journal 091114

Vol. 26 No. 36 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ September 11, 2014

By Mass CommunicationSpecialist 2nd Class

(SW/AW/IDW)Ashanté Hammons

NSAB Public Affairs

Everyone around us has astory to tell. Different experi-ences are a part of our DNA,and those experiences havemolded our individual char-acteristics. While some peoplewe know vocalize their expe-riences freely, there are oth-ers who cannot vocalize life-changing events. Art, whetherit is visual or written, becomesa refuge.

Ashy Palliparambil, hospi-tal services specialist at theUSO Warrior and Family CareCenters at Naval Support Ac-tivity Bethesda (NSAB) andFort Belvoir, is responsible forthe art and music programsdedicated to wounded, ill orinjured service members andtheir families.

“Combat Paper Project isa nonprofit [organization] initself and they actually de-velop the process,” explainedPalliparambil. “USO Metropartners with Combat PaperNew Jersey and we pay them

to come down and to facilitatethis project.”

According to the website,Combat Paper workshops“feature processes histori-cally rooted in the traditions

of hand papermaking.” EliWright, a facilitator for themost recent workshop in Au-gust, called it a “straightfor-ward process.” The workshopconsists of participants taking

their old uniforms and turningthem into paper art.

“There’s a lot of symbolismwrapped up into the papertransforming,” said Wright.“We break down the uniform

and we explore the experienc-es wrapped up in those uni-forms. Then, we deconstruct itand turn it into pulp. By doingthis, we reclaim those storiesinto sheets of paper and turnit into a medium and an ar-tifact that one can hold andshare with their families andcommunities. Once we havethe paper formed, we begin thestorytelling process.”

According to Palliparmabil,Seema Rezna, recreation artscoordinator at Fort Belvoir andWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center (WRNMMC),had Combat Paper New Jer-sey personnel visit the com-mands prior to the buildingof the USO centers. In addi-tion to Combat Paper, WarriorWriters was incorporated intothe five day workshop. At itsconclusion, Combat Paper andWarrior Writers host an ex-hibit for the participants toshowcase their work.

“They get the choice if theywant to read,” said Pallipa-rambil. “So, if they choose toread, they can get up and talkabout their artwork too or just

Vets Tell Stories Through Combat Paper Project, Warrior Writers Workshop

Seema Rezna, recreation arts coordinator, reads a poem written by one of theparticipants during the Combat Paper Project Art Exhibit.

See COMBAT page 7

Compiled from FEMA.gov, ready.gov and ready.

navy.mil websites

Last week, we introducedNational Preparedness Monthand talked the importance ofbeing prepared, introducingwww.ready.navy.mil as a keyresource to get ready for po-tential hazards. This week, thefocus is on how to prepare forspecific events before they oc-cur.

In this area, we are prone tothunderstorms and flooding, solet’s review the steps you andyour family should take beforethese occur.

The following informationcan be found on www.ready.gov/. Another excellent websiteis www.fema.gov/.

ThunderstormsTo begin preparing, you should

build an emergency kit and makea family communications plan.(Both can be found at http://www.ready.gov/ and www.ready.

navy.mil under the tabs ‘Make aPlan’ and ‘Build a Kit.’)

• Remove dead or rottingtrees and branches that couldfall and cause injury or damageduring a severe thunderstorm.

• Postpone outdoor activi-ties.

•Secure outdoor objects thatcould blow away or cause dam-age.

• Get inside a home, build-ing, or hard top automobile(not a convertible). Althoughyou may be injured if lightningstrikes your car, you are muchsafer inside a vehicle than out-side.

• Remember, rubber-soledshoes and rubber tires provideNO protection from lightning.However, the steel frame of ahard-topped vehicle providesincreased protection if you arenot touching metal.

• Shutter windows and se-cure outside doors. If shuttersare not available, close windowblinds, shades or curtains.

• Unplug any electronic

equipment well before thestorm arrives.

FloodingThe first step in being pre-

pared is to know about the haz-ards that can affect you whereyou live and work. Floods canoccur anywhere in the UnitedStates.

• Flood-related injuries anddeaths occur when people be-come trapped in floodwaters.

• If you are in an area whereflooding occurs, do not enterflooded areas or moving water

Be Prepared, Plan Ahead for Natural Disasters and Other EmergenciesSeptember Preparedness Info tables, NSAB

Thursday, Sept. 11: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Bldg. 17Monday, Sept. 15: 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - USUHSWednesday, Sept. 17: 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. - Navy LodgeMonday, Sept. 22: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Bldg. 19

See DISASTER page 6

2 Thursday, September 11, 2014 The Journal

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, aprivate firm in no way con-nected with the U.S. Navy,under exclusive written con-tract with Naval Support ActivityBethesda, Md. This commercialenterprise newspaper is an autho-rized publication for members of themilitary services. Contents of The Journalare not necessarily the official views of, norendorsed by, the U.S. Government, theDepartment of Defense, or the Departmentof Navy. The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts or supple-ments, does not constitute endorsement bythe Department of Defense or Comprint,Inc., of the products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publicationshall be made available for purchase, useor patronage without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliationor any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user,or patron. Editorial contentis edited, prepared and pro-vided by the Public AffairsOffice, Naval Support Activ-

ity Bethesda, Md. News copyshould be submitted to the Pub-

lic Affairs Office, Building 17, first floor,across from PSD, by noon one week pre-ceding the desired publication date. Newsitems are welcomed from all installationsources. Inquiries about news copy will beanswered by calling 301-295-1803. Com-mercial advertising should be placed withthe publisher by calling 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed bycalling 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 Support GroupThe Prostate Cancer Support Group meets at Walter

Reed Bethesda every third Thursday of the month.The next meetings will be Sept. 18 from 1 to 2 p.m.and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the America Building,River Conference Room on the third floor. Spouses andpartners are invited to attend. Military ID is requiredfor base access to Naval Support Activity Bethesda andWalter Reed National Military Medical Center. Forthose without a military ID, call the Prostate Center at301-319-2900 at least two days prior to the event. Formore information, contact retired Col. Jane Hudak at301-319-2918 or email [email protected].

Physical Readiness TrainingTime is approaching for the Navy Physical Fitness

Assessment (PFA) at Walter Reed Bethesda. Medicalwaivers for Sailors are due to Internal Medicine bySept. 19. Navy command weigh-ins/body compositionassessments will be conducted from Oct. 6 throughOct. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Building 9, firstfloor mezzanine. Testing for Sailors will be scheduledby directorate and conducted from Oct. 20 throughNov. 14. All Sailors must complete their weigh-inprior to scheduling their test. Also, the semi-annualArmy Physical Fitness Test (APFT) will be Oct. 6through Oct. 31. Height and weight checks will beconducted in the Troop Command Bldg. (147) Mondaythrough Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fridayfrom 8 a.m. to noon, and must be accomplished within14 days of your APFT. Soldiers with a permanentprofile must produce a copy to the non-commissionedofficer-in-charge on the day of testing. For more in-formation, call the Walter Reed Bethesda PhysicalReadiness Training office at 301-295-5502.

Birth Month TrainingBirth month training for Army, Navy and civilian

personnel at Walter Reed Bethesda is held everysecond and fourth Thursday of each month in ClarkAuditorium beginning at 8 a.m. Training sessionsinclude personal finance and stress management; EOand grievance procedures, hazing policy and preven-tion, fraternization awareness and prevention; sexualharassment and grievance procedures; suicide aware-ness and prevention; threat awareness and counter-intelligence; and drug and alcohol prevention educa-tion.

Bethesda Notebook

Opportunities havelong existed throughoutthe military for our en-listed personnel to ad-vance to officer ranks ina variety of career fields.For example, the Navy’sMedical Enlisted Com-missioning Program,the Air Force’s NurseEnlisted Commission-ing Program, and theArmy’s AMEDD Enlist-ed Commissioning Pro-gram offer an avenue to become mili-tary Nurse officers, while the Seamanto Admiral-21 program, the Green toGold program, and the Airman Schol-arship and Commissioning Program,among others, provide additional lad-ders to advancement.Enlisted service members in the

Air Force and Army, and hopefullysoon the Navy and Marine Corps, nowhave an opportunity to prepare for fu-ture careers as uniformed physiciansthanks to a new program headquar-tered here at the Uniformed ServicesUniversity of the Health Sciences F.Edward H?bert School of Medicine.The “Enlisted to Medical Degree

Preparatory Program,” or EMDP2, isa 24-month program for highly-qual-ified enlisted service members inter-ested in a career as a military doctor.Candidates attend school full-time atGeorge Mason University-Prince Wil-liam (GMU-PW) campus in Manassas,Va., to prepare them to apply to medi-cal school, while remaining on activeduty. Candidates must possess a bac-calaureate degree from an accreditedacademic institution with a minimumof a 3.2 grade point average and meetService requirements for commission-ing.The inaugural EMDP2 class, made

up of five students each from the Armyand Air Force, come from a variety

of career backgrounds,including contract-ing, medical laboratory,combat medic, infantry,air traffic control, andreconnaissance. Thegroup reported to USUin August to begin theprogram, which includesfull-time medical schoolpreparatory courseworkin a small, traditionalclassroom setting atGMU-PW, structured

pre-health advising, formal MedicalCollege Admission Test (MCAT) prep-aration, dedicated faculty and peermentoring at USU, and integratedclinical exposure. When they success-fully complete the program, these 10students will qualify to apply to mostU..S. medical schools.The EMDP2 gives us and the Ser-

vices a way to better recognize thetalent that exists within our enlistedforce--the professional backbone ofthe military--and provide them anopportunity to continue their aspira-tions to become physician-leaders inthe rapidly evolving Military HealthSystem.For more information on the

EMDP2, visit our website at: http://www. u s uh s . e d u/ adm/ emdp2 .html, “like” our EMDP2 Facebookpage: https://www.facebook.com/USUEMDP2, or call Ms. AltheaGreen-Dixon at (301) 295-3198. Ialso invite you to watch video in-terviews with the charter EMDP2class to hear their perspectives onthe program: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr4mqJimffIL_-pdLQgzbec04rG6AS_b1.

Charles L. Rice, MDPresident, Uniformed ServicesUniversity of the Health Sciences

Commander’s Column

The Journal Thursday, September 11, 2014 3

By SharonRenee Taylor

WRNMMC PublicAffairs staff writer

“This is really for you.I want to know whatyou’re thinking about,”Director of the NationalCapital Region MedicalDirectorate, Rear Adm.(Dr.) Raquel C. Bono toldtheWalter Reed Bethesdastaffers assembled in Me-morial Auditorium dur-ing her third town hallmeeting for calendar year2014 on Aug. 27.Bono provided the

medical center staff up-dates on three marketinitiatives and the ac-tions planned for earlyfiscal year 2015. Medi-cal center staffers askedquestions and providedfeedback.Patient satisfaction

at both Walter ReedBethesda and Fort Bel-voir Community Hospi-tal (FBCH) continues toscore above standard onmost TRICARE InpatientSatisfaction Surveys(TRISS) and TRICAREOutpatient SatisfactionSurveys (TROSS), Bonosaid. TRISS and TROSSare two of three key ben-eficiary surveys that mea-sure self-reported accessto and satisfaction withMilitary Health Systemdirect- and purchase-careexperiences.She presented three

market initiatives focusedon internal processes: de-crease deferrals to the net-work, decrease private sec-tor care costs and establisha patient-driven culture ofquality. She also offered acompilation of feedbackreads she reviewed fromthe town hall she hosted onJune 12. The compilation,based on the frequency ofwords and phrases in thosesurveys for the hospital —patients — indicates themedical center is well un-derway in establishing thepatient-driven culture ofquality initiative, accord-ing to Bono.Actions planned for

early fiscal year 2015include a recapture ofseveral thousand familymembers who are not cur-rently enrolled in a pa-tient center medical homeprogram at a militarytreatment facility (MTF)within the market. Quan-tico Marine Base will

be the first site to bringback patients into theirmedical home. When theyreturn, some may needspecialty care and be di-rected to Walter Reed Na-tional Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC) orFBCH.“We need to make it as

easy as possible for thosefolks to get into our sys-tem,” she said. “This isextremely, extremely im-portant and you guys aresuch a big part of the suc-cess of this, because thisis where specialty careresides.”Bono told the group

she seeks Walter ReedBethesda departmentsand clinics willing to testdirect booking without re-view, as well as 12-weekschedules as efforts to en-hance patient access. Shealso explained the plan tooptimize surgical and op-erating room utilization,merging all operatingroom schedules into onesystem to expand a one-team effort. The plan in-cludes proactive bookingfor surgical specialties,optimizing main operat-ing room productivity aswell as aligning and dis-tributing surgeons andstaff across the MTFs tomeet demand.Walter Reed Bethesda

Healthcare Administra-tor Dante Dizon offeredhis observations on howWRNMMC can continueto be successful. Dizon’scolleague, Navy Capt.Harry F. Smith, III, spoke

about the clinic managercourse, consult processand support by telephone.Bono said Smith was spoton, and explained themove to put FBCH andWRNMMC in the samenetwork.Dawn Marvin of Stra-

tegic Communicationsdiscussed regional mes-saging with other MTFs.“That regional partner-ship is huge,” Bono re-sponded. She said theunifier is taking care ofpatients. “We’re all herefor the patients.”Army Chaplain (Capt.)

James D. Gray, spokeabout connecting witheach patient as well astaking care of those thattake care of patients.“You’re right, it’s not aneither or — it has to beboth,” Bono said.Army Maj. Ebony

Chatmon, the new 7-WestService Chief, explainedhow she felt when shereceived a follow-up callfrom WRNMMC that herreferral was ready and of-fered her the opportunityto book an appointmentwith a specialty providerafter her visit to her pri-mary care physician.“What makes people

come to our facility is[the fact] they feel some-body cares and somebodyremembers them,” Chat-mon said. “Just gettingthat phone call as a re-minder about their con-sults, about their visit —that makes a difference.”

Bono’s Town Hall Provides Updates, Initiatives

Photo by Sharon Renee Taylor

Director of the National Capital Region Med-ical Directorate, Rear Adm. (Dr.) RaquelC. Bono hosts a town hall for Walter ReedBethesda staff on Aug. 27, providing updateson market initiatives and actions planned forearly fiscal year 2015.

1042616


Photo Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brandon Williams-Church

The USO Bethesda recently held an end of summer celebration barbecue Aug. 26 where Naval Support Activity Bethesda staff and fam-ily members had the opportunity to play games, eat grilled food and hang out in the sun.

1043306


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public

Affairs staff writer

Navy Surgeon GeneralVice Adm. Matthew L.Nathan and Force Mas-ter Chief Sherman Bosshosted two calls at WalterReed Bethesda on Aug. 21,discussing a number of is-sues impacting militarymedicine and respondingto concerns of staff mem-bers.

Nathan, the 37th sur-geon general of the Navyand chief of the Navy’sBureau of Medicine andSurgery, served as com-mander of the formerNational Naval MedicalCenter (NNMC), and sub-sequently, Walter ReedNational Military MedicalCenter (WRNMMC) whenit was established as aresult of the integrationbetween NNMC and theformer Walter Reed ArmyMedical Center in 2011.He was also Navy Medi-

cine National Capital Areacommanding officer.

Boss was selected as theNavy Medicine NationalCapital Area and NNMCcommand master chief inApril 2009, and in October2011, he was chosen as theForce Master Chief, U.S.

Navy Bureau of Medicineand Surgery, and director,U.S. Navy Hospital Corps.

During their meetingswith WRNMMC staff Aug.21, Nathan and Boss com-mended the world-class

Navy Surgeon General, ForceMaster Chief Host Calls at WRB

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Mat-thew L. Nathan hosts a call for Walter ReedBethesda staff at the medical center Aug.21. “We came here to reinforce that we re-ally believe in the joint mission and successof this organization,” Nathan said.

See SURGEON page 8

10432971043250


By Bernard S. LittleWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Walter Reed Bethesda cele-brates the 67th birthday of theU.S. Air Force with a specialcolors ceremony at 8 a.m. onSept. 18 in front of the Tower,Bldg. 1. Everyone is invited toattend the event.

Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.)Kerry Latham, a staff plasticsurgeon at Walter Reed Na-tional Military Medical Cen-ter (WRNMMC), has “proudly”served in the Air Force fornearly 20 years and explainswhy it’s important to celebrateits anniversary.

“The Air Force is the newest[of the U.S. military service],”Latham said. “It is importantto remember the Air Forceroots and how far we’ve comein such a short time.”

An Air Force officer fornearly 20 years, Latham ex-plained she comes from a fam-ily with a legacy of militaryservice.

“I went to Officer Training

School in the summer of 1996at Maxwell Air Force Base(AFB), [Ala.]. My father, whois former Navy, commissionedme,” she said. “My grandfa-ther had been in the Army AirCorps, which later became theU.S. Air Force in 1947. I guessI followed in his footsteps.”

A craniofacial surgeon whoreceived her medical train-ing at the Uniformed ServicesUniversity of the Health Sci-ences on Naval Support Activ-ity Bethesda (NSAB), Lathamsaid one of her proudest mo-ments in the Air Force was re-establishing plastic surgeryservices at Keesler AFB, Miss.,after Hurricane Katrina. “Itwas really special to buildsomething out of nothing.”

In addition, Latham saidshe is also proud of her de-ployment to Bagram Airfieldduring her first year out ofresidency where she was theonly U.S. reconstructive sur-geon in Afghanistan. There,she helped wounded warriors,

Walter Reed Bethesda to Celebrate Air Force’s 67th Birthday During Sept. 18 Colors

Courtesy photo

Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Kerry Latham (left), a staff plastic surgeon at Walter ReedBethesda, participates in a surgical procedure as part of a team of health-careproviders from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center who accomplisheda two-week humanitarian mission to the Dominican Republic in March.

either on foot or in a vehicle,including areas that appear tohave only inches of water.

• The best way to stay safe isto leave areas that are floodingor expected to flood and avoidfloodwaters.

• If authorities advise or or-der you to evacuate, do so im-mediately.

Take these steps now to beable to evacuate quickly andstay informed:

Plan and practice how youwould evacuate. Know whattransportation and evacuationroute you would use. Learn the“5 Ps of Evacuation”: people,prescriptions, papers, personalneeds and priceless items tohelp you plan and rememberwhat to take. Store items in aplace you can grab them quicklyas you leave.

Have cash on hand, in casethe power goes out and ATMsfail. Keep at least a quartertank of gas in your vehicle.

Have a National Oceano-graphic and Atmospheric Ad-ministration (NOAA) weatherradio or an AM/FM radio thatcan be operated without elec-tricity, using batteries (store ex-tra) or a hand-crank, to stay in-formed. Sign up for local alertsto your cell phone and download

smart phone apps.Set up a group text on your

phone so you can communi-cate with family members andfriends quickly. Write downimportant phone numbers andkeep them in your wallet in caseyou cannot access the contactlist in your phone.

Learn or review first aidskills and keep a first aid kit inyour home, vehicle and work-place.

Include considerations for ac-cess or functional needs, medi-cal equipment, pets, or languageneeds in your plans.

Take action now to reducethe risk of damage to your prop-erty from flooding. This meanselevating critical utilities, suchas electrical panels, switches,sockets, wiring, appliances, andheating systems, and water-proofing basements. Make sureyour basement is waterproofedand that your sump pump isworking and has a battery-oper-ated backup in case of a powerfailure. Installing a water alarmwill also let you know if wateris accumulating in your base-ment. Clear debris from gut-ters and downspouts. Anchorany fuel tanks. Store valuablesand important documents a safeplace. In areas with repetitiveflooding, consider elevating theentire structure.

The impact of a disaster canbe costly. Purchasing flood in-surance provides financial pro-

tection for the cost of repairsdue to flood damage. Standardinsurance policies do not coverflooding, but flood insuranceis available for homeowners,renters and business ownersthrough the National Flood In-surance Program in participat-ing communities. A policy pur-chased today will take effect in30 days, so act now. Take stepsnow to protect your financialinvestments and your personalinformation:

Review, update or purchaseadequate insurance for yourproperty.

Take pictures or video of therooms in your home and anyvaluable belongings to keepwith your insurance policy. Col-lect and protect your criticaldocuments, including financialand legal documents and medi-cal information so you will havethem handy if you need to sub-mit an insurance claim or applyfor other assistance.

A flood can cause extremedamage and make an area un-safe. Follow instructions fromauthorities on when you can re-turn to the area. Do not attemptto drive through areas that arestill flooded.

Use extreme caution in andaround your home after a flood.It may not be safe to live in yourhome until repairs have beenmade. Follow the recommen-dations from your local publichealth department.

Personal safety consider-ations include protecting your-self from electric shock, moldcontamination, asbestos andlead paint. Do not touch electri-cal equipment if it is wet or youare standing in water. Cleanand disinfect everything thatgot wet and throw away foodthat was not maintained at aproper temperature or was ex-posed to floodwaters.

Carbon monoxide exhaustkills. Use a generator or othergasoline-powered machineONLY outdoors and away fromwindows so the fumes do not getinside.

Photograph or take video ofdamage to your property andcontact your insurance agent.Do what you can to preventfurther damage that insurancemay not cover (e.g., putting atarp on a damaged roof).

Seek help from local mentalhealth providers if you detectsigns of depression or anxietyin yourself or others.

For more information, visitwww.ready.gov/prepare, clickon the flood image and thenclick on the ‘Be Smart. KnowYour Hazard’ icon to downloadthe ‘How To Prepare for a Flood’guide. Discuss what you havedone to prepare with your fam-ily, friends, neighbors, and col-leagues and encourage them totake action too.

An equally important pieceof being prepared for any poten-

tial disaster is to let authoritiesand resources know where youare so that you and your familymembers can be accounted forand receive needed assistance –in this case, via the Navy Fam-ily Accountability and Assess-ment System (NFAAS).

“I always encourage Sailorsto update their NFAAS profiles,”said Caitlin Mullins, NSABFleet and Family Support Cen-ter Life Skills and EducationServices facilitator.

“NFAAS is a mustering sys-tem used by the Navy in anyevent, including disasters,”Mul-lins explained. “Sailors shouldlog-in at least every six monthsto update their information,which includes contact infor-mation such as phone numbers,emails, and addresses.

“If they have recently moved,married or had a new childthey should log in sooner,” Mul-lins continued. “The Army usesADPAAS and the Air Force AF-PAAS. Typically in the event ofa disaster or event, each branchwill ask personnel to muster intheir respective systems. Thena needs assessment can be com-pleted so that Fleet and Family(of other entities) can be in con-tact with the personnel in need.If it’s not up to date, or the per-sonnel do not muster, we do notknow how to help.”

NFAAS can be accessed atthis website: https://nfda.na-vyfamily.navy.mil/.

See BIRTHDAY page 10

DISASTERContinued from pg. 1


By Sharon Renee TaylorWRNMMC Public Affairs

staff writer

Although no one else can hearthe ringing he hears in his ears,the irritable siren-like, high-pitched noise is a mental dis-traction for retired Navy Capt.David Ziemba. “It almost hurts,”he said. “It wasn’t always likethis.”

When he was younger, the59-year-old explained he didn’tlisten to the loud, hard-rock mu-sic of the 1970s like his contem-poraries. He, instead, preferredthe softer rhythms of jazz. TheNaval Academy graduate need-ed solitude to concentrate; hecouldn’t study in the historic in-stitution’s library with the restof his classmates.

After his commissioning in1977, the retired naval surfacewarfare officer said he spentnearly half of his career on ship-board duty, with several deploy-ments, and extensive shifts inshipyards, for 10 to 12 monthsat a time. As a junior officer,he wore double ear protectionto safeguard from the routineloud noises: needle-gunning,the high whine of gas turbines,sudden loud explosive take-offsof aircraft. In 1998, he spent

nearly nine months sleepingbelow the runway of an aircraftcarrier. “That’s not uncommon,”Ziemba said.

He always had his hearingchecked as part of his regularexam. It wasn’t until he watcheda public television programabout ringing in the ears that hesought an audiologist and wasdiagnosed with tinnitus.

“It was gradual — I didn’t re-alize it was not normal,” Ziembaexplained. “Dead-quiet silence isuncomfortable for me,” he said.“I don’t want to sleep until I getreally sleepy.”

Ziemba sleeps with noise: aceiling fan overhead and an-other bedside, or a sound pillowthat plays ocean sounds. Oncerequiring complete silence, henow needs music or TV to readand write.

“Tinnitus is the presence of asound — ringing, buzzing, hiss-ing, or other sound — that onlyyou hear, and for some individu-als, does not go away,” explainedDr. Shoshannah Russell, an au-diologist at Walter Reed Bethes-da. She said the condition affectsmore than 40 million Americansbut only 15 million seek profes-sional help.

The U.S. Department of Vet-erans Affairs (VA) estimates at

least 4 million veterans current-ly suffer from the condition withno known cure. Also accordingto the VA, tinnitus is the prima-ry service-connected disabilityamong veterans returning fromMiddle East conflicts, like acti-vated Maryland National GuardMaj. Jorge H. Gonzalez, 46.

He served as a mortarman for14 years as an infantry Soldier,and first thought the loud noisehe heard in both ears came fromthe elevated heights of Afghani-stan. In 2011 when he returnedto the states for post-deploy-ment exams at Camp Atterbury,Ind., Gonzalez realized the ring-ing he heard was tinnitus, thelikely culprit for the on-goingheadaches and sleep deprivationhe also experienced.

He explained what life islike with tinnitus for him. “Ona good day, you can barely hearit,” Gonzalez said. On a bad day,the ringing sounds like the testpattern on a TV, continuouslynon-stop in both ears, he said.

Russell indicated exposureto hazardous noise as one of thetop reasons for tinnitus in themilitary population. Sourcesof high levels of noise includefirearms, explosions, ship and

Ringing, Buzzing, Roaring in Your Ears? Study Seeks Participants

Photo by Christina Graber, U.S. Army Public Health Command

Staff Sgt. Nicole Gillespie inserts the Combat ArmsEarplugs in her ear to protect against sustaining ahearing injury.See HEARING page 9

read the poem they created.We do not try to force them.”

Eric Daniels, an active dutyMarine for almost 10 years,has completed two combatdeployments to Afghanistan.According to Daniels, his fel-low Marines encouraged himto participate in the CombatPaper workshop. He admit-ted to being timid when he didhis first workshop and said hewas unsure of what he was do-ing. Yet, he continued comingback and said he saw progress.

“I did the first one and Ihad no idea what I was doing,”said Daniels. “I got publishedand that was cool. My writinghas gotten better because ofSeema. They force you to tellthe story and pull more infor-mation out of you [to write].”

Daniels recalled writing thepoem “Zombie” in less than anhour.

“I had insomnia and I gotup and started writing,” Dan-iels explained. “I continued towrite until it was all there. Isent it to Seema and now, hereit is published.”

As Daniels shares his ex-perience, he realizes that hisjourney has come full circlebecause he’s able to teach oth-ers how to make paper.

“One thing that Eli told

me was his [experience] wasabout teaching one generationto the next about paper-mak-ing skills,” he said.

Army sergeant Jacob Ow-ens said his previous job was

the opposite of his combatduty. As one of the workshopparticipants, he shares his ex-perience in words and visualart.

“Before I joined the Army,

I used to work at Walt DisneyWorld,” said Owens. “I wassurrounded by all this ‘magi-cal scenery.’ Then, the deploy-ment happens and it’s thecomplete opposite.”

While receiving treatmentat WRNMMC, Owens contin-ues to keep a positive attitudeand work hard towards hisgoals.

“I’ve been here recovering,working hard by doing intern-ships, and going to school formy master’s degree in publicrelations,” Owens said. Heconcluded by saying that soonhe’ll transfer to Fort Meadeto continue on with his Armycareer.

The Combat Paper andWarrior Writers workshopis an empowering programto those who have served incombat zones. It gives servicemembers a way to expressthemselves through words andvisual art, which they sharewith the people around them.

“Each show is very differ-ent,” explained Palliparambil.“So, you can’t really predicthow it’s going to be becauseit affects you differently. Eachstory is different. Each personwho participates is differentin their response to it.”

COMBATContinued from pg. 1

Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Ashante Hammons

Combat boots and shreds of service members’ uniforms are displayed during theCombat Paper Project Art Exhibit.


care provided at the flagship medical center of the De-partment of Defense, while challenging staff to contin-ue to improve that care and its access to beneficiaries.“We came here to reinforce that we really believe in

the joint mission and success of this organization,” Na-than said. “We recognize there are challenges; it’s toughto be in the military, it’s tough to be in military medi-cal, and it’s tougher to be at this epicenter [WRNMMC]which has so many demands on it and is under thescrutiny of the nation’s leaders and everyone else. Yourmost discerning customers are the family members,wounded warriors, and the retirees we’re privileged totake care of.“Walter Reed Bethesda is a unique environment and

we at senior leadership appreciate the way you are

tremendous ambassadors of care,” the surgeon generalsaid to theWRNMMC staff. “We’re committed to, as wetransition from this wartime footing, not to lose ourcorporate knowledge and ethos of taking care of thewounded, and give you what you need to make sure youcontinue to cultivate and attract the best and brightest.“You are the best and brightest the nation and

military have to offer, and we want to keep attracting[that],” Nathan added. “You give people an experiencehere that they can’t get anywhere else in the Navy,Army or Air Force, and that’s not because of this build-ing, but because of you, so keep doing what you’re do-ing.”He added that as the war winds down and the mili-

tary transforms and downsizes, resources are con-strained, “money is tight and hard decisions will bemade. Lots of questions will be asked, [such as] will weneed big hospitals? How many people will we need inthe military? What will the medical benefits be like?“I think we’re going to change because the military

has to reinvent itself,” Nathan continued. “Just as we

don’t necessarily fight wars as we did in the 1940s or1970s, we don’t provide medical care the way we did inthe 1940s or 1970s. We do it much more virtually, rely-ing much more on technology.”Although this has impacted the number of personnel

in the military, it has also resulted in the highest sur-vivability rate in the history of the U.S. military, with97 percent of war wounded surviving their injuries, Na-than said. He added if a service member is injured, “Youdon’t care who’s saving your life, all you want is to makesure that they’re working as a complementary set ofgears, and that’s what happens.”The surgeon general explained this is a value of

WRNMMC and explained the medical center as a goodexample of how “jointness” can work.“The good news is if [being joint] is going to work

anywhere, it is going to work in military medical be-cause the one thing we will not forfeit [regardless ofservice affiliation] is the care, quality and compassionfor the patient,” Nathan said.Boss added more training between the services

will be joint, such as Sailors going through theArmy 68 Charlie/Licensed Practical Nurse Courseat WRNMMC and Soldiers participating in the Inde-pendent Duty Corpsman course at Naval Base SanDiego.The challenge for Walter Reed Bethesda, the vice

admiral continued, is bringing more primary care tothe medical center, adding WRNMMC offers benefi-ciaries things other health care facilities in the regiondo not.The surgeon general explained those in the mili-

tary are “special” and “elite,” and out of every fourpeople in this country who are of age to join the mili-tary, only one is eligible to join the armed forces. Inaddition to its advanced technology, the armed forceshas also been the “most progressive to bring aboutchange and equality for genders and alternative life-styles,” he said. “We are much more inclusive, whichbrings challenges and opportunities.”Nathan said the country will not waiver or forfeit

the integrity of its military. “When we have quality-of-the force issues [sexual assault and harassment,drugs and alcohol abuse, etc.], we launch becausewe’ve asked [your families and friends] to give youto us, and they accept there is a risk because we goin harm’s way, but they won’t tolerate if you are indanger from within, and our guarantee is it won’t.”Army Col. Ray C. Antoine, director of nursing at

WRNMMC, attended one of last week’s calls with theNavy Surgeon General and Force Master Chief, dur-ing which he commented, “We are a joint facility andwe work very well together. We see ourselves as onefacility, not belonging to one service or the other.”“I was pleased to hear Vice Admiral Nathan’s mes-

sage and that he chose to engage the audience in afriendly and casual manner,” stated David Rohrbaugh,civilian advisor to WRNMMC Board of Directors andpharmacy coordinator for the Sole Provider Programat WRNMMC. “His remarks outlined the differencesand difficulties the separate services have in support-ing an integrated facility such as ours. But, more im-portant, he made clear that he and his counterpartsare aware of these issues, continue to work throughthem for the common good, and recognize both theimportance of fully supporting Walter Reed Bethesdaand sustaining its heritage as the world’s premiermilitary medical center.“I felt his message was both sincere and pragmat-

ic, and although it was targeted specifically for Navypersonnel, it was an inclusive and encompassing over-view of the expectations he has for his military mem-bers who are stationed here, charging them with theresponsibility to lead the way to establish and promoteWalter Reed Bethesda as the role model for all inte-grated military facilities in the future,” Rohrbaughcontinued. “I was also happy to hear him acknowledgethe value and importance of civilians and contractorsin the fulfillment of our commitment to providing thebest possible care to our patient population.”

SURGEONContinued from pg. 5

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aircraft noise, tactical vehicles,training simulations, loud gen-erators and machinery, and rec-reational noisy hobbies such ashunting and loud music.Retired Navy Lt. Michael Ro-

driguez, 56, spent eight years asa submariner, working as a mis-sile technician. He said he neverwore ear protection when vent-ing tubes on submarines, but es-timated he wore ear protectionabout 30 percent of the time heserved as a Navy SEAL.“It was inevitable I would

end up with tinnitus,” Rodri-guez said. Using mortars andartillery as an enlisted Sailor,

and not wearing ear protec-tion during fire fights with au-tomatic weapons and grenadelaunchers as a SEAL account-ed for both acute and chronicexposure to blasts and loudnoises. Rodriguez did demoli-tions, worked from helicoptersand swam underneath shipswith motors that pumped sev-eral thousands of gallons ofwater per minute and were“painful [to the ears] to getclose,” he said.Rodriguez explained the ef-

fects of tinnitus are far reach-ing, affecting “not only the in-dividual but everyone aroundthem – family, friends and col-leagues at work,” he said.The condition disrupts his

sleep and has impacted his fam-ily life. Sometimes the father ofthree won’t hear the baby cry-

ing; other times he will ask hiswife and kids to speak louder.“I really have to focus,” he said.“It’s frustrating.”There is no known cure for

subjective tinnitus, accordingto Russell, so the audiologistis working with researchers atthe University of Alabama andfive other military treatmentfacilities (MTf) on a tinnitusretraining therapy trial. In therandomized clinical trial forpersons with severe tinnitus,participants will be treatedwith tinnitus retraining thera-py (TRTT), which includes low-level sound therapy and direc-tive counseling, or the stan-dard care typically given forpersons with severe tinnitusin MTf. The primary objectiveof this study is to see whethertinnitus retraining therapy is

an effective way to manage pa-tients with severe tinnitus.Individuals with moderate

to severe tinnitus who are age18 or older, are eligible to re-ceive care at a Department ofDefense medical facility andconsider tinnitus overwhelm-ing can participate in the tin-nitus trial. Participants willcomplete assessments, takehearing tests and visit a studyaudiologist seven times over 18months.There are no known physi-

cal risks for participants inthis study. Participants wouldreceive treatment for their tin-nitus that could decrease theirawareness of tinnitus, annoy-ance and impact on their lives,improve their quality of life, aswell as help future patients.That’s why Ziemba said he

chose to participate in the trial— his first.“The experience has been

really good,” he explained, andindicated he has experienced asignificant decrease of his tin-nitus.“I didn’t have anything to

lose and a lot to gain,” Gonza-lez said about his participationin the study. “It’s a win-win foreverybody — why not?” Rodri-guez joined the study in 2013for a better understanding oftinnitus and how to cope. “It’sa great program for individualsand their families,” he said.Anyone interested in par-

ticipating in the TRTT studyshould contact April Hovanecat [email protected] orDr. Shoshannah Russell [email protected] or call 301-400-0882.

HEARINGContinued from pg. 7

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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.

Veterans will be arriving into Reagan National Airport on September 13, and there are several ways you can

participate throughout the day:

• Welcome 90 veterans at the US Airways, Terminal Cat 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.

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 greet our veterans. Our photographers will be on hand to snap a photo of your family

with your personal banner for future publication.

Help DCMilitary Family Life and Comprint honor our veterans and meet other military

families while you are volunteering. It will be the perfect way to spend a Saturday in D.C.

The Journal

those who had been severely burnedor injured with bullets or projectiles, aswell as Afghan children with birth de-fects such as cleft lips or with injuriesto extremities such as those sustainedfrom stepping on landmines.She also expressed pride in the cre-

ation of her “resource sharing plasticsurgery mission that has now had 42missions and saved $6 million.” Theteam of health-care providers fromWRNMMC participates in MedicalReadiness Training Exercises (ME-DRETE’s) as part of humanitarianmissions, providing world-class care topatients who might not otherwise beable to obtain it, while offering valuabletraining to the caregivers.Latham added her “most exciting

moments” in the Air Force have beenriding in F-16s for a summer at LukeAFB, Ariz., while in medical school anda helicopter ride around Mount Fujiwhile on temporary duty assignment toJapan.The surgeon said she enjoys serving

in uniform and the Air Force, as well

as taking care of those who serve withher, those who have served, and theirfamilies.“I am also grateful for my colleagues

and co-workers who work as a team tomake great things happen for patients,”Latham said.The U.S. Air Force has been working

to make “great things happen” for its 67years, not only in medicine but in othermissions, states its uniformed leaders.“From 1947 to today, Airmen have

accomplished our service’s core mis-sions — air and space superiority;intelligence, surveillance, and recon-naissance; rapid global mobility; globalstrike; and command and control…wecontinue to provide an asymmetric ad-vantage for America,” stated Air ForceChief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh IIIand Chief Master Sgt. of the Air ForceJames Cody in their message to theforce.“America depends on the Airmen who

provide Global Vigilance, Global Reachand Global Power, and our remarkableTotal Force of Active Duty, Guard, Re-serve and Civilian Airmen has neverfailed to answer the nation’s call,” theAir Force leaders added.For more information about the U.S.

Air Force, visit http://www.military.com/air-force-birthday.

BIRTHDAYContinued from pg. 6

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

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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journal 091114

Documents

paper art

havethe paper

combat page

storiesinto sheets of

combat papernew jersey

facilitatethis project

family carecenters

andyour family