Vol. 32, No. 4 October 16, 2015

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Flashback Friday, p. 3 Cancer Claims Crusader Against Veteran Suicides, p. 4

Traveling Exchange Program for Regenerative Medicine, p. 5

Crystal MaynardUSAMRMC PUbliC AffAiRS

During a change of responsibility ceremony, the U.S. Army Medical Re-search and Materiel Command bid farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Cy B.K. Akana and welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. David M. Rogers as the com-mand’s senior enlisted advisor Oct. 2 at the Fort Detrick Auditorium.

Before a crowd of leadership, Sol-diers, family and friends, Akana relin-quished responsibility to Rogers by passing him the noncommissioned officer’s sword. The passing of the sword signifies the relinquishing of responsibility and authority from the outgoing and incoming command sergeant major. The sword represents the “cutting edge” of professionalism and the living spirit of the organization and its mission.

Maj. Gen. Brian C. Lein, commander of the USAMRMC and Fort Detrick, praised Akana and his work ethic

during his remarks.“You can tell the quality of command

sergeant major by the amount of time he is at his desk,” said Lein. “Command Sgt. Maj. Akana was never at his desk. He was out, interacting with the com-munity. He was a mentor and role model for all.”

Akana enlisted in the Army in 1983 to serve as a combat medic. During his career, Akana has served in every leadership position from squad lead-er to command sergeant major. In his role as the USAMRMC command sergeant major, Akana was the top en-listed Soldier in Fort Detrick’s medical command units and worked as an ad-vocate for other enlisted Soldiers.

“I have been very privileged to work with this command where their work has eased human suffering and saved lives across the globe,” said Akana in his brief and heartfelt comments. “It has been a true honor to serve this command and community.”

Akana, who arrived at the USAM-RMC in November 2013 from his previous position at Western Regional Medical Command in Washington, will be retiring from the Army in the coming months. In his first address as the USAMRMC’s senior enlisted advi-sor, Rogers thanked Akana and said he was well aware of the responsibility he was undertaking.

“Command Sgt. Maj. Akana, I will not let you down, and I will continue to build on your successes during my time here at the USAMRMC,” said Rogers. “And to the command, I prom-ise to keep lines of communication open as your senior enlisted advisor, and we will accomplish the mission through teamwork.”

The Seattle native, who holds a bach-elor’s degree in computer information systems and a master’s degree of busi-ness administration, Rogers comes to the USAMRMC from the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity — Alaska.

USAMRMC Holds Change of Responsibility Ceremony

Command Sgt. Maj. David M. Rogers (left) the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command’s new senior enlisted advisor during a change of responsibility cere-mony Oct. 2. Photo by USAG VI

CRyStAl MAynARD USAMRMC PUbliC AffAiRS

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command’s Dr. Laura Ruse Brosch, Ph.D., R.N., received the top honor at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine’s eighth annu-al Major Jonathan Letterman Award Dinner Oct. 8 in Bethesda, Maryland.

In addition to Brosch, the oth-er USAMRMC subordinate com-mands and employees recognized as 2015 Letterman nominees were:

• Dr. John Frazier Glenn, Ph.D., USAMRMC principal assistant for Research and Technology

• Dr. Charles Gary Hurst, M.D., U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense director of the Chemical Casualty Care Division

• Col. Bryan Smith, M.D., USAM-MDA product manager for Intrave-nous Artesunate

• Dr. Jason M. Wilken, MPT, Ph.D., U.S. Army Medical Department’s Brooke Army Medical Center direc-tor of the Military Performance Lab

• Col. Kirby R. Gross, M.D., USAISR director of the Joint Theater Trauma System

• Joint Trauma System - U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research

• U.S. Army Medical Material De-velopment Activity

The Letterman Award was estab-lished to celebrate Maj. Jonathan Letterman’s visionary work as med-ical director of the Army of the Po-tomac. He is credited as being the originator of the modern methods

for medical organization in armies or battlefield medical management. His system or organization enabled thousands of wounded men to be recovered and treated during the Civil War. The award recognizes those who keep his tradition of med-ical innovation alive today.

“I was so surprised and honored to win this award,” said Brosch, adding that she sees the award as really a recognition of her entire team rather than herself as an individual.

A retired Army Nurse Corps col-onel, Brosch is the director of the Office of Research Protections at the USAMRMC. Brosch was nominated for her work by Col. Todd Rasmus-

Brosch Awarded Major Jonathan Letterman Award for Medical Excellence

Dr. laura Ruse Brosch (center), Ph.D., R.n., received the top honor at the national Museum of Civil War Medi-cine’s eighth annual Major Jonathan letterman Award Dinner Oct. 8 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Courtesy photoSee AWARD, continued on page 6

2 Fort Detrick StandardOctober 16, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

Command StaffMaj. Gen. Brian C. Lein

Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical

Research and Materiel Command

and Fort Detrick

Col. Robert O’Brien IV U.S. Army Garrison Commander

Editorial StaffPAO Staff

The STANDARD is an authorized unofficial newspaper, published every two weeks under the provisions of AR 360-1 for the military and civilians at Fort Detrick. Circu-lation is 7,000. The STANDARD is a commercial enterprise newspaper printed by Comprint Military Publications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., 20877, a private firm, in no way connected with the United States Government or Department of Defense. The contents of the STANDARD do not necessarily reflect the official views or endorsement of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army. The appearance of advertising in this publication, in-cluding inserts and supplements, do not constitute endorse-

ment of DoD. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mar-ital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any oth-er nonmerit characteristic of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is prepared and edited by the Fort Detrick Public Affairs Office, 810 Schreider Street, Fort Detrick, Md. 21702-5000. Editorial Offices are in Bldg. 810, Suite 004 , telephone 301-619-2018; e-mail: usarmy.detrick.usag.mbx.pao@mail.mil.

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After Duty NumbersImportant After Duty Hour Numbers

For far too long, depression has been something that people, especially Service Members, have been embar-rassed to discuss. It is time for this to change. October is National Depression Education and Awareness Month, and it is time to start talking about depression and the resources that exist to offer assistance.

Depression is an illness, and it can affect anyone re-gardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic sta-tus or gender. It has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. Depression can affect your job, relationships or home life. The good news is that depres-sion can be treated.

Psychological health problems are the second leading cause of evacuation during prolonged and/or repeated deployments. Of returning Warriors, 20-40 percent has behavioral health problems after deployment, mostly related to PTSD, depression and interpersonal conflict.

Symptoms of depression may include persistent sad-ness, difficulty concentrating, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, fatigue, changes in appetite, insomnia, irritability, persistent aches and pains, and in some in-stances, thoughts of suicide. While everyone feels sad or low at some time in their life, it is time to seek help when these feelings persist and begin to interfere with everyday life.

Significant strides have been made to better protect, identify and restore the psychological and behavioral health of our Warfighters, but make no mistake, even with these advances there is always room for improve-

ment. The Army is conducting research to learn more about depression and ways to help afflicted Service Members. One of those programs is the U.S. Army Med-ical Research and Materiel Command’s Military Opera-tional Medicine Research Program. Their Psychological Health and Resilience research is focused on preven-tion, treatment and recovery of Soldiers and families behavioral health which are critical to force health and readiness. Research like this is a driving force to protect-ing our Warfighters, our most important asset.

The earlier treatment begins for depression, the more effective it is and the greater the likelihood that recur-rence can be prevented. If you are experiencing depres-sion or suspect that a family member or friend may be depressed, contact your primary care physician or a be-havioral health professional for screening and to get the care needed.

The Department of Defense offers anonymous behav-ioral health assessments for Soldiers, family members and civilians 24 hours a day, seven days a week online at www.militarymentalhealth.org, and the Fort Detrick Barquist Army Health Clinic has an internal behavior-al health consultant that can do screening, education, referrals for medication and cognitive behavioral thera-pies. Appointments can be made through your primary care manager, or by calling (301) 619-7175.

If you are depressed getting help is the courageous thing to do, and the Army and your Fort Detrick com-munity are here to support you.

Depressed? Be Courageous, Ask for Help

October is National Depression Educa-tion and Awareness Month, which aims to raise awareness about the causes, treat-ments and realities of depression, affect-ing one in 10 U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Reaching out is a sign of strength and the sooner ser-vice members and veterans reach out for treatment, the sooner they can recover.U.S. Army photo illustration by Pfc. Paige Pendleton, 1st Brigade

Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office

The AFAP conference this year will be held Nov. 2-4. The AFAP provides active and reserve component Soldiers, Army civilians, family members, survivors and retirees a voice in shaping their standards of living by identifying issues and con-cerns for Army senior leadership resolution.

If you want to submit an issue, please contact (301) 619-3171 to get a form. The conference is also in need of delegates to participate in the conference.

If you are an employee on Fort Detrick/Forest Glen and would like to participate in the conference as a delegate, then the conference will be considered your place of duty. If you are not employed, but are a volunteer and would like to participate as a delegate, you can count your participation as volunteer time. For more infor-mation, call (301) 619-3171.

Army Family Action Plan Conference

3Fort Detrick Standard October 16, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

By Matthew JeffriesUSAG Chaplain

Today, I received an email with a packet of infor-mation to promote anti-bullying in the workplace.

The theme for this year is “Choose Respect.” I was surprised to receive it as I was not aware that bullying in the workplace was an issue. I have been fortunate in my career to have worked with great people who continually set the example as professional Soldiers and gov-ernment service employees.

I have known some who have had to deal with toxic leadership that abused their posi-tion of authority and made other’s lives mis-erable. However, I have been very fortunate to have worked with great people over the years. I wish this was the experience for everyone.

In reading through this information, I also began to wonder when we lost the ability to be kind to each other. As adults it seems odd to have to be reminded to treat each other with respect and kindness. I guess I always thought the rules of kindergarten still applied: Keep your hands to yourself, don’t take someone else’s cookies and if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I know the world is not always that simple, but if we apply the larger principle of respect and kindness I think we could make progress towards doing away with bullying, harassment and abuse.

As a person of faith, the lessons of scripture reinforce the idea of being respectful to oth-ers by following the “golden rule.” “... You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets,” Matthew 22:37-40 ESV. My faith teaches me to share kindness and charity for

those who are not as fortunate as I am. Mat-thew 25:35-36 instructs me to care for the sick, feed the hungry, give the thirsty something to drink, welcome the stranger, cloth the naked and visit the prisoner. Thank you to my parents, school teachers and Sunday school teachers who took the time to teach a kid growing up in Georgia to treat others with kindness and respect. I am fortunate to have been taught to choose respect from an early age.

This month, and every other month of the year, take time to be kind. Do something spe-cial for someone else and take time to give to a charity that supports a cause that is important to you. I sponsor a child through an interna-tional organization and give to various causes through the Combined Federal Campaign. These are easy ways to give back to those that haven’t necessarily been as fortunate as I have. I encourage you to give to one of the charities supporting the disaster relief efforts in South Carolina. As we work together to stop abuse whether it is bullying at work or domestic vi-olence at home, let us commit ourselves to making our communities a place of respect and kindness towards one another.

Don’t forget there are a lot of great activities happening on post this October. Oktoberfest is Oct. 17 and is sponsored by the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation directorate. The U.S.

Army Medical Research and Materiel Com-mand will be doing Trunk or Treat behind the gym on the evening of Oct. 30. The Chapel will have a Harvest Fest at the chapel on the after-noon of Oct. 30. Between FMWR, the USAM-RMC and the chapel, the kids of Fort Detrick should have plenty of fun and plenty of candy!

Chaplain’s CornerBe Kind

Nick MiNecci USAG PUbliC AffAirS

It was 53 years ago today when President John F. Kennedy was informed that reconnais-sance photographs revealed the presence of Soviet missile bases in Cuba. On Oct. 22, 1962, Kennedy gave a televised address and in-formed the public about the missiles and that he ordered a naval blockade around Cuba, prepared to use military force, if necessary, to neutralize this perceived threat to national se-curity. The world watched with many believing the U.S. and Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev avoided war with the U.S. when he offered to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba, and the U.S. secretly agreed to remove their own missiles from Turkey. Following the crisis, in August 1963 the U.S. and Soviet governments estab-lished a “hotline” via undersea cable to avoid any future crisis. In the early 1970s, the U.S. and USSR signed an agreement utilizing satellite communications in the “hotline” system and a special earth station was built at Fort Detrick to operate over the Russian satellite system. After an extended test period in August 1978, the Detrick Earth Station became part of the “hotline” system, and in August 2013 celebrat-ed its 50th anniversary.

Cuban Missile Crisis Impact on Fort Detrick

This Aug. 30, 1963, file photo shows the White House-to-kremlin “hot line” providing direct commu-nication for emergency use by the chief of Staff in Washington and Moscow, becoming operational. Air Force Sgt. John Bretoski, left, and Army Lt. col. charles Fitzger-ald, right, operate the equipment in the Pentagon during a test run.

File Photo

Flag Football Playoff Brackets BAHC ClosedBarquist Army Health Clinic will be closed

on Oct. 23 from 12 - 4:30 p.m.

Barquist Army Health Clinic Flu Vaccines Oct. 26-29

Barquist Army Health Clinic will begin offer-ing flu vaccinations Oct. 26 for all eligible Tri-care beneficiaries and current DOD civilians. No appointment necessary.

Stop by the flu clinics taking place at Odom Physical Fitness Center Gymnasium, Build-ing 1507:

Oct. 26-29 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.Protect yourself and others. Get your flu vac-

cine. *Common Access Card or DOD Benefi-ciary ID card required.

*Military beneficiaries will be vaccinated as scheduled Oct. 19-23, schedules have been distributed.

Toastmasters ClubLooking to develop speaking and leader-

ship skills? Win that job interview? Ignite your career? Join the Fort Detrick Toast-master club. Meeting schedules: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from noon - 1 p.m. at the NCI Library, Cafeteria & Conference Center, 549 Sultan Drive.

TRICARE Education BoothThere will be a TRICARE education booth at

the following places and times:Oct. 28 - Barquist Clinic AtriumNov. 5 - Fort Detrick CommissaryNov. 19 - Barquist Clinic Atrium

Trunk or TreatTrunk or Treat will be held Oct. 30 from

5:30-7:30 p.m. in the parking lot behind Odom Fitness Center/Bldg. 1520 To reserve a spot, please email melisa.e.natapraya.mil@mail.mil or kathryn.l.buckland.mil@mail.mil by Oct. 23.

OktoberfestSaturday, Oct. 17 | Noon - 4 p.m.Nallin Pond Recreation AreaDig out your Dirndls and Lederhosen and

join us as we celebrate the German tradition of Oktoberfest. The event will kick off with a Volks Run/Walk starting/ending at Nallin Pond. Run starts at 8 a.m. Open to families and pet (stroller friendly course). No preregistration required.

Other activities include:Pumpkin Patch • Pumpkin Chunkin (reg-

istration required) • Face Painting • Fire Pre-vention Awareness • Moon Bounces • Pony Ride • Photo Booth • Balloon Artist For more information, visit http://detrick.armymwr.com/us/detrick/detrick-events/oktober-fest/?eID=284919 or call (301) 619-4079/3237.

In and Around Fort Detrick

4 Fort Detrick StandardOctober 16, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

BoB ReineRtUSAG NAtick PUblic AffAirS

A retired Army major, who had devoted the final months of his life to raise awareness of veteran suicides, died of colon cancer after a long, courageous fight.

Retired Maj. Justin Fitch, 33, the former Headquarters Research and Development Detachment, or HRDD, commander at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineer-ing Center, died in his hometown of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, Oct. 3.

Fitch used his own story to shed light on veteran suicides. While serving in Iraq in 2007, Fitch had contemplated taking his own life. He got to the point where he was sitting in his shipping-container sleeping quarters with the barrel of his M-4 rifle in his mouth.

“It’s OK to seek help,” said Fitch later. “You can get help. Look at me.”

His victory over suicide and subsequent three-plus-year cancer fight became a com-pelling human interest story that attracted national media attention, giving a platform from which he pointed out that 22 veteran suicides were occurring daily. He often not-ed that some 8,000 veterans — more than all those Service Members who had died in the entire Global War on Terrorism — had killed themselves each year.

“We’re raising awareness, and that’s very important,” said Fitch last April. “Part of fixing a problem is knowing that a problem exists. [Suicide is] a very taboo topic with a lot of stig-ma. It’s just not talked about.”

Fitch endured dozens of chemotherapy treatments and numerous surgeries while continuing his duties as HRDD commander at Natick, serving as a powerful example for his Soldiers. In his off hours, Fitch participated in long ruck marches as the leader of “Team Minuteman,” part of the “Carry the Fallen” organization that works to raise awareness of veteran suicides.

Though doctors once gave him just months to live, Fitch shrugged off their estimates to

continue what he always called his “final mis-sion,” reducing the number of daily veteran suicides to zero. He would go to any lengths to tell that story — even if it meant allowing a TV crew in to shoot video while he received che-motherapy.

More than once during a media interview, Fitch had to apologize, stop suddenly, and al-low a wave of pain to wash over him. He would then collect himself and continue to answer more questions.

Because his own story of near-suicide was playing out so publicly, Fitch was often ap-proached by other veterans who were at risk. He gave out his cell phone number freely, and he answered that phone whenever it rang — day or night.

“If all we do is just save one life, one that wouldn’t have been saved otherwise,” Fitch of-ten said, “I say that’s mission success.”

Soldiers and civilians at Natick Soldier Systems Center, or NSSC, Fitch’s last duty station before his medical retirement in December 2014, paused for a moment of silence, Oct. 5, at the flagpole in front of the NSSC headquarters building. Many also took time to share their favorite mem-ories of him.

“He was a commander who took care of his Soldiers,” said Brig. Gen. William Cole, NSSC senior commander. “He took the time to get to know them, learn about them and share with them. He gave them wise counsel on how to succeed in the Army and also in life. “If any-one represented what Ready and Resilient means ... it was Justin Fitch. Our Army is better because Maj. Fitch served. The Natick Soldier Systems Center is better because Maj. Fitch touched so many here.”

Kristen Heavens said it was difficult for her to find enough words to describe Fitch.

“He woke up every morning knowing that he would be in pain, yet he made the decision to not only fight it head on, but to have a positive outlook,” said Heavens. “This man embodied each of the Army values deeply, and I’m hon-ored to have known him.”

His former first sergeant, Brian Gemmill, re-called how Fitch always went the extra mile to achieve what others thought couldn’t be done.

“His mental resiliency far outmatched his physical state, and he never let his cancer slow him down,” said Gemmill. “I think that everyone who knew him feels the same way. Justin Fitch lived his life and died trying to solve complex problems, never giving in to common excuses and absolutely never tak-ing no for an answer.”

Staff Sgt. Shaun Morand spoke of Fitch’s leadership qualities, which he witnessed at Natick.

“He didn’t stop leading Soldiers when their military time was done, or even when his

was,” said Morand. “He just took care of them with every bit of strength he could muster and until his final breath. I’m proud to have known him, and I hope to carry on his mis-sion and make him proud. His legacy car-ries on in the lives he saved and the lives he changed.”

Note: Natick is also home to the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medi-cine, internationally recognized as the DoD’s premier laboratory for Warfighter health and performance research and focuses on environ-mental medicine, physiology, physical and cog-nitive performance, and nutrition research. The USARIEM is a sub-command of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.

Cancer Claims Crusader Against Veteran Suicides

Retired Maj. Justin Fitch, 33, the former Headquarters Research and Development Detachment commander at natick Soldier Research, De-velopment and engineering Center, died in his hometown of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, oct. 3.

File photo

YoSeFi SeltzeRleGAl ASSiStANce AttorNey

fort GeorGe G. MeAde

The process for filing for divorce in Mary-land is not quick or easy compared to other states. Currently, a “no-contest” divorce re-quires the parties to reside apart for at least 12 months without interruption and for at least one of the parties to reside in Maryland for a one year before filing.

Changing the laws is no easy task. Many legislators and advocates have attempted for many years to make it easier and faster to get divorced, without success. This year, two piec-es of legislation were introduced and passed by both chambers of the Maryland legislature, and were signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan, becoming effective Oct. 1. Both will make it easier and faster for some military Ser-vice Members and spouses to file for divorce in Maryland.

The first bill, SB 472 Family Law —

Grounds for Divorce — Mutual Consent, will allow parties without children of the marriage to file for an Absolute (final) Di-vorce after entering into a Marital Separa-tion Agreement, eliminating the need for 12 months of legal separation.

The second bill, HB 1185 Family Law — Application for Divorce — Residency Re-quirement, reduces the Maryland residency requirement from 12 to 6 months. Together, the bills reduce the length of time the parties must reside in Maryland and wait in order to file for divorce.

Until now, the most challenging difficul-ties were the 12-month residency require-ment and the 12-month legal separation Maryland requires in “uncontested” filings for divorce. Military couples are transient by definition: spouses often are in Mary-land simply because they were living with the Service Member but seek to move else-where for family support, education or job

opportunities, but are often stuck in Mary-land until their absolute divorce is finalized. Moreover, service members who deploy or receive permanent change of station orders must to move out-of-state. In both situations, residency requirements to file for divorce would be in jeopardy, which could prevent either party from filing here.

Starting Oct. 1, SB472 allows parties with-out children of the marriage to enter into a marital separation agreement, then imme-diately proceed with filing for an absolute divorce without having to wait an entire year of legal separation-assuming at least one of the parties meets the residency re-quirement to file, which will be reduced to six months, thanks to the enactment of HB1185.

Although each addresses different re-quirements to file for divorce in Mary-land, both would make it easier for cer-tain military couples seeking to file in

Maryland to do so before one or both re-locate out-of-state.

By definition, marital separation agree-ments are a way to eliminate conflict in di-vorce cases. They achieve amicable results and minimize court time replacing the costs and time involved with litigation and legal ju-risdictional challenges that are created if the parties relocate out of Maryland before the divorce proceedings are completed.

In uncontested cases, marital separation agreements and divorce pleadings can be pre-pared by many military legal assistance offices within the Military District of Washington for Service Members, retirees and dependents free of charge.

Active and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families may call (301) 619-2221 for an appointment with an attorney in the Fort Detrick Legal Assistance Office to discuss questions about divorce and other family law matters.

Military-Friendly Modifications to the Maryland Divorce Process

5Fort Detrick Standard October 16, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

Erin BollingUSAMMDA PUblic AffAirS

The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity’s Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine Program Management Office managed a Re-generative Medicine Traveling Ex-change Program in mid-September. The program provides an opportu-nity for medical fellows to visit med-ical research sites across the United States to learn in-depth about regen-erative medicine research.

The medical fellows who were se-lected are Army, Navy and Air Force physicians with an interest in regen-erative medicine research. The five fellows selected this year were:

• Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Bradley, as-sistant professor at Uniformed Ser-vices University of Health Sciences, and trauma surgeon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland

• Lt. Col. Megan Burgess, plas-tic surgeon at University of Texas Health Science Center in San Anto-nio, Texas

• Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Grabo, trauma surgeon at Navy Trauma Training Center at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center

• Col. Booker King, director of burn unit at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and general surgeon at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas

• Lt. Col. John Oh, chief of Gener-al Surgery Service at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland

“This is the second Regenerative Medicine Traveling Exchange Pro-gram. The first was held in 2011,” said Dr. Wendy Dean, TIRM medical advisor at the USAMMDA, as she explained the details of the program. “The intention is for this effort to be biennial, if not an annual event, so that military surgeon scientists remain engaged in guiding product develop-ment and in shaping clinical trials.”

“Fellows were selected through each service’s Office of the Surgeon General,” said Dean. “We requested

that the nominees be mid-career, with a trauma specialty and with interest in regenerative medicine research.”

Participating sites included Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts; University of Pittsburgh in Pennsyl-vania; and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

The sites selected are a part of the Armed Forces Institute of Re-generative Medicine, which is a multi-institutional, interdisciplin-ary network of universities, mil-itary laboratories and investiga-tors. Tissue reconstruction, facial muscle and craniofacial recon-struction, vascularized composite

allotransplantation, hand and arm transplantation - these are some of the discussions shared among program fellows and regenerative medicine experts. Much of this medicine and research appears be something of the future, but it is in fact a part of current regenerative medicine efforts.

Sharing this knowledge and re-search with the fellows provides the opportunity to raise awareness of the current regenerative medicine program and educate future medical experts. The ability to transplant new hands or arms on an amputee, or transplant a new face onto a patient, to regrow healthy skin from previous-ly burned and scarred skin; the need for skilled medical expertise in regen-

erative medicine is critical.“The goals of the program are: to

educate military surgeon scientists about the products in development by academic partners to address gaps in care; to provide opportuni-ties for collaboration between the military clinicians and academic partners; and to develop leadership champions in each of the services for regenerative medicine efforts,” said Dean.

According to Dean, feedback is still coming in, but the consensus from travelers was that this year’s program was absolutely worthwhile, and that the program should be of-fered each year.

The five selected fellows received first-hand experience into some of

the country’s leaders in regenerative medicine. As each of these medical professionals grows at their own re-spective institutions, they will carry this experience with them. They will carry the knowledge of the doctors that are working across the country, performing medicine some would describe as science fiction. These fellows will remember the patients they met; with missing limbs, the scarred faces, and the stories to go along with each one. This experi-ence will be a part of their medical history and our countries future medical professionals. The Travel-ing Exchange Program is an exam-ple of how military and academia collaborate to advance regenerative medicine.

Traveling Exchange Program for Regenerative Medicine

regenerative Medicine Traveling Exchange Program fellows at Brigham and Women’s with the regenerative Medi-cine team and three of their patients.

Courtesy photo

Shannon BiShoPUSAG PUblic AffAirS

Being a parent can be a challeng-ing job, but being a new parent can be especially challenging with sleepless nights, hourly feedings and recovering from childbirth. The Fort Detrick New Parent Support Program exists to provide support and education to military families from pregnancy until their child turns four.

You don’t have to be a first time

parent to participate in the program; for every time you become a parent you are a “new” parent, according to Kathleen Sullivan, New Parent Sup-port Program home visitor. The pro-gram offers the opportunity to learn new skills as parents and improve old ones.

“The program is designed to strengthen parents’ knowledge and skills so that they can then provide environments where their children can thrive,” said Sullivan. “It also

seeks to reduce stressors that can increase the risk of child abuse and neglect. Our services are confiden-tial and free. The NSPS is a reliable source for answers to your ques-tions in the privacy of your home.”

The NPSP offers a weekly play-group for parents to meet one anoth-er, provide support to one another and allow their children to interact with others their age. The playgroup meets every Friday from 10:15-11:15 a.m. unless the Friday falls on a fed-

eral holiday.Sullivan, also a military spouse,

understands the importance of net-working with other military spouses as a way to have support in being a new parent.

“I enjoy watching the kids learn the songs and have often heard that certain songs are favorites among the kids and get sung when on a long road trip, killing time at the doctor’s office or while out to eat. It should be important to parents, not just

new parents, because sometimes it is helpful to know you are not alone with the challenges that you face as a parent, especially in the military,” said Sullivan.

The NPSP also provides free edu-cational material on subjects related to being a new parent and classes offered by the NPSP include infant massage which will be returning to Fort Detrick Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.

For more information about the NPSP, call (301) 619-0323.

Support Available to New Parents at Fort Detrick

6 Fort Detrick StandardOctober 16, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

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Three Fort Detrick Soldiers participated in the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge competition held over a two-day period culminating in a ruck-march Sept. 21 in Dull-es, Virginia.

The GAFPB is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The decoration can be awarded to German Soldiers of all ranks. Allied Soldiers also have the opportunity to earn the badge. In the U.S. military, the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge is one of the few approved foreign awards, and it is one of the most sought after awards to achieve.

There are three levels of the GAFPB: bronze, silver and gold. The overall score is the average of each event scored separately.

The better the performance per event, the more points the participant receives, bringing them closer to the gold badge.

Testing is broken into two categories: a basic fitness test and military training.

The basic fitness test includes three separate events that must be completed in the following order within 2 hours from start to finish: 11 x 10 meter sprints; flexed-arm hang, which consists of holding the chin-up position for as long as possible; and a 1000-meter run.

Military training includes five separate events; first, the participant must complete a 100-meter swim in uniform with a bathing suit underneath, and, without holding on to the edge of the pool, the participant has to shed the uniform in deep water and throw it out of the pool. The participant then must take both a Combat Lifesaver writ-ten test and a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Mission Oriented Protective Posture test. Following both exams is a 9mm Pistol Qualification, followed by a final road march up to 7.4 miles carrying 33 pounds, which must be completed in 2 hours.

Maj. Nancy Heath, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materi-el Command secretary to the general staff, Capt. Justin Talley, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Detrick staff judge advocate office and Capt. Leisa Schwab, USAMRMC office of the staff judge advo-cate, earned the gold badge.

“I really feel a sense of achievement obtaining the Gold Ger-man Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. A lot of hard work and training went into this event,” said Talley.

In order to participate, the chain of command must recom-mend his or her Soldier for the training and testing. A qualified German Physical Training instructor must administer ele-ments of the testing for the GAFPB.

The competition ended with an awards ceremony, a Ger-man-style buffet and music provided by a German Army band.

And the Award Goes to…

Maj. Gen. Brian C. Lein (center), commander of the U.s. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and Fort Detrick, with Capt. Justin L. Talley (left), trial counsel with the Fort Detrick staff Judge Advocate and Maj. nancyo. Heath (right), of the UsAMRMC secretary to the General staff office, at the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge competition. Lein at-tended to cheer on the Fort Detrick participants; and it paid off, as all three earned the gold badge.

Courtesy photo

sen, director of the Combat Casualty Care Research Program.In his nomination of her, Rasmussen stated that Brosch is

“distinguished by her tireless work for the rights and well-being of patients ... Brosch is both a great leader and a great advisor in the field of military medicine.”

Since beginning her career as a civilian nurse over 40 years ago, Brosch has worked to ensure high-quality care for recipi-ents of military medical care. But it is her work in support of the Department of Defense’s combat casualty care mission that she considers among her proudest achievements.

“During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we recognized the importance of conducting research in the field to answer important patient care questions, and at the time there was no mechanism in place to conduct research in theater,” said Brosch. “We not only established a Human Research Pro-tections Program to oversee the DOD research in a combat-ant command, but we were also able to support 16 deployed combat casualty care teams to gather data and ensure that all studies were conducted with full research protections that complied with all federal and DOD requirements. “

The joint combat casualty care research teams supported by the USAMRMC were the first in-theater research team since the Vietnam War, and the research they conducted during those conflicts contributed to the lowest case fatality rate in the history of warfare.

Widely recognized as a national expert in emergency re-search, she is considered by many in Army Medicine to be one of the Department of Defense’s most valuable resources for complex regulatory, human protection and ethical issues.

“I love my job,” said Brosch. “The Army has provided me with so many opportunities to contribute to the DOD health care mission. I have been able to do everything from completing my doctorate as an active duty Army nurse, to conducting Army research, and now I have the privilege of supporting many re-searchers in doing their work to find better ways to care for our Service Members and retirees. I have the best job in the DOD.”

AWARD, continued from page 1

By Crystal MaynardUSAMrMc Public Affairs

Six Soldiers from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Mate-riel Command earned the Expert Field Medical Badge during the 2015 EFMB competition held Oct. 3-8 at Joint Base Mc-Guire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

The EFMB is one of the U.S. Army Medical Command’s top honors and is intended to recognize Soldier medics who attain a high degree of professional skill and proficiency as a field medic — reserved for the best of the best. Earning the badge requires deliberate planning and focused training.

Over the past 50 years alone, more than 150,000 Soldiers have attempted to earn the Army Medical Department’s most prestigious peacetime badge. The overall EFMB pass rate for 2015 was 18 percent.

To earn the badge, candidates must complete a series of war-rior and medical tasks. They must also successfully finish day and night land navigation tests, as well as a written exam and a final 12-mile road march. The Soldiers awarded the EFMB are elite field medics capable and ready to support the U.S. during combat situations.

The USAMRMC Soldiers awarded the EFMB include:Staff Sgt. Alice Craig — U.S. Army Medical Research Institute

of Infectious DiseasesSgt. Edwin Figueroa — 6th Medical Logistics Management CenterMaj. Anna Mullins — Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchCapt. Victor Zottig — Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchCapt. Jangwoo Lee — Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchLt. Brian Morrison — Navy Research — Walter Reed Army In-

stitute of Research

USAMRMC Soldiers Earn Coveted Expert Field Medical Badge

7Fort Detrick Standard October 16, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

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