Journal 080714

Vol. 26 No. 31 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ August 7, 2014

By Julie SmithNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

In 2011, Mary Kerr’s son,Army 1st Lt. Cameron Kerr,stepped on an improvised ex-plosive device in KandaharProvince, Afghanistan. He losthis left leg below the kneeand was flown to then-WalterReed Army Medical Center(WRAMC) for treatment.During the first week at the

hospital, Mary said several or-ganizations offered Cameronextravagant gifts, includinglaptops, video game systemsand even a car.“It was really nice and very

generous but the thing that re-ally got to him, the thing thathe talked about more thananything, was that somebodybrought him homemade cook-ies,” she said.That “somebody” turned out

to be Tom Porter and his wifeEleanor, who were making oneof their twice-weekly visits tothe patient wards at WRAMC– just as they had done everyweek since 2004.Those visits and their consis-

tency as leaders, mentors androle models to wounded war-riors and amputees led Maryto nominate the Porters for the2014 Henry Viscardi Achieve-ment Awards presented by TheViscardi Center, an organiza-tion that annually recognizesmembers of the global commu-nity who have raised awarenessand improved the quality of lifefor people with disabilities. Thecenter presented the award tothe Porters at Naval SupportActivity Bethesda’s USO War-rior and Family Center Aug. 4.“Tom has shared his per-

sonal stories and has listenedto and motivated our servicemen and women for nearly adecade,” John D. Kemp, presi-dent and CEO of The ViscardiCenter, said. “The Porters serveas living proof that losing a legor two is certainly not the endof anything.”A combat wounded veteran

himself, Tom understands theemotional and physical strug-gles of being an amputee. Dur-ing the Korean War, two sepa-rate land mines took Tom’s legsas his platoon returned from anall-night patrol.“We came into a mine field. I

hit a land mine with my rightleg and kind of flew up in theair and when I came down, an-other land mine took out myleft leg,” he explained. “Theytook us to the battalion aid sta-tion to get us cleaned up. InKorea it was the rainy season,so we were stuck in the MASH(Mobile Army Surgical Hospi-tal) for about two weeks. That’sa long time.”Tom spent another two

weeks en route to the United

States. Medical evacuationsfrom a combat zone took timein the early 1950s, he said.Months later, he was finally

fitted for prosthetic legs. Hemet Eleanor, an Army physicaltherapist, during his recoveryand the two would later mar-ry. They celebrated their 60thwedding anniversary in March.The Henry Viscardi Achieve-

ment Awards were establishedto honor the legacy and visionof The Viscardi Center’s found-er, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., whohimself wore prosthetic legs.Viscardi worked as an Ameri-can Red Cross volunteer atWalter Reed General Hospital,which then housed the onlymilitary amputee center in thecountry, explained Kemp.

“Dr. Viscardi encouragedwounded soldiers and taughtthem how to use their artificiallimbs. He organized the firstdance for enlisted men whowere amputees and he helddriving lessons,” Kemp said.“This was the beginning of aprogram established by theArmed Forces and the VeteransAdministration that went onto provide the disabled soldierwith the finest prosthetic appli-ances.”Years later, Dr. Viscardi

founded The Viscardi Center toshow the world that disabledveterans fromWorldWar II andthe Korean War had the skillsand abilities to be successfulemployees, Kemp continued.The center provided assembly

and factory work for several in-dustries and was the first busi-ness in the United States tobe staffed primarily by peoplewith disabilities.The 2014 selection commit-

tee was co-chaired by formerU.S. Senator Bob Dole and Am-bassador Luis Gallegos of Ec-uador. Dole attended the awardpresentation at USO Bethesda.“I truly believe in my heart

it’s people like you who makea difference,” Dole said to Tomand Eleanor during his re-marks. “You gave people hope.”During their visits to

WRAMC, the Porters offeredfriendly smiles and conversa-tion to comfort the wounded re-turning from the wars in Iraqand Afghanistan. They madeit a point to learn each servicemember’s hometown. And Elea-nor brought cookies.“They were just down-home

ordinary people. But they werethere. They were consistent,”said Mary. “It’s small, but it’simportant. It changes lives.”Upon receiving the award,

Tom was humble but apprecia-tive.“I’m very grateful, but it’s

not about me – it’s about theperson I’m visiting,” Tom said.“It has been the most reward-ing experience of our lives inthe last 30 years.”

Longtime Walter Reed Volunteers Honored with Viscardi Achievement Award

Photos by Julie Smith

Tom Porter, a Korean warcombat-wounded doubleamputee, speaks dur-ing a ceremony at USOBethesda honoring himand his wife, Eleanor, fortheir volunteer efforts atthe former Walter ReedArmy Medical Center.

The Viscardi Center President and CEO John D. Kemp (left) presented TomPorter (center) and his wife, Eleanor (right), with a Henry Viscardi AchievementAward Aug. 4 for their work with wounded warriors. Former U.S. Senator BobDole (seated) attended the award ceremony.

2 Thursday, August 7, 2014 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 appear-ance of advertising in this publication, in-cluding inserts or supplements, does notconstitute endorsement by the Departmentof Defense or Comprint, Inc., of the prod-ucts or services advertised. Everything ad-vertised in this publication shall be madeavailable for purchase, use or patronage

without regard to race, color, re-ligion, sex, national origin, age,marital status, physical handi-cap, 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 17, firstfloor, across from PSD, by noon one weekpreceding the desired publication date.News items are welcomed from all instal-lation sources. Inquiries about news copywill be answered by calling 301-295-1803.Commercial advertising should be placedwith the publisher by calling 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. BitontiPublic Affairs Officer: Ron InmanPublic Affairs Office: 301-295-1803

Journal StaffStaff Writers MC2Ashante Hammons

MC2 Christopher KruckeSarah MarshallKatrina SkinnerJulie SmithSharon Renee Taylor

Managing Editor MC2BrandonWilliams-ChurchWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

NSABethesdaFleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087

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

NSAB Ombudsman

Michelle Herrera 240-370-5421

Sexual Assault Response

Coordinator 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 Health

Sciences page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/

Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-

Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

Prostate Cancer Guest Speaker ProgramDr. Albert Dobi, associate director of the

Basic Science Research Program for the Centerfor Prostate Disease Research at Walter ReedBethesda, will discuss “Recent Advancementsin Prostate Cancer Detection, Prognosis andTherapy” today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the AmericaBuilding, second floor, Room 2525. The event ispart of the Prostate Cancer Support Group’s freeGuest Speaker Program. Registration is not re-quired to attend, but a military ID is required forbase access to Naval Support Activity Bethesda.For more information, contact retired Col. JaneHudak at 301-319-2918, or at [email protected].

Young Adults and CancerIf you are a young adult age 18 to 39 affected

by cancer and want to meet and talk with oth-ers your age who are dealing with cancer, theJohn P. Murtha Cancer Center at Walter ReedBethesda is hosting a gathering for young adultsand their families on Aug. 20 at 11:30 a.m. inthe Physical Therapy Department, AmericaBuilding, first floor, Room 1018. For more infor-mation and to RSVP, email Meghan Fitzgibbonsat [email protected].

TeamSTEPPS TrainingTeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to

Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) willconduct a four-hour fundamental course forTeamSTEPPS on Aug. 11. TeamSTEPPS is de-signed to improve patient outcomes by improvingcommunication and teamwork skills. Continuingeducation units are possible for those who at-tend the course. For registration, times and loca-tion, contact Hospital Education and Training(HEAT) Department at [email protected], or call 301-319-5209.

Pool ClosureThe pool in Building 17 on Naval Support

Activity Bethesda (NSAB) is closed through Aug.18 for maintenance and deep cleaning. For moreinformation, call the Fitness Center at 301-295-2450.

Bethesda Notebook

Greetings Team 88!You know from my

previous Commandant’sCorners how important Ifeel it is to take an activerole in the communitiesin which we live. One ofthe best ways to do that isto volunteer your time orskills to your community.Volunteering will im-prove the quality of life inour surrounding commu-nities and strengthen theall-important relationships that makethe Navy and naval service so highly re-spected.

I cannot overstate my personal com-mitment to the Navy’s Community Ser-vice Program. The program’s goal is tofoster and nurture community ties withthe Navy and promote volunteerismwhile developing better naval leadersthrough the experience. The Navy Com-munity Service Program was launchedin 1992 by then-CNO Admiral Frank B.Kelso. The program consists of five flag-ships, including the Health, Safety, andFitness Flagship, Personal ExcellencePartnership Flagship, Project GoodNeighbor Flagship, Campaign Drug FreeFlagship and Environmental Steward-ship Flagship. Your Community ServiceCoordinator serves as the primary pointof contact regarding local communityservice opportunities.

Not only are volunteer opportunitiesrewarding individually, but your volun-teer activities help your command com-pete for annual awards in the five flag-ship areas and for the USS BainbridgeAward for overall excellence, named inhonor of the former nuclear-poweredguided missile cruiser.

We will soon close out this year’s NDWHeadquarters Command Climate Surveyand I wanted to take a minute to thankall of you who participated. The surveyis a valuable tool for leadership to under-

stand how the Headquar-ters organization is work-ing in several areas thatare critically important toour workforce’s well-being.I use it to identify what isgoing well within the com-mand and identify areasthat need some work. Thesurvey gives everyone anopportunity to voice theiropinions directly and anon-ymously and I read everysingle comment and value

them. Once the results are in and theanalysis complete I will brief the resultsback to the region.

I want to stress that you alwayshave options to address your concernsand the command climate; you do notneed to wait until we conduct the an-nual command climate survey. You cantalk to your supervisor, your N code ordrop a line to my PAO if you have aquestion for me specifically. One of thereasons I write this column each monthis to reach out to you about things thatconcern you, so I want to know what ison your mind.

And finally, we are now well into the100 critical days of summer, and we havebeen fortunate to have unusually mildand pleasant weather for the most part.But that nice weather means even moreopportunity for us to get out and enjoysome great outdoor activities - don’t letyour guards down. Approach any outdooractivity from an ORM perspective andstay safe.

Until next month, keep charging Team88!

Rear Admiral Markham K. RichCommandant, Naval DistrictWashingtonDeputy Commander, Joint ForcesHeadquartersNational Capital Region(JFHQ-NCR)

Commandant’s Corner

The Journal Thursday, August 7, 2014 3

By Julie SmithNSAB Public Affairs

staff writer

It felt like a day at the ball park atthe Naval Support Activity Bethesda(NSAB) USO Warrior and Family Cen-ter Aug. 4 as service members and theirfamilies gathered to meet a few profes-sional athletes and enjoy some hotdogs,pretzels and popcorn.

About a dozen players from MajorLeague Baseball’s Baltimore Oriolesconverged at the USO to sign auto-graphs, give away baseball cards andshake hands with their fans. Earlier inthe day, they had visited wounded war-riors at Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center’s (WRNMMC) MilitaryAdvanced Training Center (MATC).

Army CW3 Brian Haas and his wife,Jolyne, were decked out in orange andblack Orioles attire hoping to meet theirfavorite Baltimore pitcher, Bud Norris,who played with Brain’s favorite team,the Houston Astros, before Norris wastraded to the Orioles in 2013.

“We are huge baseball fans,” Briansaid. “We just went to an Orioles gamelast week.”

Brian has been a patient atWRNMMC since December 2013, whena serious back injury led to his medicalevacuation from Afghanistan. He wasgrateful for the chance to interact with

the players and connect with other fansof the game to talk some baseball.

“It’s a good opportunity for the ser-vice members to get out and meet somenew people,” Brian continued. “(TheUSO) always fills up when professionalathletes come.”

As the players arrived, they werewelcomed by NSAB Commander Capt.David Bitonti, who thanked the play-ers for making a stop at NSAB while intown for a game against the WashingtonNationals.

Orioles pitcher Brad Brach has fam-ily ties to the U.S. Navy and the militarysince his grandfather was a World WarII Navy veteran and his uncle servedduring the Vietnam War.

“Any time we can come out and helpsupport the military and everythingthey do, I’ll jump at the opportunity,”Brach said.

His sentiments were echoed by team-mate Andrew Miller, a pitcher traded tothe Orioles by the Boston Red Sox onJuly 31. Miller had already visited withservice members in April at WRNMMCwith his old team, but that didn’t makethe visit to the medical center and USOany less meaningful for him.

“It’s rewarding for us,” Miller ex-plained. “We see guys or girls that areinjured and if they’re excited to see us,I’ll show up anytime. It’s easy to do.”

Orioles Players Visit USOBethesda, WRNMMC

Photo by Julie Smith

Orioles pitcher Brad Brach (left) signs an autograph for Army StaffSgt. Bernard MacFarland Jr. (right) and his two sons, Tyler, 8, andBernard III, 6, at USO Bethesda Aug. 4.

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.1042611


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public

Affairs staff writer

Navy Capt. JenniferVedral-Baron conductedher first Captain’s Callas commanding officer ofthe new Navy Elementof Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC) before apacked Memorial Audito-rium, July 23.

“This is new and hasnever been done in NavyMedicine,” said Vedral-Baron, who also com-mands Fort Belvoir Com-munity Hospital (FBCH)at Fort Belvoir, Va. Sheexplained “Walter ReedNMMC (Navy),” thename of the new Navyelement at Walter ReedBethesda, falls underNavy Medicine East, andsubsequently, SurgeonGeneral Vice Adm. Mat-thew Nathan, DeputySurgeon General RearAdm. C. Forrest FaisonIII and Force MasterChief Sherman Boss, di-rector of hospital corps.

Vedral -Baron ex-plained her commandteam for Walter ReedNMMC (Navy) includesLt. Cmdr. Melissa K.Burke, officer-in-chargeof WRNMMC Navy Med-icine Support Detach-ment, and Walter Reed

NMMC (Navy) Com-mand Master Chief Ty-rone Willis, who is alsoWRNMMC’s senior en-listed leader.

Established in Febru-ary, Walter Reed NMMC(Navy) includes twoadministrative detach-ments – one atWRNMMC

and the other at FBCH,serving approximately2,000 Sailors. The imme-diate commander of Wal-ter Reed NMMC (Navy)

is Rear Adm. Terry J.Moulton, who leads NavyMedicine East.

Vedral-Baron addedWalter Reed NMMC(Navy) will provide “over-sight of Navy-specificprograms” at WRNMMCand FBCH. In addition,Walter Reed NMMC(Navy) will administer“non-judicial punish-ment authority” overSailors at WRNMMCand FBCH, and “ensurealignment with NavyMedicine while assignedto a joint command.”

Although new to NavyMedicine, Vedral-Bar-on added Walter ReedNMMC (Navy) is similarin structure to the U.S.Army Element in placeat Walter Reed Bethes-da, with Soldiers admin-istratively attached toTroop Command-North,commanded by Lt. Col.Richard A. Villarreal andCommand Sgt. Maj. GaryWilliams, and falling un-der the Northern Region-al Medical Command, ledby Brig. Gen. Robert D.Tenhet and CommandSgt. Maj. Benjamin H.S.Scott Jr.

Operational ly, al lservice members atWRNMMC fall underBrig. Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B.Clark, the medical centerdirector who overseesWalter Reed Bethesda’sday-to-day mission ofproviding world-classpatient-friendly healthcare, Vedral-Baron ex-plained.

Also during the Cap-tain’s Call, Vedral-Baronrecognized 37 naval of-ficers and 76 enlistedSailors within WalterReed NMMC (Navy) se-lected for advancement.She praised the effortsof those responsible formaking this year’s Navyand Marine Corps Re-lief Society (NMCRS)campaign at WRNMMCand FBCH “a success,”adding that WRNMMCfinished in the top 10among Navy and MarineCorps facilities in theNational Capital Regionwith contributions total-ing more than $17,396 tothe agency which helpsSailors, Marines andtheir families with emer-gency financial and edu-

cational assistance. Lastyear, NMCRS providedfinancial assistance toservice members andtheir families for basicliving expenses (food,lodging), transportation(insurance, car payment,rental), car repairs,transportation due tofamily member illness,family emergency, payentitlement shortfalls,predatory loan avoid-ance, funeral expenses,household set up, medi-cal and dental expensesand education expenses,totaling more than $48million.

Vedral-Baron alsopraised Walter ReedNMMC (Navy)Sailorsfor a successful Per-sonal Fitness Assess-ment (PFA) cycle, citingmore than 460 excellentor outstanding resultsearned by Sailors. Fol-lowing Vedral-Baron’sbriefing, Willis, who be-came WRNMMC’s newsenior enlisted leaderJuly 11, also had encour-aging words for Sailorsand Soldiers. Agreeingwith Vedral-Baron, Wil-lis emphasized oppor-tunities for growth andadvancement for servicemembers at WRNMMCand FBCH. Regardlessof the uniform servicemembers wear, the unitthey are assigned, andwhether or not personnelare civilians, contractorsor volunteers, “our pur-pose is patient-centeredcare, and our passion istaking care of patients.That is our vision,” saidthe command masterchief.

To accomplish this vi-sion, Willis said, takesthe entire “Walter ReedBethesda (and FBCH)family working togetherdoing the very best jobwe can do in everythingthat we do. It takes a vil-lage.” He concluded byencouraging all staff tocontinue to enthusiasti-cally attend all WalterReed Bethesda events,forums, town halls andgatherings.

The next Walter ReedBethesda town halls willbe held Tuesday, Aug. 12at 7 a.m., noon and 3:30p.m. in the same loca-tion.

WRNMMC (Navy) Commanding Officer Hosts Captain’s CallVedral-Baron Explains Navy Element Leadership, Praises NMCRS Campaign Efforts, PFA Results

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Navy Capt. Jennifer Vedral-Baron conducts her first Captain’s Callas commanding officer of the new Navy Element of Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) on July 23 in Memo-rial Auditorium.

1041994


By Sarah MarshallWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Walter Reed Bethesda per-sonnel had an opportunity totest their emergency code re-sponse and enhance prepared-ness during a Code Yellow ex-ercise July 31.Code Yellow is activated

when there is an undeter-mined threat or any incidentthat could directly impactthe safety and security of pa-tients, visitors and staff, andplaces the medical center onlockdown, explained Chris Gil-lette, emergency manager forWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center (WRNMMC).It could be a hazardous ma-terial event, a chemical orbiological incident or an unau-thorized person attempting togain access to the installation,he added.During the half-hour exer-

cise, the medical center wasnot actually locked down andthere was minimal impact topatient care, Gillette said.“We need to have person-

nel be able to respond quickly

to those key entry points andestablish a perimeter [duringan emergency],” Gillette con-tinued. “Those incidents maynever happen, but could hap-

pen tomorrow … and that’swhy we conduct such an exer-cise, because you never know.”The exercise began with

an overhead announcement

declaring an exercise CodeYellow, and personnel wereexpected to carry out theirdepartment’s lockdown plan,Gillette said. Designated de-

partments sent personnelto stand guard at a numberof controlled access pointsthroughout the medical center,he added.More than 40 staff members

served as volunteer evalua-tors, observing how quicklyeach department respondedand asking the staff questionsto see if they knew their rolein the event of a Code Yellow.It was an “all-hands evolu-tion,” as it should be in a real-life scenario, Gillette stated.“It’s important that all

staff – civilians, contractors,military – take action andprotect our patients, visitorsand each other,” added Melis-sa Knapp, program managerfor emergency managementplans, training and exercisesat WRNMMC. “It’s continuedreadiness. We want staff toknow what to do if a crisishappens tomorrow,” she added.Knapp also noted the per-

sonnel at each of the con-trolled access points –referredto as “sentries” – were enthu-siastic, took their responsi-

Code Yellow Exercise Tests Response, Enhances Preparedness

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Krucke

Exercise evaluators noted the response by Walter Reed Bethesda personnel dur-ing a Code Yellow exercise at the medical center on July 31.

See YELLOW page 8

1043209


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

“We’re here for the pa-tients,” says Alleans “Queen”McQueen, a room serviceambassador (RSA) at WalterReed Bethesda, as she deliv-ers meals to inpatients in themedical center.“I like meeting the patients,

and making sure they get theirmeals on time. I also enjoy work-ing with my peers. We alwayspull together as a team for thepatients. That’s what WalterReed National Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC) is allabout.”Many in the Nutrition Ser-

vices Department at WalterReed Bethesda, where Mc-Queen works, expressed asimilar sentiment, which isone of the reasons a numberof changes and improvementshave been made throughoutthe department – to betterserve patients and staff.Because of Walter Reed

Bethesda’s reputation as aleader in health care, patientshave higher expectations forcustomer service and that in-cludes freshly made food withauthentic flavor and menuswith customized options,explained Staff Sgt. JesseStubbs, Clinical Nutrition Di-vision noncommissioned offi-cer-in-charge in the NutritionServices Department. “Over-all, they want better food qual-ity and presentation, and welook to provide that,” he said.

The staff sergeant ex-plained that Kathleen Brooks,chief of the Clinical Nutrition

Division, began the hotel-styleroom service program for in-patients at the former Walter

Reed Army Medical Center(WRAMC), and when WRAMCintegrated with the former Na-

tional Naval Medical Centerto formWRNMMC, she startedthe program at WRNMMC.Menus provided to patients

are based on prescribed dietsby their physicians, Stubbs ex-plained. This allows patientsthe flexibility to choose whenand what they want to eat. “Nomatter what time of day thepatient wants to eat, they cantalk to the RSA face-to-faceor call down (to the kitchenand request a meal dependingupon their diet).“Our purpose is to put a

smile on our patients’ faces,”Stubbs added. “We want theleast of their worries to betheir meals.”According to Brooks, only

40 percent of hospitals na-tionwide have transitioned tothe hotel-style room servicedining for inpatients like atWRNMMC, and those hospi-tals with the service have not-ed increased patient satisfac-tion and decreased food waste.Stubbs added the depart-

ment is looking to make im-provements to the program tobetter serve patients, includ-ing better utilization of themedical center’s wireless capa-bilities and incorporating a re-al-time and integrated systemfor staff to efficiently managetray delivery and retrieval ofpatient meals.Approximately 700 meals

per day are served via the

Nutrition Services Caters to Patients with Room Service

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Room Service Ambassador Alleans “Queen” McQueen checks a menu beforedelivering a specialty meal to an inpatient at Walter Reed Bethesda.

See NUTRITION Page 8

By Kalila FlemingWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

In the midst of summer,staying fit and eating right iscrucial to those serving in themilitary, according to WalterReed Bethesda health officials.Navy Lt. (Dr.) Nelson Gua-

dalupe, a dietician at WalterReed Bethesda, explainedwhat it means to be fit andhealthy in accordance withmilitary standards.“(We) have PT (physical

training) tests twice a year toassess how fit (service mem-bers) are for deployment andreadiness,” Guadalupe said.“Staying fit, you incorporatemany things that can be spiri-tual, mental, (and) nutrition-al.”

He recommended consider-ing goals aimed at a healthydiet for nutrition and stayingfit. This includes staying awayfrom eating a lot of empty cal-ories to gain weight, but notdepriving yourself of calorieswhich will affect your perfor-mance during your PT test ordeployment“Nutrition can be as compli-

cated or as simple as you makeit,” Guadalupe added. “Keep itnice and simple. Keep yourcalories within the goals youneed them to be so that youdon’t gain weight, you don’tlose weight (if not necessary)and you optimize your bodyfor the performance you needto achieve,” he said.Hospitalman Juan Ivy, who

works in the Public Health

Promotions Office at WalterReed Bethesda, added thateach military branch hasphysical standards their mem-bers are required to meet.“We’re joint here (at Walter

Reed National Military Medi-cal Center), so we work withArmy, Air Force, and Navy per-sonnel,” Ivy said. He explainedthat while testing for each ser-vice may differ, it is essentialfor military personnel of allservices to be in good physicalshape to accomplish their mis-sions.Guadalupe described one of

the methods the Air Force usesto test Airmen for fitness dur-ing its PT test.“The abdominal circumfer-

ence will indicate if individu-als are at risk for cardiovas-

cular disease,” he explained.“Of course obesity can leadto diabetes and other cardiacdisease, so staying within thestandards is extremely impor-tant, not only for health stan-dards, but when you are goingto deploy as well. We need ourSailors, Soldiers, Marines andAirmen to be physically fit toaccomplish the mission whenthey are deployed.”Military members of all ser-

vices who do not meet requiredphysical standards are en-rolled in fitness managementprograms, such as Ship Shape,which “focuses on the lifestyleand nutrition of our Sailors,Soldiers, Marines, and Air-men, and how they can makechanges so that they can ex-ercise more and lose weight,”

Guadalupe explained.Ivy added the Fitness En-

hancement Program (FEP) isopen to all military person-nel, regardless of physical fit-ness level. “There are coursesabout nutrition (and) work-outs. There’s weight lifting,cross fitness, running, cardio,calisthenics, and swimming,too,” he explained.For more information on

nutrition and physical fitness,visit the Department of De-fense Operation SupplementSafety website at http://hprc-online.org/dietary-supple-ments/opss, or attend an FEPsession, held Monday throughFriday, at 6 and 11 a.m., and 3p.m., in Building 17 on NavalSupport Activity Bethesda.

Staying Fit, Eating Right Keep Military Members on Track


By MassCommunications

Specialist 2nd Class (AW)Chris Krucke

WRNMMC Public Affairsstaff writer

Having a college educationhas become more importantthan ever in today’s world, andthe Navy College Office at Na-val Support Activity Bethesda(NSAB) wants service membersto know they can earn collegecredit for their service.Everybody who joins the mil-

itary earns college credits, andhow many depends on their ca-reer path.Elizabeth Baker, director of

the Navy College Office locatedin NSAB’s Building 17 explainshow this works.“You can earn credits from

boot camp, attending A and CSchools, passing the advance-ment exam and even cross rat-ing. What exactly you have orcan earn depends on your mili-tary rate or job experience andbranch of service,” Baker said.Formerly known as the

Sailor Marine Corps AmericanCouncil on Education RegistryTranscripts (SMART) system,the new Joint Service Tran-script (JTS) is a common ac-cess card (CAC) enabled systemwhich allows service membersto track college credits theyhave earned. Prior militarypersonnel can also access the

system by setting up a username and password.“Everything on the tran-

script has been evaluated bythe American Council on Edu-cation for college credit,” Bakersaid. “Not everything someonedoes in the military will countas credit, but if it does, it willbe on the summary page.”The Navy College Office

works with service membersand helps pair them withschools that best fit their JTS.“If you go to a school that

has your military rating or job,they will give you the maxi-mum amount of credits,” Bakercontinued.Another benefit of these

credits is that they save thestudent and military money.“How much this can save will

vary depending where you goto school,” she said. Baker alsoadded that the Department ofDefense estimates the averageat $250 per semester hour, soif a service member has nineusable credits out of C School,that’s a savings of $2,250.Due to the recent change in

Navy regulations on the pointsystem for advancement, col-lege credits have greater im-portance than last cycle.“Anything that a member

can add to set themselvesapart on their evaluations isparamount in obtaining anideal promotion recommenda-tion,” explained HM2 RobertoCollazo, assistant command

career counselor in the WalterReed National Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC) CareerDevelopment Department. “Ofcourse, this is in addition tovolunteer service and commandinvolvement.”Collazo noted these credits

can be turned into actual pointson a service member’s finalmultiple score. “Time in ratehas been adjusted to reflectless of your final multiple scoreand your good conduct (awards)will no longer be counted on theadvancement exam. This defi-nitely makes earning a degreeof some sort that much moreimportant. For instance, I willno longer be able to count myfour points for my good conductawards, but I have a bachelor’sdegree that counts as fourpoints on the exam,” said Col-lazo.“The Navy is changing and

they are focusing more onmembers earning some kindof advanced education. This isespecially the case if membersare considering a commissionof any sort. The resources arethere whether it is taking aCLEP (College Level Examina-tion Program) test, using tu-ition assistance (TA) or the GIBill,” Collazo concluded.To view your Joint Service

Transcript, log onto: https://jst.doded.mil. To contact theNavy College Office, call 301-295-2014.

Service Members Can Earn College Credit for Doing Their Jobs

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Krucke

“You can earn credits from boot camp, attending Aand C Schools, passing the advancement exam andeven cross rating,” said Elizabeth Baker, director ofNSAB’s Navy College Office.

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd ClassAshanté Hammons

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

The Naval Support Activ-ity Bethesda (NSAB) Morale,Welfare and Recreation (MWR)Fitness Facility offers a varietyof fitness classes that keep in-dividuals moving, as well as astate of the art gymnasium andswimming pool. Patrons canalso have a personal trainerhelp them reach their fitnessgoals, like the newest memberof the MWR fitness team, certi-fied personal and group trainerCarolyn “Carrie” Bidus.Bidus, a recent graduate

from the University of Texas inSan Antonio with a bachelor ofscience in kinesiology, moved toMaryland with nothing but twosuitcases and a carry-on. Shenever looked back.“One piece of advice that I

got from someone a long timeago, and (I) will never forget,was that the ‘hardest and mostlife changing experiences arethe ones you have to do byyourself,’” said Bidus.No stranger to relocating, Bi-

dus grew up in a military fam-ily that moved around to basesin the North and Midwest re-gions of the United States.“I moved to Texas to go to

college and I stayed in San An-tonio for the larger part of thelast four years,” said Bidus.“When I graduated college, Irealized that I didn’t have anyspecific ties to Texas. I startedapplying (for jobs) to places allover the country. When I gotthe offered this job, I was soexcited and terrified all at thesame time.”Bidus became interested in

physical fitness while visitinga local gym with her mom. Shesigned up for free sessions witha trainer to get familiar withthe equipment, she said.

“I signed up for 12 more ses-sions with that trainer andthat was when I realized thatmy trainer had the coolest jobever,” said Bidus. “He got paidto be in comfortable clothes andhelp people reach their healthand fitness goals. I loved that!”At that time, Bidus’s train-

er suggested she attend theNational Personal TrainingInstitute (NPTI) in ColoradoSprings, Colo., an institutionwhere instructors and profes-sors teach “how to be the bestpersonal trainer.”“It was a six month train-

ing (course). Anyone can read abook, pass a test and be certi-fied, but this course broke downthe fundamentals of training,”explained Bidus. “(The instruc-tors) ingrained the informationinto you to the point where theinformation became second na-ture. After I graduated from

MWR Fitness Welcomes New Team Member: Carrie Bidus

See BIDUS page 9

Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Ashante Hammons

Carrie Bidus recently joined the staff of NSAB’sMWR Fitness Facility as a certified and personalgroup trainer.


bilities seriously, and had a goodunderstanding of why they werethere. They responded quickly,and knew where to direct people.Additionally, they knew their re-sponse to a Code Yellow is thesame as a Code Pink, which is ac-tivated in the event of an infantor child reported missing, or theirabduction.

“It was definitely a successfulexercise,” Knapp said. “The major-ity of the entryways were mannedwith knowledgeable sentries.”

The exercise also tested howeffectively staff members are no-tified of an emergency – either

via a desktop alert, overheadannouncements, phone call, textmessage or email, she said. It’simportant to have redundancieswhen it comes to notifying staffof a crisis; for example, if a staffmember is not at their desk, andmisses the desktop alert, theywould still receive a phone call ortext message alert, she explained.

Gillette expressed his appre-ciation for the command’s sup-port in ensuring the exercise wasa success. “We can’t do this with-out leadership support, volun-teers, and staff support,” he said.Throughout the year, the emergen-cy management team offers train-ing to departments upon request,if they need a “refresher,” Gilletteadded. The team also plans emer-gency training regularly, ensuringstaff understands the purpose of

the emergency codes and how torespond. WRNMMC conducts ap-proximately one emergency codedrill per quarter, in addition totwo large-scale emergency exer-cises required each year per TheJoint Commission, which accred-its and certifies more than 20,500health care organizations in theU.S. to ensure safe and effectivecare across all settings. The nextlarge-scale training evolution – aCode Green exercise – is sched-uled for Sept. 25. Code Green isactivated during the event of amass casualty.

For more information aboutemergency management atWRNMMC, call Chris Gillette at301-295-3115 or Melissa Knappat 301-319-4906.

YELLOWContinued from pg. 5

room service program, Stubbs continued. He add-ed that the Nutrition Services Department has ap-proximately 13 different diets, which can be modi-fied according to the physician’s diet prescriptionand patient needs.

“The vast majority of people really enjoy ourroom service program,” Stubbs said. “We do amonthly survey on the various floors, and most ofthe responses have been favorable.”

The room service program was one phase of theNutrition Services Department’s multi-phase reno-vation project, with the final stage being the open-ing of the new Café 8901 in Building 9. The depart-ment continues to seek and focus on improving theservice provided to patients, staff and guests.

For more information about the Nutrition CareDirectorate, call 301-295-5360.

NUTRITIONContinued from pg. 6

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For more information on volunteering for the local Honor Flight program,visit facebook.com/honorflightdca or honorflightcr.org

Area military families are invited to join the DCMilitary Family Life staff in honoring our World War II veterans on

Saturday, September 13.

There are 2 separate groups arriving into Reagan National Airport on September 13, and there are several ways you can participatethroughout the day:

Group 1:• Welcome 90 veterans at the US Airways, Terminal A at 10:02am to salute and cheer their arrival.• Salute these veterans as they visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall from 2:30pm – 3:45pm.• At the end of the day, you can help bid farewell after their full day of touring as they return to Reagan National Airport at 6:30pm.

Group 2:• Welcome 25 veterans at the AirTran Airways, Terminal C at 11:05am to salute and cheer their arrival.• Salute these veterans as they visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall from 12:30pm – 1:30pm.• At the end of the day, you can help bid farewell after their full day of touring as they return to ReaganNational Airport at 6:30pm.

Look for a special pullout banner in the August 15th issue of DCMilitary Family Life, or visit

DCMilitary.com/honorflight to download a special welcome banner to customize and hold as you greetour veterans. Our photographers will be on hand to snap a photo of your family with your personalbanner for future publication.

Help DC Military Family Life and Comprint honor our veterans and meet other military families whileyou are volunteering. It will be the perfect way to spend a Saturday in D.C.


NPTI, I went to San Antonio and com-pleted my degree in kinesiology.”Bidus is more than excited to be able

to help others. Whatever style of train-er they need, Bidus is able to tailor hertraining based on her clients’ needs. Ac-cording to Bidus, one client needs her tobe compassionate and understanding.On the other hand, another client mightwant her to resemble Jillian Michaels’training style. She has already set aplan into motion for what she wouldlike to accomplish at this command –defining the meaning of success for herclients is the key.“As a personal trainer, my goal for all

my clients is simple. I want everyone tobe as successful as they can be,” saidBidus. “For some, they measure successbased on a number on the scale whileothers base (success on) the circumfer-ence of their biceps or their waistline, orgetting in a workout.”MWR fitness staff members are hap-

py to have Bidus’ fresh set of eyes onthe fitness program, according to BryanJackson, MWR fitness and aquaticsmanager.

“Carrie is going to fit in well here.She is brand new, so she has new ideason how we can improve our program,”said Jackson. “I am really excited forher to be here.”“I believe Carrie is a great person

for this position,” said Jerry Cataldo,MWR fitness center director. “She’svery outgoing and in order to be a per-sonal trainer and group instructor, youneed that type of personality. She’svery mature for her age and she’syoung and keeps up with the newestfitness trends that are out there.”While she desires to help her clients

reach their fitness goals, Bidus hopesto complete a half marathon. Also, shewants to become a certified hydro-spininstructor and receive the NationalStrength and Conditioning Associa-tion tactical certification so she canspecialize in military, police and fire-fighter fitness.“I love being a personal trainer and

group exercise instructor,” said Bidus.“I have such a deep and sincere pas-sion for what I do. Helping someonereach their fitness and health goalsis so rewarding to me. I think it is abeautiful thing when a career and apassion come together as one. I justwant to share that (sincerity) with ev-eryone.”

BIDUSContinued from pg. 7

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd Class (AW)

Chris KruckeWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Walter Reed National Military Medi-cal Center’s (WRNMMC) Departmentof Research invited researchers fromneighboring hospitals to share theirmedical research during its bi-annualResearch Summit July 22.

Dr. Deborah Murphy, academic re-search education coordinator for the De-partment of Research Programs (DRP),explained this event offers a forum fordiverse speakers from the NationalCapital Region (NCR) to present over-views of ongoing research initiatives,registries, funding, challenges, solutionsand opportunities for collaboration.

Fourteen researchers presented top-ics ranging from restoring spatial hear-ing, biomarkers for low dose radiationexposure to the skin, and the use of 3Dprinting technologies in medical anddental reconstruction and rehabilita-tion.

Murphy continued, “At this bi-annu-al summit, the WRNMMC DRP invitesand welcomes speakers who can provide

an overview of their current research orother studies and, by doing so, informthe audience about what work is beingconducted in the NCR, where there maybe opportunities for collaboration, andwhat resources are available.”

Murphy said this helps to “encouragesharing of our efforts and prompt cross-disciplinary initiatives.”

About 40 attendees at the summitincluded researchers and key researchpersonnel from across the NCR, includ-ing WRNMMC and Uniformed Ser-vices University of the Health Sciences(USUHS) Graduate Medical Education(GME) trainees, GME program direc-tors and GME department chiefs.

Normally held in the spring, thissummit took place during the summerto allow incoming GMEs to attend.

“It was interesting to see all the dif-ferent research going on here,” said Lt.Ryan Kim, medical officer at the De-partment of Research Programs andone of the summit organizers.

”It’s important to understand howimportant research is, how it helpsto find better ways to take care of ourpatients,” Kim added. “The purpose ofthe summit was to give researchers notonly the opportunities to present theirresearch, but also to network with other

researchers in the metropolitan area,collaborate to help better see what eachother is doing, and what they are capa-ble of achieving.”

He then explained how the summithelps benefit the military “by updatingall the new research and facts that weare gathering. It also keeps us up todate with ideas, technologies and treat-ment plans to help all the service mem-

bers who have a wide variety of situa-tions and diseases that you may not seeout in the civilian world.”

“I like to think of it as, we are pio-neers trying to find new things to helpmilitary and civilians for the near fu-ture,” Kim concluded.

The next summit is scheduled forOct. 28. For more information contactDaniel Rosen at 301-295-8258.

Department of Research Hosts Summit

Journal file photo

Researchers discussed the use of 3D printing technologies in medi-cal/dental reconstruction and rehabilitation during the bi-annualResearch Summit at Walter Reed Bethesda July 22. Walter ReedBethesda’s 3D Medical Applications Center can fabricate a varietyof items with resins, gypsum and titanium, such as the ones above,to provide prosthetics and implants for patients.

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Rockville

Visit DCMilitary.com for more newsand to view the entire onlineversion of this week’s paper.

Delivering local military news inWashington D.C., MD and Virginia

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