+----+-------------------------------------+------+-------------------+
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+----+-------------------------------------+------+-------------------+
|    | ## Instructions to the Traveler     |      | Birmingham Center |
|    |                                     |      |                   |
|    |                                     |      | Suite 500 Medical |
|    |                                     |      | Forum             |
|    |                                     |      |                   |
|    |                                     |      | 950 North 22^nd^  |
|    |                                     |      | Street            |
|    |                                     |      |                   |
|    |                                     |      | Birmingham, AL    |
|    |                                     |      | 35203             |
+----+-------------------------------------+------+-------------------+

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  *Program Title:* Advances in General Surgery

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  *TRACE Project   03.GSAP.A
  No.:*            

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

+---------------+-----+-----------------------------------------------+
| *Conference   | The |                                               |
| Location:*    | M   |                                               |
|               | adi |                                               |
|               | son |                                               |
|               | Ho  |                                               |
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|               | 1   |                                               |
|               | 177 |                                               |
|               | --  |                                               |
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|               |     |                                               |
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|               | on, |                                               |
|               | DC  |                                               |
|               | 2   |                                               |
|               | 003 |                                               |
|               | 6-3 |                                               |
|               | 874 |                                               |
+---------------+-----+-----------------------------------------------+
|               | *P  | 248-827-4000                                  |
|               | hon |                                               |
|               | e:* |                                               |
+---------------+-----+-----------------------------------------------+
|               | *FA | 248-827-4002                                  |
|               | X:* |                                               |
+---------------+-----+-----------------------------------------------+

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| *R            | 7:30 a.m., Thursday, September 11, 2003              |
| egistration:* |                                                      |
|               | 8:00 a.m., Thursday, September 11, 2003              |
| *Meeting      |                                                      |
| Begins:*      |                                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  *Meeting Ends:*  12:15 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2003

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| *Travel       | 1.You will need to make your own airline & hotel     |
| Information:* | reservations.                                        |
|               |                                                      |
| ***PLEASE     | 2.Please follow your facility's instructions for     |
| NOTE AIRPORT  | obtaining your travel authority and any advance of   |
| SECURITY      | funds.                                               |
| MEASURES:***  |                                                      |
|               | ***3.Because of stricter security measures,          |
|               | passengers are urged to arrive at the airport at     |
|               | least two (2) hours before their flight due to       |
|               | increased time it may take to get through airline    |
|               | ticketing and security.***                           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  *Funding:*       Attendees will be funded through each individual's
                   facility.

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| *Lodging:*    | Rooms have been blocked at The Madison Hotel, to     |
|               | arrive on Wednesday, September 10, 2003, and to      |
|               | depart on Friday, September 12. **PLEASE CALL THE    |
|               | HOTEL AT 202-862-1600 or 1-800-424-8577** **NO LATER |
|               | THAN MONDAY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2003,** to make and   |
|               | guarantee your reservation. When calling the hotel,  |
|               | please identify yourself as being with "VA Advances  |
|               | in General Surgery." ***[Any reservations made after |
|               | August 8 will be subject to availability with no     |
|               | guarantee of the conference rate.]{.underline}*** It |
|               | is required that you provide a major credit card     |
|               | number for first night's room & tax. Single room     |
|               | rate is \$150.00, plus 14.5% tax. Any expense for    |
|               | taxes paid may be claimed as a miscellaneous item on |
|               | your travel voucher. The hotel check-in time is 4:00 |
|               | p.m. and checkout time is 12:00 noon. ***PLEASE      |
|               | NOTE:*** In the event that you check out prior to    |
|               | your reserved checkout date, an early departure fee  |
|               | of \$50 will be charged to your account. Therefore,  |
|               | upon check-in at the hotel, please advise the hotel  |
|               | of any change in your originally scheduled departure |
|               | date.                                                |
|               |                                                      |
|               | **NOTE:** Current maximum allowable per diem in the  |
|               | District of Columbia is \$150.00 for lodging and     |
|               | \$50.00 for meals and incidental expenses.           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | You may choose to bring a sweater or jacket since    |
|               | the meeting rooms are cold at times. Dress will be   |
|               | business casual.                                     |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

  ------------------ ------------------------------------------------------
  *Ground            Taxi and shuttle services are available outside the
  Transportation:*   baggage claim area. Also, in the event you prefer to
                     take the Metro from the airport, there are two Metro
                     stops within 3 blocks of the hotel---McPherson Square
                     and Farragut North.

  ------------------ ------------------------------------------------------

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  *Breaks and      Morning and afternoon refreshments will be provided.
  Meals:*          Meals will be on your own.

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| *Logistical   | **[Regarding Program Issues:]{.underline}**          |
| Questions*    |                                                      |
|               | Rivkah Lindenfeld, Project Manager, EES, Northport   |
| *Phone:*      | Resource Center                                      |
|               |                                                      |
| *Fax:*        | 631-754-7914, ext. 2889                              |
|               |                                                      |
| *Phone:*      | 631-754-7996                                         |
|               |                                                      |
| *Fax:*        | **[Logistical Issues:]{.underline}**                 |
|               |                                                      |
| *Phone:*      | Craig Freas, Project Support Assistant, EES,         |
|               | Northport Resource Center                            |
| *Fax:*        |                                                      |
|               | 631-754-7914                                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | 631-754-7996                                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | **[Hotel Issues:]{.underline}**                      |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Lila Meinhardt, Event Manager, EES, St. Louis        |
|               | Resource Center                                      |
|               |                                                      |
|               | 314-894-5791                                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | 314-894-6506                                         |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
|               |                                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+