involved with. Could be the proposal,

formulation, implementation, and evaluation stages.

5. Special Assignments (current and past): Summarize value proposition and career broadening experiences

of serving in a unique assignment: WH fellowship, recruiting, COCOM, IHS, Joint, Homeland Security,

MEFPAK, Lead Agent, OSD, OASD/HA, IG, USHUHS, Joint Staff, special duty in an AOR during an

operation, Air Staff, …. Other?

6. Group and Squadron Commanders (current and former): Summarize the first 6-8 months--what went

right? How did you handle your first crisis? What surprised you? What leadership competencies did you

employ the most? What would you have done differently?

7. Administrators (SGA) (current and former): Summarize first 6-8 months; discuss tips and experiences on

leading sideways – across silos, with installation organizations, and the community. What leadership

competencies did you employ the most? What would you have done differently?

8. Transitioning MSC: personal p summary of your “bitter sweet” plans, aspirations, and concerns. Could

include an alternative, new, and exciting career paths or adventure.

9. Retired MSC, Engaged in 2nd+ Career: Transition experiences, differences and similarities in environment,

leadership skills, advice to transitioning MSCs.

10. Retired Retired: special unique story on service in the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam era (during and post),

establishment and evolution of the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) and USAF MSC—TRIMIS, DHP,

PPBS, TRICARE, CHAMPUS, and CHAMPUS Reform changes; summary of experiences of the early days

of SGA roles and operations; special projects involved with impacting the AFMS and USAF MSC today

11. Everyone: Deployment experience. Faith based stories and experiences, EWI , AFIT, Fellowship

experiences, commentary on Defense Health Agency (DHA) oversight, 2 SQ, Sq Revitalization, and

AFMRA efforts; suggested articles, subscriptions, links and videos of interest for all the above categories,

suggestions to help the MSCA improve service, value of affiliation, community involvement ….

Membership … Services … Culture! (404) 500-6772 www.MSCassociation.org Page: 55

THE BACK STORY ….. What a treat it was to spend six weeks with

Allison aboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas. I must admit

I was a bit concerned as we were boarding, having never seen such a

procession of walkers, scooters and wheelchairs anywhere and

especially not boarding a ship. A good lesson about never giving up,

regardless of issues that might hold others back!

The ship held about 2,100 passengers and nearly 1,000 crew, so like

any small city, you get to know people pretty quickly. Everyone we

met, on board or off, was gracious, friendly, and truly seemed to be

happy we were there! Many of our fellow passengers were veterans

but did not talk a lot about their military experiences. Whether it was

a major city in the east of Australia, or a small-town port in rural

Australia or New Zealand, we always felt safe and welcomed. After

the first three weeks of circumnavigating Australia, I was getting a little concerned that we had not yet seen a

single kangaroo! Got more than enough of them during the second three weeks, and koala bears and herds of

wallaby.

We left Sydney northbound on 5 February, for the Gold Coast, Brisbane, The Great Barrier Reef and Cairns

(which is pronounced “Canz” by Australians). As we left Cairns and angled northwest, the temperature started

As we come off of a near six-week cruise, circumnavigating the continent of Australia and visiting the fiords

(sounds) and ports in New Zealand, I was thinking about the name COVID-19 and wondering what happened

to COVID-1 through 18? Turns out there was no 1-18… just 19 (as I later learned). Our cruise suffered only

one minor bump in that we were prohibited from leaving the ship at the port of Bali because Indonesia

was suspected of under-reporting the incidence of this disease. Small bump for us, but a big deal for the

Indonesian crew members who had been looking forward to visiting family and friends that had traveled to

Bali to see their family members serving on the ship. No crew members were allowed off the ship either. And

what a crew it was! The Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas where we spent nearly six weeks and its crew

were in a word, “FABULOUS”!

You mean stories like these? ☺ …. YES, AND!

JIM MORELAND, COL (RET), USAF, MSC ESCAPES THE

COVID-19 ATTACK WHILE ON A CRUISE

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to rise substantially. Since it was March, we were just at the end of their summer, and when you look at just how

big Australia is relative to the USA, Sydney to the northern tip of eastern Australia is even further than going

from Miami to New York City, except it gets warmer as you go north in that hemisphere. By the time we hit

Darwin, it was well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Things started to cool down as we started south again, and by

the time we docked at Perth, we started seeing more cooler, cloudy weather all the way back east to Melbourne

(one of the most beautiful cities we have ever visited), often referred to as the “garden city”. From Melbourne,

further south to Hobart, Tasmania (a beautiful island by-the-way) where we visited another animal sanctuary that

rehabilitated injured and abandoned kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, Wombats and birds. From Tasmania we sailed

to New Zealand where the weather was very wet and cloudy, but undeniably beautiful in the sounds (fjords) and

cities. Fabulous waterfalls in the sounds that seemed to fall a thousand feet in places. From Wellington, NZ, we

sailed between the north and south NZ islands, directly back to Sydney, reaching port on March 14th. We flew

home via LAX on the 15th, missing by about 12 hours, the beginning of worldwide shelter-in-place orders. So we

were very fortunate. We might just have to do the Perth to NZ portion again, but a little earlier in their summer,

and hope for sunnier weather! Looking forward to our next adventure.

Ed. Doug’s Note: Meanwhile, while Jim is out cruising, he’s assured everyone he is safe and still planning

the 2021 Reunion

Jim, Jim, you ok? That’s

1962!

Where are we staying

again?