Vol. 25 No. 44 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ November 14, 2013

By Sharon Renee TaylorWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

More than 200 servicemembers, veterans, civil-ian and contract employeesand volunteers joined for aspecial morning formationin honor of Veterans Dayat Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC) on Nov. 8.

Veterans wearing busi-ness suits, leather jackets,red sweaters, orange pants,white lab coats and scrubs ofvaried hues were among therows of active duty officerand enlisted uniforms in thegathering for morning colorsat the flag pole in front ofBuilding 1.

Army Sgt. 1st Class PeterGonzalez, Navy Hospital-man Michael Talmadge andAir Force Tech Sgt. PamelaD. Shurn raised the Ameri-can flag for the formation.“Very few places will you beable to see a Soldier, a Sail-or and Airman color guard.It’s very special,” explainedWRNMMC Director Brig.Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark.

“It’s good that we are gath-ered here today to thank ourveterans; for we are privilegedto serve those in uniform andthose who retired after a ca-reer of service [as well as]their families. We are privi-leged to provide their health-care,” said Clark, who askedthose assembled to take amoment over the three-dayweekend to reflect. Govern-ment offices were closed Nov.11 in recognition of VeteransDay, the only federal holidayobserved on the same day ev-ery year.

Army Sgt. Maj. Carol L.Warren-Clark, deputy seniorenlisted leader at WRNMMC,thanked service membersand veterans from all mili-tary services — Army, Navy,Air Force, Marine Corps andCoast Guard — for attend-

ing the observance, whichincluded a moment of silenceto remember fallen veterans.More than two dozen veteranstaff members, contractorsand volunteers participatedin the special formation.

“It has been said, it isthrough the veteran that weretain our freedoms. It hasalso been said that freedomhas a flavor that the protectedwill never know. To our vet-erans: thank you for comingout,”Warren-Clark continued.

“We appreciate everythingthat you do for this hospital,for each other, for taking careof our family members, ourretirees and our civilian pop-ulation,” Warren-Clark said.

The sergeant major readfrom the 2013 Veterans Daymessage from PresidentBarack Obama.

“On Veterans Day, Ameri-ca pauses to honor every ser-vice member who has everworn one of our nation’s uni-

forms. Each time our countryhas come under attack, theyhave risen in her defense.Each time our freedoms havecome under assault, theyhave responded with resolve.

Through the generations,their courage and sacrificehave allowed our republic toflourish. And today, a nationacknowledges its profounddebt of gratitude to the patri-ots who have kept it whole,”Warren-Clark read from thepresident’s message.

First recognized throughan act of Congress in 1926 asArmistice Day to commemo-rate the ending of World WarI on the 11th hour of the11th day of the 11th monthin 1918, Nov. 11 became anational holiday in 1930. Itwas proclaimed VeteransDay by President Dwight D.Eisenhower in 1954.

Retired Army Col. Mike

Service Members, Civilians Recognize Veterans Day at WRNMMC

Photos by Sharon Renee Taylor

Retired Army Lt. Col. Sharon E. Stentz (front right)stands in formation during the special morning colorsceremony in honor of Veterans Day at Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center. “It was an honorand a privilege to stand shoulder-to-shoulder withthose who continue to care for our nation’s heroesdespite fiscal constraints, uncertainty and change,”said Stentz, who now works as a civilian in clinicalsystems support at the medical center.

More than 200 service members, veterans, civilian and contract employees and volunteers joined for a specialmorning formation in honor of Veterans Day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Nov. 8.

See VETERANS page 9

2 Thursday, November 14, 2013 The Journal

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, a pri-vate firm in no way connectedwith the U.S. Navy, under ex-clusive written contract with theWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center, Bethesda, Md.This commercial enterprise news-paper is an authorized publication formembers of the military services. Contentsof The Journal are not necessarily the of-ficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S.Government, the Department of Defense,or the Department of Navy. The appearanceof advertising in this publication, includinginserts or supplements, does not constituteendorsement by the Department of De-fense or Comprint, Inc., of the products orservices advertised. Everything advertisedin this publication shall be made availablefor purchase, use or patronage without re-

gard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, maritalstatus, physical handicap,political affiliation, or anyother non-merit factor of thepurchaser, user, or patron.Editorial content is edited,

prepared and provided bythe Public Affairs Office, Naval

Support Activity Bethesda, Md.News copy should be submitted to

the Public Affairs Office, Building 11, lowerlevel, Room 41, by noon one week pre-ceding the desired publication date. Newsitems are welcomed from all installationsources. Inquiries about news copy will beanswered by calling 301-400-2488. Com-mercial advertising should be placed withthe publisher by telephoning 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed by call-ing 301-670-1700.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) BethesdaCommanding Officer: Capt. David A. BitontiActing Public Affairs Officer NSAB: John EppersonPublic Affairs Office NSAB: 301-400-2488

Journal StaffStaff Writers MC2 John Hamilton

MASN April BeazerSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorCat DeBinderRyan HunterKatie MolletKatrina Skinner

Managing Editor MC2 Nathan Parde

NSAB Editor MC3 Brandon Williams-ChurchWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

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

Fleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087WRNMMC Ombudsman VacantNSAB OmbudsmanMichelle Herrera 240-370-5421

Sexual Assault ResponseCoordinator Hotline 301-442-2053

Visit us on Facebook:Naval Support Activity Bethesda page:https://www.facebook.com/NSABethesda

Walter Reed National Medical Center page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walter-Reed-National-Military-Medical-Center/295857217111107

Uniformed Services University of the HealthSciences page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

We do three things at Wal-ter Reed Bethesda (WRB):accomplish our mission; takecare of each other; take care ofour families; MISSION/PEO-PLE — good leaders do thesethings.

The saying, “each individualis unique, precious, and unre-peatable and must be treatedthat way” has special meaningthis month. Each Novemberwe, as a nation, pause to honor heroes —those who served in uniform.

If you go to our website, you will see“Walter Reed National Military MedicalCenter: Where our Nation Heals its He-roes.”

In my view, all who have volunteeredto wear our uniform, and their Families,are heroes. It is a privilege for all of uswho serve on our WRB team to share inthis heritage. It is a privilege to serve he-roes.

As you may know, our color guard,consisting of a Soldier, Sailor and Air-man, raises our nation’s colors in front ofBuilding 1. You may not know that wegather for this special ceremony to honorand salute our colors every Thursdaymorning at 8 a.m.

Last Thursday morning, Nov. 8, Sgt.Maj. Carol Warren-Clark led an out-standing tribute to our veterans. Nearly200 of our service members, civilians andvolunteers gathered for colors. Many ofthe veterans who serve on our WRB teamwere present and recognized for theirservice. It was an inspiring event.

On Oct. 31, our WRB Board of Direc-tors and their senior enlisted leaders(SELs) gathered to commit ourselves toour FY14 MISSION/PEOPLE Perfor-mance Plan. Our focus was stewardshipof our WRB Foundations: People andResources — how best to efficiently andeffectively excel in our patient-centeredmission — the healing of heroes.

We also established spe-cific initiatives for each ofour pillars: service excellence,quality care, research, readi-ness, education, business ofhealth care — with aggres-sive time lines and trackingmechanisms to hold ourselvesaccountable for success. Ifeel very good about our wayahead.

On Nov. 1, I met with ourWRB SELs (E7 and above) to review ourMISSION/PEOPLE way ahead. Thesekey leaders of our organization, like eachof us, have a direct impact and are criti-cal to our success. I have always had veryhigh expectations of non-commissionedofficer leadership; they have always ex-ceeded my expectations. Challenge isgood.

Last week we celebrated RadiologicalTechnician Week. Our outstanding Radi-ology Department performs more than12,000 procedures each month – onepatient-centered encounter at a time.It is our Radiological Techs who greeteach patient with a smile, explain theprocedure, and guide them through theprocess. They are unsung heroes and in-valuable members of our Team devotedto healing our nation’s heroes. There areother unsung heroes on our team who wesay thank you to.

Please be as proud of who we are, whatwe do, and, most importantly, how we doit, as I am to serve with you.

As a reminder, we gather for colorsevery Thursday morning. We assembleat 7:55 a.m. and are headed back to ourpatient-centered mission by 8:10 a.m. Ihope to see you there.

As always, thank you for all you do andmay God bless.Brig. Gen. Jeffrey B. ClarkMC, USADirector, Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center

Commander’s Column Diwali, Festival of Lights CelebrationDiwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, will

be celebrated at Walter Reed Bethesda to-morrow at noon in Memorial Auditorium,Building 7, third floor. An Indian lunchwill be served for attendees, and all areinvited. For more information, contactpiragash.swargaloganathan@health.mil,nitin.b.shinde.civ@health.mil, or rashmi.suman.civ@health.mil.

Research Programs Town HallThe Department of Research Programs

(DRP) will have two town halls tomorrow,8 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. in MemorialAuditorium. Lt. Col. Molly Klote, DRPchief, will provide an overview and expla-nation for new methods and metrics forresearch at WRNMMC. For more infom-raiton, call Deb Murphy at 301-295-8231.

Lung Cancer SummitThe Murtha Cancer Center Annual Lung

Cancer Summit is tomorrow from 8 a.m. to5 p.m. in the National Intrepid Center ofExcellence (NICoE), first floor auditorium,Room 1001. Registration is required. Formore information contact Kerri Cronin at301-400-1477 or kerri.l.cronin.ctr@health.mil., or Bill Mahr at 301-400-1492 orWilliam.p.mahr.ctr@health.mil.

‘Scarred for Life,’ Gaucher DiseaseThe National Museum of Health and

Medicine at Forest Glen will host a freepresentation focused on the exhibit,“Scarred for Life,” focusing on Gaucher’sdisease, a rare genetic disorder, onNov. 19 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the SilverSpring Civic Building, Fenton Room, at 1Veterans Place in Silver Spring, Md. Thepresentation will feature the artist of theexhibit, Ted Meyer, who has the disease.For more information, call 301-319-3303or visit http://www.medicalmuseum.mil.

Bethesda Notebook

The Journal Thursday, November 14, 2013 3

By Sarah MarshallWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

It’s no coincidence LungCancer Awareness Monthfalls on our calendars at thesame time as Veterans Day.Lung cancer is the leadingcause of cancer death in ournation’s veterans, causingmore cancer deaths thanbreast, colon, prostate andpancreatic cancers com-bined.To educate America’s vet-

erans on their individualrisk for developing lungcancer, Walter Reed Nation-al Military Medical Center(WRNMMC), along with theLung Cancer Alliance (LCA)and the Veterans HealthAdministration (VHA), heldthe second annual LungCancer Screening Aware-ness Program at WRNMMCon Nov. 6 in the AmericaBuilding.“Our veterans are twice

as likely to succumb to theillness of lung cancer,” saidNavy Capt. Sarah Martin,WRNMMC chief of staff.Martin explained mili-

tary members have higherrates of smoking, which isa significant risk factor forlung cancer. According tothe American Cancer Soci-ety (ACS), tobacco use ac-counts for nearly 90 percentof lung cancer deaths in theU.S.She went on to praise

WRNMMC’s Lung CancerScreening program, the firstat a military facility, whichlaunched Nov. 8, 2012, inhonor of our nation’s veter-ans. The program has been asuccess thanks to the teamof radiologists, medical on-cologists, pulmonologists,nurses, physicians, smokingcessation and disease man-agement staff, who havetaken a multidisciplinaryapproach to lung cancerscreening, she said.“Together, they make this

successful for our patientsand beneficiaries,” Martinsaid.In the last year, the pro-

gram screened more than100 patients consideredhigh risk: veterans betweenthe ages of 55 and 79, cur-rent or former smokers whoquit less than 15 years ago,or those who smoked atleast 30 pack years, mean-

ing a pack a day for 30 yearsor two packs a day for 15years. A number of individ-uals screened at WRNMMC,were identified as being inthe asymptomatic stages oflung cancer, Martin said.Additionally, through theprogram, smoking cessa-tion experts have helpedpatients stay smoke free ata rate of about 70 percent,she added.While lung cancer contin-

ues to be, by far, the lead-ing cause of cancer deathsin both men and women, itremains the most prevent-able form of cancer death inour society, according to theACS.Screening plays a sig-

nificant role in combattingthese statistics, explainedguest speaker Dr. LindaKinsinger, chief consultantfor Preventive Medicine inthe Office of Patient CareServices at the VHA.She added that screening

high-risk current or formersmokers for lung cancer,with low-dose CT (comput-ed tomography) scans, hasbeen proven to lower therisk of death by lung cancerby 20 percent.“Many veterans are at an

increased risk because oftheir current or past use oftobacco,” she added. “Yearsago, field rations often in-cluded canned meat, canned

fruit, chewing gum and cig-arettes.”Vietnam veteran Rick

Weidman recalls cigarettesweren’t just in some rationpacks, he said, “They werein every pack, along with[candy] and tropical choco-late.”Having served in the

Army from 1969 to 1971,Weidman said he didn’tstart smoking heavily untilVietnam. Over the years, hehas tried to cut back. Dur-ing the screening, whilehanding out informationto patients and staff aboutlung cancer screening, hetook his own advice, andwent through the screen-ing himself. The screeninginvolved answering a fewquestions to determine hisrisk.As a high-risk candidate

for lung cancer, Weidmansaid he would be contactedto have a CT scan scheduledthe following week. Duringa CT scan, a provider looksfor nodules; if a nodule iseight millimeters or great-er, it is considered canceruntil proven otherwise by abiopsy.Weidman’s advice to

others, “If you won’t do itfor yourself, do it for yourfamily … even if you don’tsmoke, get screened,” hesaid.Guest speaker Chris

Draft knows firsthand, notall those who develop lungcancer are current or for-mer smokers. The formerNFL player took the podi-um to share his story. Hiswife, Keasha, was other-wise healthy before she wasdiagnosed with lung cancerin December 2010. Her onlysymptoms were shortnessof breath. Typically, signs oflung cancer, such as chestpain or wheezing, aren’tnoticeable until the dis-ease has reached advancedstages.“Before that, she was

challenging me to run a 10K

race with her,” Draft said.“She had a little shortnessof breath … [and] we foundshe had stage IV lung can-cer, [at] only 37 years old.”Draft’s wife lost the fight

against the disease after ayearlong battle. He wenton to note the importance ofscreening, along with edu-cation. He said, “just havingthe diagnostics is not goodenough – we have to makesure people use it.”For information about

lung cancer screening atWRNMMC, call 301-295-4191, or email WRNMMC.cancercenter@health.mil.

WRNMMC Educates on Lung Cancer

Courtesy photos

4 Thursday, November 14, 2013 The Journal

By Ryan HunterNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

Rather than giving dis-counts for food or movie tick-ets, in celebration of VeteransDay, the Navy College Officeat Naval Support ActivityBethesda (NSAB) gave dis-counts for college applicationson Nov. 7.“Most colleges charge an

application fee,” said Eliza-beth Baker, the director ofNavy College for the Wash-ington D.C. area and greaterMaryland area. “It’s usually$15 to $50 to apply to be anenrolled student. It’s not acost covered by tuition assis-tance.Today, were celebratingveteran’s appreciation day,and as a bonus for our servicemembers [the colleges affili-ated with NSAB] are going towave that fee.”The Navy College Office

serves approximately 20,000Sailors in the WashingtonD.C. area by helping themwith their voluntary educa-tion needs. Located on thesecond floor of Building 17,

the office serves primarily asa wealth of resources for ser-vice members seeking to fur-ther their education.“We have a combination

of education specialists whogive counseling for tuition as-sistance to active duty servicemembers and other educationservices,” said Baker.Cherie Aker, the assistant

director for military part-nership for University ofMaryland University College(UMUC) was in attendance

for the event and spoke indepth with many studentsabout their educational ca-reer paths with the school.“When a student walks in

the office we take a look attheir transcripts, [including]military credits and previ-ous schools attended, thenwe evaluate them. We showthem a degree plan and howthe credits they have alreadycompleted would transfer tosatisfy requirements withinthe degree. This way they

have a clear picture of whatthey need to do,” said Aker.Also in attendance was the

UMUC Director of Accessi-bility, whose office providesaccommodating services fordisabled students, as wellas a representative from theschool’s Vet for Success pro-gram who answered ques-tions pertaining to benefitsinvolving the Office of Veter-ans Affairs.In addition to providing ed-

ucational counseling services,the Navy College Office alsohosts other representativesfrom UMUC, Central TexasCollege and Southern IllinoisUniversity which hold class-es on or off base, at distancelearning partnership schoolsand online.“We offer associate degrees

and several bachelor’s de-grees, so people who want togo to school that are activeduty can get voluntary edu-cation funds or tuition assis-tance and their service willpay for them to go to school,”said Baker.Many classes are taught

at the 100 or 200 level with

Central Texas College as gen-eral education requirements.These credits can then betransferred to other schoolsto satisfy educational prereq-uisites.Baker recommends them

to any student who, “doesn’tknow what they want to do,[since] every degree has gen-eral education requirementsbuilt into it.”Students looking to take

300 and 400 level classes cantake classes through UMUCor Central Illinois Univer-sity. According to Baker, Cen-tral Illinois University has abachelor’s degree in healthcare management and UMUCoffers classes in business andcriminal justice.“It’s very popular and the

population on base is very in-terested in getting those de-grees,” she said.Students who do take

advantage of the classes of-fered on base benefit from amore personal teaching en-vironment.“The teachers are all

Navy College Office Celebrates Veterans with Education Discounts

Photo by Ryan Hunter

Hospitalman Fabrice Sonwadjatsa speaks with Univer-sity of Maryland University College coordinator AaliyahEl-Amin about his military educational credits.

See EDUCATION page 9

010408261038155

The Journal Thursday, November 14, 2013 5

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd Class

Nathan PardeNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

Navy Exchange (NEX)Bethesda’s staff recentlycelebrated the store’s anni-versary by looking back overthe year’s accomplishmentswhile also looking ahead tothe future.“The store opened on Sat-

urday, Nov. 10, 2012, and thegrand opening was fantas-tic,” said NEX Bethesda Gen-eral Manager Rick Pimentel.“We had more than 150 at-tendees; high ranking offi-cials and celebrities. Therewas a lot of excitement!”At its opening, the new

store was more than threetimes larger than the facilityit replaced. From the groundup, it was designed to meetthe needs of the customer,said Pimentel.“The aisles are 10 feet

wide and feature LED light-ing to enhance the merchan-dise,” he said. “Many of thephotographs and muralsthroughout the store are spe-

cific to Walter Reed-Bethes-da, creating a personal con-nection with our customers.”The Bethesda store was

also built to meet industry-leading standards, said Pi-mentel.“NEX Bethesda is the first

Gold LEED certified store inour enterprise and we arevery excited about that,” hesaid. “The store features agreen roof, which is prettyunique in the industry.”Looking back over the last

year, Pimentel said therewere many memorable mo-ments for staff and custom-ers to enjoy.

“We’ve had a wonderfulyear and can’t thank ourcustomers enough for alltheir support and patron-age. Many of the communityevents have been instrumen-tal in driving a connectionbetween our customers andstaff members at Naval Sup-port Activity Bethesda. TheMWR Eggstravaganza, CPOpancake breakfast, WoundedWarrior Ladies Night, Uni-form Inspection (held in ourNEX parking lot) and 5KFreedom Run, to name a few,were all well-received by ourcustomers and were a hugesuccess.”

As exciting as the lastyear was, however, the NavyExchange staff remains fo-cused on the future, saidNEX Public Relations Man-ager Rico Macaraeg.“It’s nice to sit back and

see how far we have comein just 365 days,” said Mac-araeg. “Our store still looksthe same as it did day one,but our staff has evolved tomeet our customers’ needsand what they deserve aswe move forward.”With Thanksgiving right

around the corner, the NEXBethesda staff has severalevents planned in the holi-

day spirit, said Pimentel.“Our next big event is the

kick-off of our Navy BlueHoliday, with the lighting ofa 16-foot tree on Tuesday at6 p.m.,” he said.“Captain and Mrs. Bitonti

will do the honors and theUniformed Services Univer-sity of the Health Sciences(USU) Choir will sing holi-day songs.“Then, the day after

Thanksgiving, the store willopen at 5 a.m. for the NavyBlue Friday sale – the big-gest shopping day of theyear.”Pimentel said the NEX

already has plans in placeto meet the challenging de-mands of the holidays andbeyond, while continuing tomeet customers’ needs.“We’re honored to serve

our military and their fami-lies. We continue to focus onimproving their shoppingexperience and are alwayslooking for ways to meettheir needs through premiercustomer service. We lookforward to another success-ful year.”

One Year In, NEX Bethesda Continues to Deliver the Goods

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Parde

Approximately 130 staff members gathered outside the Navy Exchange Bethesdato celebrate its anniversary Nov. 4.

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By Patrick GordonNDW Waterline writer

As the region looks forward to theupcoming Thanksgiving holiday, an-other event is happening throughoutNaval District Washington (NDW)during the month of November, War-rior Care Month.

“November marks Warrior CareMonth, a joint-service event that rec-ognizes wounded warriors, as wellas those who care for them, for theirservice, sacrifices and achievements,”said Cmdr. Dante Terronez, regionaldirector of the Navy Wounded War-rior (NWW) Safe Harbor Program. “Italso is an opportunity to raise aware-ness of the resources available to ser-vice members should illness or injurystrike unexpectedly.”

In 2008, then Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates designated Novemberas Warrior Care Month in order toinform members of the military andtheir families and communities aboutthe programs and initiatives currentlybeing provided through the WarriorCare system and the forthcoming im-

provements. Throughout the month ofNovember, The Office of Warrior Careand all of the services’ wounded war-rior regiments will be highlightingvarious wounded warrior programs,activities, stories of recovery, and per-sonal triumphs.Warrior Care Month isnot only about what is being done forour Nation’s wounded, ill and injuredservice members, but also about whatthey do for us, how they continuallygive back to our communities, theirfamilies, and this great nation thatthey have sacrificed so much to pro-tect.

Terronez added that every month isWarrior Care Month, and that Novem-ber is simply an opportunity to for allbranches of service to publicly recog-nize wounded warrior heroes.

For Navy and Coast Guard person-nel and their families, NWW is an im-portant as the Navy’s support programfor seriously wounded, ill and injuredSailors and Coast Guardsmen. NWWprovides world-class assistance towounded warriors and their familiesthroughout the country. The program- a department within Fleet and Fam-

ily Readiness at Commander, NavyInstallations Command - has assistednearly 2,500 service members andtheir families since its inception.

Terronez said that NWW offersmany essential services, includingconnecting families to respite care re-sources; addressing pay and person-nel issues; assisting with housing andtransportation adaptation; providingtransition assistance; offering adap-tive athletics opportunities; and more.He explained that duringWarrior CareMonth, personnel can take the oppor-tunity to recognize everything thatwounded warriors, recovering servicemembers, and transitioning servicemembers and their families do.

“The theme of Warrior Care Month2013 is ‘Warrior Care - Building aReady and Resilient Force,’” said Ter-ronez. “Promoting readiness and resil-iency ensures that wounded warriorscan cope with adversity - on the frontlines or at home. NWW, as well as ahost of other Navy resources, providewounded warriors the highest level ofsupport throughout their recovery, re-habilitation and reintegration.”

Part of Warrior Care Month, saidTerronez, is letting personnel knowhow all of the services’ wounded war-rior programs benefit them and others.

“Everyone in the Navy familycan make a difference in the lives ofwounded warriors,” said Terronez.“They can refer to NWW a servicemember who has experienced seriousillness or injury by calling 855-NAVYWWP [628-9997]. They also can helpspread the word about NWW - online,in conversations with neighbors, atcommunity meetings, and around thedinner table.”

For more information about War-rior Care Month activities or woundedwarrior resources visit http://safe-harbor.navylive.dodlive.mil or www.facebook.com/navysafeharbor. For as-sistance in the NDW region for NWW,contact Terronez at dante.r.terronez.mil@health.mil.

For more information on eventshappening in NDW, visit www.face-book.com/NavDistWash.

Warrior Care Month Raises Awareness of Wounded Warrior Program

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd ClassJohn K. Hamilton

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

Naval Support Activity Bethesda(NSAB) has scheduled Energy Weekto be held from Nov. 18-22. Theweek is stocked with events that aregeared to educate and challenge ev-eryone onboard NSAB regarding ef-ficient energy use.

Installation Energy Manager Wil-liam O. Ortega-Ortiz, the lead pro-gram organizer for Energy Week,said that it is designed to help an-swer the question: “How can wechange our behavior in order to cap-ture the best benefits from an energyperspective?”

“Energy Week is going to include anumber of programs whose empha-sis are to help change the culturehere, regarding energy initiativesand efforts,” said Ortiz.

“We’re doing everything in ourpower, on the project side, in effortsto regain and manufacture renew-able energy on the installation,” headded. “But the one low hangingfruit that we have not addressedhere is behavioral changes and edu-cation. I can put in place all of thefederally mandated projects that Ican, to make this installation energyefficient, but it is important that ourtenants, customers and our staff areeducated in how it also applies tothem.”

Ortiz said as an energy managerit is his job to trend and data track,calculate the energy efficiency of our

utilities and put together energy ef-ficiency projects and programs. Hehas noticed revenue that can be re-couped if we had a more energy con-scious community.

“[Taking simple measures] such asturning off a light when they leavethe office, turning off the computerwhen they walk away or turning offthe faucet when they see it runningwill capture about 10 to 20 percentadditional savings that can go to oth-er areas of our mission,” said Ortiz.

Diane Elsberg, a planner on theEnergy Week team, hopes the eventsof the week will not only affect be-havioral changes at work but alsoencourage people use these ideas athome.

“Every single program being of-fered during Energy Week containsenergy education,” said Elsberg.“We’re hoping that through this, peo-ple can see firsthand just how easyit is to save energy at home and atwork and what a great benefit it isto everyone.”

Some of the events include keynote speakers, energy awarenessroundtable discussions, energyawareness information tables thatwill be set up at various locations onthe installation and an energy fair.

One of the newer approaches toeducation will include a programconducted at the Child DevelopmentCenter (CDC).

“I’m hosting an event at the CDC,tailored towards the pre-K children,where we will talk about energy,”said Ortiz. “It’s how they can effectchange and learn what they can doat an early age to affect their own

behavior. One way I’m going to showthem how to [be more responsiblewith energy consumption] is by us-ing the K-9 Wounded Warrior Unit.The service dogs in the unit alreadyknow how to turn off lights, closedoors and refrigerators. I’m going tohave them represent what we aretrying to do, to teach the kids thatif a dog can do it than anybody cando it.

At the end of the day I plan to pro-vide every child with a book that hasbeen donated, regarding dog train-ing and a packet of goodies that willinclude a breakdown of what theylearned that day,” he added.

“This is so their parents can ap-preciate what they have learned and

hopefully help motivate their chil-dren to do those things at home.”

A few changes have been imple-mented in this year’s Energy Weekcompared to ones held in the past.

“The entire format has been en-hanced,” said Elsberg. “This yearwe are taking a collaborative effortwith involvement from NSAB, Wal-ter Reed National Military MedicalCenter and Uniformed Services Uni-versity of the Health Sciences withthe goal of promoting energy conser-vation throughout the entire instal-lation.”

For more information about eventsand plans for Energy Week contactOrtiz at William.ortegaortiz@navy.mil.

Promoting a Culture with Positive Changes in Energy Use

The Journal Thursday, November 14, 2013 7

By Bernard S. Little andCat DeBinder

WRNMMC Public Affairsstaff writers

Nurses at Walter ReedBethesda hosted a nurs-ing skills fair, unveiledtheir Nurse Team Creedand held a Nursing GrandRounds focusing on the Pa-tient Caring Touch System(PCTS), all as part of Med-ical-Surgical Nurses Week,Nov. 4-8.

“We have so much tal-ent in this organization,”said Army Col. Risa D.Ware, deputy commanderfor nursing at Walter ReedNational Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC). “Med-ical-surgical nurses are atthe frontline, saving, pre-serving and healing thosewho fight for our freedom,”she added.

The nursing skills fairand the Academy of Medi-cal Surgical CertificationReview Course were heldthroughout the week. Thefair was organized to en-hance the knowledge ofnurses and other providersat Walter Reed Bethesda,according to Navy Lt. Sher-on Y. Campbell, clinicalnurse specialist, inpatientsurgical units at WRNMMCand chair of the organizingteam for the fair.

The event enabled nursesand other staff the oppor-tunity to hone their skillsand gain new knowledge,as well as complete an-nual core competencies,Campbell explained. Areasof information at the fairincluded traumatic braininjury, lactation, pain man-agement, wound care, bloodproducts, intravenous ther-apy, trauma care and more.

“We averaged about 45 to50 nursing skills fair par-ticipants during the day,”said Air Force 1st Lt. Jo-sette Noxon, a staff nursein the Intensive Care Unitwho was one of those in-volved in the setup andplanning of the fair.

In addition to the nurs-ing skills fair, the unveilingof the Nurse Team Creed atWalter Reed Bethesda wasa highlight of Medical-Sur-gical Nurses Week.

Navy Capt. Patrice Bi-beau, assistant director fornursing, clinical, and ArmyCol. Ray Antoine, depart-

ment chief of inpatient surgi-cal nursing, led the nursingteam assembled in Memo-rial Auditorium on Nov. 5 inreading the creed, which be-gins with the words, “What IDo Matters!”

The creed continues, “Iam dedicated to caring formy patients as they entrustme to provide compassion-ate and proficient care atall times.”

“I protect the dignity ofthose in my care who fightfor our freedom. I am aleader in the Art and Sci-ence of Nursing, creatingextraordinary experiencesfor patients, families andstaff while driving tomor-row’s healthcare advances.”

The creed also includeselements which are com-ponents of the PCTS, in-cluding a commitment to“tend to the holistic needs”of patients, while “striv-ing always to be attentive,unbiased and respectfulof their needs … honoringeach uniquely divine hu-man spirit.”

It concludes, “What WeDo Matters! We are profes-sional experts leading mili-tary health care throughoutstanding patient-cen-tered care, innovation andexcellence in research … wewill be preferred for our su-perior performance. We willbe admired for our service.We are the Walter ReedNational Military MedicalCenter Nursing Team.”

Bibeau said the creedwas developed by a diversegroup of nurses “captur-ing what we do as a jointnursing care team.” She ex-plained the nursing teamnot only includes registeredand licensed nurses, but alsonursing aides, technicians,corpsmen, medics and othermedical support assistants,all who “add value to the pa-tient care experience.”

“When we come togetheras a team, we should all beunited around the same setof values and principles aswe care for our patients,”said Antoine, who led thediscussion for the NursingGround Rounds focused onthe PCTS.

Antoine said it is anexpectation of peoplewho come to Walter ReedBethesda for care, thatthey will receive “the latestin medical care. It’s impor-

tant for us to have the lat-est and most recent knowl-edge as we provide care toour patients.”

He explained the PCTSprovides a framework fornursing which includes en-hanced communication, pa-tient advocacy, capabilitybuilding, healthy work en-vironments and evidence-based practices. The systemwas designed to not onlyprovide quality, safe pa-

tient care, but also enablethe healthcare team to feelvalued and have a voice inempowering the patient.

The PCTS also encom-passes building trust withthe patient, as well aswith other members of thehealthcare team, which iscritical to patient-centeredcare, Antoine explained. Hesaid implemented at othermilitary medical facilities,PCTS has been shown to

reduce falls, medication er-rors and improve commu-nication between patientsand providers.

“We want to see a nurs-ing staff that is engaged,”Antoine added. “We wantto see a work environmentthat our folks embrace andthat they look forward tocoming to, and of course,we always want to see thequality of our care im-prove.”

Medical-Surgical Nurses ‘On Frontline’ of Healing

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Navy Lt. Martin Boese, a certified registered nurse anesthetist explains proce-dures in airway management with Army 1st Lt. Jennifer Thomas during a NurseSkills Fair on Nov. 8 as part of Medical-Surgical Nurses Week.

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By Katrina SkinnerWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

For 50 years, the CombinedFederal Campaign (CFC) hasbeen a vehicle for federal,postal and military employeesto make charitable donations- making it the largest, mostsuccessful workplace charitycampaign in the world.

On Nov. 6, Army Capt. Ja-neen Mathies, chief of physi-cal readiness training serviceat Walter Reed Bethesda, ad-dressed a crowd in the Ameri-ca Building atrium to kick offthis year’s CFC at the medi-cal center.

“We are all looking forwardto working with you to makethis year’s campaign success-ful. We’d also like to take amoment to thank the keyworkers and volunteer lead-ers of this year’s campaign,”said Mathies, who’s also cam-paign coordinator for WalterReed Bethesda.

“The theme for 2013 is‘Make It Possible,’” Mathiescontinued.

“We are living in a timewhen people all around usare struggling to make endsmeet; CFC is our opportu-nity to make a difference,”added Lisa Hovde, campaigncoordinator.

“Here in the National Cap-ital Area, we have more than4,440 approved local, nation-al and international chari-ties to donate to,” Hovde con-tinued.

“You can see the completelist of participating charitiesin the 2013 Catalog of Car-ing, which is available onlineat www.cfcnca.org, or in hard-copy through your keywork-ers. No matter what causesyou hold dear, you’ll be ableto find a charity that is mean-ingful to you,” she said.

“This is an opportunityto give, and to give in away that works for you,”said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) JeffreyClark, director of WRNNMC.“My goal is that everybodyhas the opportunity to giveto whomever they choosethrough CFC,” he added.

Sgt. Maj. Carol Warren-

Clark, deputy command se-nior enlisted leader at Wal-ter Reed Bethesda, reflectedon the campaign and re-minded the crowd about thefiscal uncertainty most face.

She spoke of the recent fur-lough and sequestration andhow it has economically im-pacted nearly everyone. Thesergeant major also gave ku-dos to staff members, thank-

ing them for their continuedcommitment through it all.

“I ask just one last thing— take care of one another,take care of each other, havefun, and most of all — thankyou very much for takingtime out of your busy sched-ules to come to this eventto make it a success,” saidWarren-Clark. “Without you,this would not be possible,”she added.

There are three ways apotential donor can pledgeto CFC. The paper process isstill an option, or a donor cango to www.cfcnca.org, andclick on the ‘Donate Now’link. Pre-registration is nec-essary for first-time visitorsto the website.

The third option is newand perhaps the most con-venient. By going to MyPay,https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx, a donor canelect a payroll deduction.

The campaign end date isJan. 15, 2014.

For more information,please contact your assignedkeyworker.

‘Make It Possible’ With a CFC Donation

Photo by Katrina Skinner

Rainy Lowery, a representative of a non-profit organi-zation under the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)umbrella, speaks at the 2013 CFC kickoff ceremonyon Nov. 6 in the America building lobby at WalterReed National Military Medical Center. The campaignis an opportunity for federal employees and militaryto donate to charities of their choice, she explained.

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part-time adjunct faculty. They’re in the work-ing world, so they’re right there in the field thatthey’re teaching and the average class is any-where from 7 to 15 students. Class size is smallerthan you would find at Shady Grove or Collegepark, which I think is better for this base popula-tion,” said Aker.Although, tuition assistance and education

funds are not available to them, civilians are alsoallowed to take part in these classes. “As long asthey have base access, anyone is welcome to at-tend,” said Baker.Students and aspiring students, like Hospital-

man Fabrice Sonwadjatsa, describe the office’s

counseling services and offered classes as, “incred-ibly useful.”After being transferred to NSAB, Sonwadjatsa

was interested in going to medical school, but hadlittle direction on what options were available tohim. “I only had two schools in my head, UMUCand Montgomery College. When I came [to theNavy College Office], I got a list of about 30 to 40colleges and universities around the WashingtonD.C. and Bethesda area that I didn’t even knowabout. [The office] got my file, pulled out my tran-script and sent it to the college where I wantedto go.”Sonwadjatsa recommends the office as a great

resource for anyone seeking to make use of theirG.I. Bill funds. “It’s easy for [service members] tocome here when we’re making the transition fromthe military.We don’t have a lot of time, but if youhave 30 or 40 minutes and talk to someone herethey can really help you out.”

Duggan has celebrated the day as a veteran fornearly 30 years. The 71-year-old stood in the Nov.8 formation at WRNMMC, wearing service rib-bons he earned during his 26-year military ca-reer spent in infantry: Special Forces, Rangers,Airborne and Light Infantry. The Purple Heartrecipient sustained injuries fighting out of a Viet-nam ambush in April 1966.“Of all the roles I’ve had in my life, I think

that’s probably the greatest role — having servedthis country in its hour of need, during times ofwar and peace,” said Duggan, who explained theseVeterans Days he’s trying to take care of otherveterans. “Which is the reason why I’m also withthe Red Cross here at Walter Reed [Bethesda], soI can give back,” he explained.Retired Army Lt. Cols. Sharon E. Stentz and

Deborah D. Kessler, joined the special formationin honor of Veterans Day at WRNMMC.“It was an honor and a privilege to stand shoul-

der-to-shoulder with those who continue to carefor our nation’s heroes despite fiscal constraints,uncertainty and change,” said Stentz, who nowworks as a civilian in clinical systems support atthe medical center.After the end of the Veterans Day observance,

Stentz spotted Kessler, who stood several rowsahead of her in the formation. The two smiledand hugged. Kessler works in the Department ofResearch Programs at WRNMMC.“She was my preceptor,” said Stentz. She ex-

plained the two met 34 years ago in 1979 at theformer Walter Reed Army Medical Center whenStentz was a new graduate nurse. “I helped withher hands-on training and orientation to patientcare on our unit and hospital processes,” Kesslersaid, who spent 20 years active duty in the ArmyNurse Corps.Stentz is a 22-year Army Nurse Corps veteran.“We are the civilians,” 88-year-old Red Cross

volunteer Helen Catois told Clark after the eventthat honored the nation’s veterans. “It was a giftto receive,” she told the brigadier general.

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NSAB Offers a Chance to Speak-Up

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Parde

Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) Commanding Officer DavidA. Bitonti speaks to Sailors at the Command Climate Survey kickoffTuesday. “This is my opportunity to get a pulse from you: to assesswhere we are as a command and where we need to go to make this abetter place to work every day, and to provide a better opportunityfor us to succeed in our life and career goals,” said Bitonti.

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