Commentary

VA Secretary sees opportunities,

not challenges, in taking care 

of service members.

Gone Digital

Patient records at the National

Naval Medical Center Bethesda

become digital this fall.

High Tech

The Army Reserve launches 

new Web site portal to better

support deployed Reservists 

and their families.

features 2005

summer 

U.S .Air Force Photo by: SrA Jason Robertson

Two Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters

land to unload patients at the Air Force

Theater Hospital on June 13. The theater

hospital at the Balad Air Base, Iraq treats

wounded Americans and Iraqis supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

News From Around 

The World 3

New Law Affects SGLI Payments

New Campaign Medals Recognize

Service in Iraq, Afghanistan

Ask Our Experts 5

Heat Injuries Can Happen Anywhere

Vaccines, Herbs & Drugs 5

Be Cautious When Buying Drugs 

Over the Internet or Overseas

Health Beat 17

Rabies: A Deployed Threat To Mission

Resource Guide 19

7

2

6

Train To Build

New project in Little Creek,

Va., ensures readiness of

Navy Seabees deploying to

help war on terror.

Combat Skills

Marine teaches basic, 

close-combat techniques 

to fellow service members.

Eliminating Bio-Hazards

A team of bio-environmental

engineers identifies and 

eliminates potential hazards

in Balad Air Base, Iraq.

Getting Connected

New DoD resource assists

severely injured service 

members and their families

in helping put their lives back

together.

8

U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gish

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matt Patnaude

passes a 120 mm rocket round to a

U.S. Army soldier with the 1st Infantry

Division outside of Kirkuk Air Base,

Iraq, on June 30. Members of the Air

Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal

flight and the Army Quick Response

Force removed more than 680 rounds. 

In Every Issue

9

11

Guarding the Eyes

The Army is testing new

types of combat eye 

protection to reduce injuries.

Life Support

A new program helps the

severely injured navigate

through all the paperwork.

Military OneSource

A new, 24-hour, seven days 

a week information call 

center and Web site offers 

a wide range of services and 

information. 

On The Job

Airman constructs, assembles

and repairs orthopedic 

appliances to help injured

people get back on their feet.

12

15

On The Cover

16

13

17
he secretary of veterans affairs

said that where some might

see challenges for the 

department, he sees 

opportunities. 

“One of the big opportunities we

have — and it’s a priority of ours — 

is to make sure that our service 

members coming out of the combat

theater are well taken care of,” said

Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James

Nicholson. “That is one of our biggest 

opportunities.”

With more than 200,000 Guardsmen

and Reservists deployed in support 

of Operations Iraqi Freedom and

Enduring Freedom, the VA has 

expanded some of the benefits offered

to this group of service members, 

he said. 

“VA has a very extensive, new 

program for our Reserve Components,”

Nicholson said. “The Reserve

Component person who comes back, is

redeployed back, is entitled to two

years of full medical and dental care 

at any nearby VA facility. Then of

course, if they have any other serviceconnected disablement, either physical

or mental, as a result of their service,

that care will continue on beyond the

two years.” 

Education benefits also have 

been expanded for Guardsmen and

Reservists so they may participate in

the G.I. Bill. The amount of the benefit,

”

“

More than 200,000 Guardsmen

and Reservists are deployed, the 

VA has expanded some benefits

offered to this group of 

service members.

Deployment Quarterly 2 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

commentary

VA Sec Sees Opportunity to Ensure Care for All 

by samantha l. quigley

american forces press service

T

however, depends on the time spent

in an active duty capacity, Nicholson

said. The life insurance and home

loan programs also have improved

for Guardsmen and Reservists, 

he said. 

Eligibility requirements can be

found on the Veterans Affairs Web

site at http://www.va.gov. 

Changes within the VA affect active

duty service members who come

back from the combat theater and

choose to leave the service, too,

Nicholson said. 

The Seamless Transition Program,

he said, makes 158 medical centers

and more than 850 clinics available

for service members who separate

from the military. 

Benefits also include vocational

and rehabilitation training for those

injured physically or mentally. The

VA also is working to help disabled

veterans adapt to their environment,

including the adaptation of a home 

or a vehicle if needed. 

Readjustment counseling services

are important as well, Nicholson said.

The program is crucial to heading off

any latent mental health problems. 

“It’s important to [veterans] now,

and it’s important to them for the 

rest of their lives,” Nicholson said. 

The program was extended to 

families of veterans who also make 

a sacrifice. Injuries cause change for

every family member and every 

family member needs to adjust to 

that change, he said. 

“We’re responsible for veterans’

affairs,” Nicholson said. “And 

certainly part of a veteran’s welfare 

is his family, his family life and his 

quality of life. [Family members] 

have to endure a great deal of 

sacrifice at home when a service

member is deployed, especially to a

combat zone, and especially if 

they’re injured. 

“We need to educate the whole

family about what’s going on there so

that they can accommodate to that

and accept that, and go on as a, 

hopefully, happy, productive family

unit,” Nicholson said. 

A new catastrophic insurance 

program covers the service member

up to $100,000 above the other programs in the event of a atastrophic

injury like the loss of eyesight or

hearing, Nicholson said. The 

premium for that coverage is about 

$1 a month, he added. 

It all boils down to veterans 

having the right benefits available to

them, and service members need to

know what their benefits are and how

to access them, Nicholson said. The

recent changes to veterans’ benefits

are moves to make sure that the VA’s

goal of taking care of service 

members is met, he said. 

“It’s an expression of the 

appreciation of the American people,

the president and the Congress,” the

secretary said, “for the important

work and the sacrifices that the

Reserve Components are making in

our Operations Enduring Freedom

and Iraqi Freedom and for freedom

for our country.” ■

Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs R. James Nicholson
efense and Veterans Affairs

officials are ironing out details

of programs that will expand

benefits provided through

Servicemembers’ Group 

Life Insurance. 

The $82 billion supplemental 

legislation signed into law by President

Bush May 11 increases maximum SGLI

coverage to $400,000 and provides 

payouts of up to $100,000 for service

members with traumatic injuries,

explained Stephen Wurtz, the VA’s

deputy assistant director for insurance. 

The increased SGLI coverage will

take effect Sept. 1, and the so-called

“traumatic SGLI” benefit, Dec. 1. 

Wurtz said the legislation directs that

both benefits will be retroactive to 

Oct. 7, 2001. 

Traumatic SGLI benefits will be

retroactive for troops who have lost

limbs, eyesight or speech or received

other traumatic injuries as a direct

results of injuries received during

Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi

Freedom. The benefit does not apply 

to service members suffering from 

disease. 

The retroactive coverage increase is

payable as a result of deaths in either

operation, or under other conditions

prescribed by the secretary of defense,

Wurtz said. 

Troops opting for maximum SGLI

coverage — $400,000 vs. the current

$250,000 — will see their monthly 

premiums increase from $16.25 to $26,

Wurtz said. This is based on the rate 

of 6.5 cents per $1,000 of insurance 

coverage. 

SGLI coverage is currently available

in $10,000 increments, but as of Sept. 1,

the increments will increase to $50,000. 

Because the rates have not changed,

service members who retain $250,000 or

less coverage will see no increase in

their premiums, Wurtz said, except for

the $1 “traumatic SGLI” premium. 

While these expanded benefits will

be provided retroactively, affected 

service members won’t be charged

retroactive payments, he said. DoD 

will absorb that cost. 

In a new twist introduced through

the supplemental legislation, troops

with dependents must get their

spouse’s approval to purchase less 

than the full amount of SGLI 

coverage. In the case of members 

who are not married, notice will be 

provided to the designated beneficiary

when the member purchases less than

the maximum coverage. 

While VA staff members consult with

DoD to write regulations that will put

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 3 Deployment Quarterly

D

Surrounded by Hornets

U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Dylan Butler

Aviation Ordnancemen stage ordnance amid parked F/A-18 Hornet and

Super Hornet aircraft on the flight deck aboard the conventionally powered

aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) currently underway in the Pacific

Ocean on June 11. 

New Law To Affect SGLI Payments, Premiums

Continued on Page 4
Medal remain qualified for it, but 

officials said they may apply for the

appropriate new campaign medal 

as well. 

No service member is entitled to

wear all three medals for the same act,

achievement or period of service. 

The area of eligibility for the

Afghanistan Campaign Medal includes

all the country’s land and air spaces.

The Iraq Campaign Medal applies for

service in Iraq, its waters out to 12 

nautical miles, and the airspace over

Iraq and its 12-mile water area. 

To qualify for the awards, service

members must have served in the

appropriate region for 30 consecutive

days or 60 non-consecutive days, 

officials said. 

Each military department will 

serve as the awarding authority for 

the new campaign medals and issue 

regulations for processing, awarding

and wearing them, officials said.

For more information about the 

new medals, go to

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2005/

20050407_517.html ■

the new SGLI benefits into effect,

there are several details that have to

be worked out.

Among the outstanding issues is

the fact that the expanded SGLI 

coverage is part of the supplemental

legislation package that funds 

operations only through Sept. 30.

That’s 30 days after the new SGLI

limit takes effect, and two months

before the traumatic SGLI benefit

begins. 

Wurtz said the VA is confident

Congress will resolve this issue before

there’s any lapse in coverage. 

For more information about the

Servicemembers’ Group Life

Insurance, visit its Web site at

http://www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/SG

LI/SGLI.htm. ■

Continued from Page 3

Deployment Quarterly 4 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

news from around the world

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Kaufmann

U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry

Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, prepare to evacuate a simulated

casualty during a quick reaction force exercise at the East River Range 

outside Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 11. 

Quick Reaction

wo new campaign medals 

recognize service members for

their contributions in Iraq and

Afghanistan.

The Defense Department

announced the Afghanistan

Campaign Medal and Iraq Campaign

Medal for military members who

directly support Operation Enduring

Freedom between Oct. 24, 2001, and a

date to be determined in the future or

Operation Iraqi Freedom between

March 19, 2003, and some future date. 

The new campaign medals were

established by presidential order for

service members who have been

assigned, attached or mobilized to

units operating in these areas, officials

said. 

Until now, service members

deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq

during the designated timeframes

were awarded the Global War on

Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. 

Service members with the Global

War on Terrorism Expeditionary

New Campaign Medals

Recognize Iraq,

Afghanistan Service

T

Each military department will serve

as the awarding authority for the

new Afghanistan Campaign Medal,

top, and Iraq Campaign Medal. 
at all. 

Let’s face

it, there are

unscrupulous people

and companies that

aren’t interested in your health — only making

money. There are so many counterfeit

drugs worldwide that it is as easy to

obtain as counterfeit DVD movies and

music CDs. 

In Germany, I know you can go to

many local pharmacies and obtain

some medications for high blood

pressure or high cholesterol 

While overseas, I found that I

can obtain many medications

without a prescription. These

are legal medications for

blood pressure, diabetes, 

and cholesterol, which in the

United States would require a doctor’s

prescription. I am on active duty, so I

know that I can’t take these medications.

However, my mother uses many of these,

and I could save her a lot of money if I

purchase them there. What’s your 

opinion on this?

Plain and simple, 

“buyer beware.” 

There is a big debate

going on at the highest

levels of government regarding this

exact issue. The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration indicates that more

than 10 million people a year bring in

foreign drugs from Canada, Mexico

and Europe, and an estimated two

million more use mailings and online

pharmacies from overseas. 

Some experts say the numbers are

more staggering than these stated 

figures. 

So, I can’t say people aren’t doing

this and they are saving money.

However, less publicized, is the 

frequency of reports of adulterated

drugs, meaning other stuff found in

it, or sub-potent active ingredients,

and occasionally no active ingredients

When I was deployed in

Southwest Asia, my first 

sergeant spent a lot of time

getting on our case about

drinking enough water and

avoiding heat injuries. Now

that I’m back home in the U.S., do I still

need to worry about this? After all, this

isn’t the desert.

You absolutely need to 

be concerned about 

preventing heat injuries,

even though you are home.

Each year in the United

States, more people die from extreme

heat than from hurricanes, lightning

tornadoes, floods and earthquakes

combined. On average 300 people die

each year in the U.S. from heat-related

injuries. In the military, we routinely

have to battle the heat during training

exercises and even during daily 

physical fitness training. Protecting

yourself against heat injury is not just

for deployment, it’s a full time

responsibility during the hot months

here at home as well.

The best defense against heat 

injury is prevention. Here are 

some prevention tips:

Drink more fluids regardless of

your activity level. Don’t wait until

you are thirsty. 

vaccines, herbs & drugs

ask our experts

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 5 Deployment Quarterly

Q

A

Q

A — Continued on Page 8

— Continued on Page 6

It’s Getting Hot Out There!

HEAT Injuries Don’t

drink 

liquids that

contain 

caffeine,

alcohol, 

or large

amounts of

sugar—

these can

actually

cause you to

lose more

body fluids. Also, avoid very cold

drinks when you are exercising as

these may cause stomach cramps.

Try to stay indoors, preferably in an

air-conditioned environment during

the hottest hours of the day. If you

must be out of doors, try to limit

strenuous physical activity to the

morning and evening hours when it is

Consumer Drug Alert: Be Cautious

When Buying Medicines Over The Web
Defense Department initiative

to transition patient records

from paper to a new digital

health care database is 

scheduled to begin at the

National Naval Medical Center in

Bethesda, Md., Sept. 18. 

The new system, known as the

Composite Health Care System II, or

CHCSII, is an upgraded version of the

original Composite Health Care

System program used by military

health care providers for more than a

decade. CHCSII will allow medical

personnel to enter patient information

directly into an electronic medical

record without needing to first 

handwrite the record of the visit. 

CHCSII will maintain the digital

information in a centralized database,

creating a comprehensive, life-long,

computer-based patient record for

each and every military health 

beneficiary. Furthermore, since the

program acts as a database, hospital

functions like laboratory, radiology

and pathology test results will be

faster. CHCSII will also improve

patient safety through automatic

alerts of potential allergic reactions

and drug-to-drug interactions. 

"CHCSII implementation at our

medical center is an exciting endeavor

that will keep our staff functioning on

the cutting edge of technology," said

Navy Capt. Mark Olesen, National

Naval Medical Center's deputy 

commander. "This is a great change

for our staff and patients, because it

propels us into the future of medicine,

which is a world of immediate digital

access, virtually unlimited and everlasting information storage capacity,

and worldwide connectivity." 

Although CHCSII will not

immediately eliminate the use of

paper records, as hospital officials

point out, it is the first step toward a

more efficient and integrated Navy

medicine. 

"The Navy currently maintains

more than 500 military treatment

facilities throughout the fleet; each

with their own paper records keeping

department. CHCSII will connect us

all to each other with the click of a

keypad," said Navy Capt. Kenneth

Senn, CHCSII project officer at the

hospital. "Eventually, after CHCSII is

implemented worldwide, a sick or

injured sailor treated on a ship

halfway around the world can be

transferred to Bethesda and all of his

medical information is accessible --

even if he didn't have time to grab 

his paper record." 

While the new system will benefit

Navy medicine, CHCSII is not a sea

service specific initiative and is, in

fact, designed to improve joint 

military medical operations.

Proponents of the program have

said CHCSII will improve interoperability between the branch 

services' health care systems through

the use of one centralized system

instead of the current separate 

medical structures for each branch. 

Bethesda is not the first site to 

transition to CHCSII. Several other

military medical facilities have

already undergone implantation,

including Naval Medical Center

Portsmouth, Va. Naval Medical

Center San Diego, Calif., is currently

in its CHCSII implementation process. 

Bethesda's phase-in of CHCSII,

which starts this fall, will involve

installation of new computer systems

and software in all of the hospital's

outpatient clinics. The new program

will also require hands-on and 

lecture training for all clinicians 

who currently work with patients or

paper records. ■

A

relatively cooler.

Drink more fluids (non-alcoholic),

regardless of your activity level. Don’t

wait until you are thirsty to drink.

Don’t drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of

sugar as these actually cause you to

lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very

cold drinks, because they can cause

stomach cramps.

Try to rest often in shady areas.

Wear lightweight, light colored,

loose fitting clothes.

Be aware of the warning signs of

heat injury. Heat stroke is the most

serious kind of heat injury. Heat

injury is marked by an extremely high

body temperature (above 103 degrees

Fahrenheit orally), red, hot, dry skin,

rapid pulse, throbbing headache,

dizziness, confusion or unconsciousness. If someone is displaying any of

these symptoms, you should move

that person to a cool place, and seek

medical help immediately. This is an

emergency. 

A lesser kind of heat injury, which

is still dangerous, is heat exhaustion.

Heat exhaustion is identified by

heavy sweating, paleness, muscle

cramps, weakness, dizziness,

headache, nausea or vomiting. In this

situation, you should move the victim

to a cool place and stop all physical

activity and move to a cool place.

Cool, non-alcoholic beverages should

be given — water is best. A cool

shower or sponge bath may help to

cool the person off as well.

Remember, it is better to prevent

heat injuries than to have to try to 

recognize and treat them after they

have occurred. ■

Editor’s note: This is the last 

column written by Army Col. (Dr.)

Stephen C. Phillips as he is transferring

to be the commander of the medical 

clinic at Fort Detrick in Maryland.

Phillips was the director of deployment

medicine and surveillance in the Office 

of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of

Defense for Force Health Protection 

and Readiness. He was promoted to

colonel on June 22.

Heat Injuries

Deployment Quarterly 6 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

— Continued from Page 5

Military Medical Records Go Paperless

by ellen maurer

national naval medical center 

public affairs
he Army Reserve unveiled a new Web portal in June to

support deployed soldiers and their families. The

Army Reserve Family Programs Portal, at

http://www.arfp.org, is a “one-stop shop” that provides

Army Reserve families with information and services

and enhances communications between soldiers, their 

families and the Army Reserve staff. 

There are more than one million Army Reserve soldiers

ready to support active duty soldiers and serve the nation

when called upon by the president. The Army Reserve has

nearly 62,000 soldiers deployed worldwide. 

The Army Reserve Family Programs staff currently 

provides vital information and services to Army Reserve 

service members and their families. The Army Reserve 

Family Programs Portal replicates this physical family 

support system in a readily accessible virtual environment. 

“Army Reserve soldiers, unlike active duty troops, are 

not centrally located on a military installation,” said 

Michael Evans, family programs manager for the Army

Reserves. “Since {Army Reserve] soldiers are widely 

dispersed across cities, towns and villages in virtually every

state, communicating with them can be more of a challenge.

This new Web portal allows Army Reserve staff to quickly

and effectively communicate with soldiers and their families.

The portal provides soldiers and their families with easy

access to information and services to support their well being.

Ultimately this improves troop readiness by supporting the

soldiers and

their families.”

The Army

Reserve’s

Family

Programs 

Web Portal

provides 

information

and services

to: 

Army

Reserve 

soldiers, both

deployed and

stateside, the

latest Army

Reserve news and information, links to family services 

and updates on family programs, as well as interactive 

online resources.

Families – information on the various programs and 

services available to help family members adjust to change,

deal with challenges related to mobilization, deployment 

and every day living.

Employers – information to help civilian employers 

support their citizen-soldier employees.

Family Programs staff – a readily accessible resource 

for effectively delivering, tracking and reporting the status 

of Family Programs services provided to soldiers 

and their families. ■

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 7 Deployment Quarterly

A member from the 86th Airlift Wing,

Ramstein Air Base, Germany, competes in

the Aerial Port Squadron obstacle course at

McChord Air Force Base, Wash., during the

Air Mobility Expeditionary Rodeo 2005 on

June 22. Rodeo 2005, hosted by Air Mobility

Command, is the Mobility Air Force's 

readiness competition focusing on 

improving worldwide Air Mobility Forces

professional core abilities. 

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Desiree N. Palacios

Up 

And Over

Army Reserve Goes High Tech To Reach Families

New Web Portal Connects Families, Provides One-Stop Source for Support Services

by the army reserve 

family programs office

T

The Army Reserve Family Programs Portal, 

at http://www.arfp.org, is a “one-stop shop” 

that provides Army Reserve families with 

information and services.
he Human Performance

Center has undertaken a 

special project with the First

Naval Construction Division

at Naval Amphibious Base,

Little Creek, Va., to ensure the 

readiness of Navy Seabees deploying

to help fight the war on terror.

The First Naval Construction

Division sought the services of 

Human Performance Center in an

effort to help measure team and unit 

performance, a necessary and 

required skill essential to stand 

ready in the war on terrorism.

“The first project on our plate is the

team readiness assessment,” said Dr.

Aaron U. Bolin, Human Performance

Center Surface Warfare Officer School

Command, human performance

detachment lead psychologist and

First Naval Construction Division

project lead. “This is a hot topic 

project that is war-related.”

With a unique, important mission

and different force structure, the

Seabees have long been believed to be

a different breed of sailor. As one

example, their force structure has

more than half of their billets in the

Naval Reserve. Another example is

how they train. The Navy aviation,

surface and submarine communities

train to deploy, while the Seabees

deploy to train.

Rather than training for a 

deployment, the Atlantic Fleet mobile

construction battalions deploy their

forces to Rota, Spain, or Guam to train

and build their team cohesiveness by

working construction projects. This

gives that sailor who may be an 

equipment operator a chance to work

side-by-side with the electricians,

steelworkers or builders on a construc-

”

Deployment Quarterly 8 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

recommended by the pharmacists, 

without a prescription, and be totally

safe. But unless you are absolutely 

certain of the pharmacy, the 

pharmacist, and the source of the

drugs, I think you are assuming

tremendous risk. If it were my 

family member, there is no way I

would take the risk. 

Currently, rules and laws 

regarding this issue could best be

described as “fuzzy.” My 

recommendation, have your mother

use a reputable stateside pharmacy.

They are regulated in every manner

and the FDA ensures the safety and

efficacy of the drugs.

For more information on buying 

medicines and medical products

over the Internet, go to

http://www.fda.gov and click on

“Buying Medicines Online,” or 

go directly to http://www.fda.gov/

buyonline. 

To read more about importing

drugs from foreign countries, go 

to http://www.fda.gov/importeddrugs. 

For more related information on 

counterfeit medicine and generic

drugs, go to http://www.fda.gov/

counterfeit or http://www.fda.gov/

cder/ogd. ■

Editor’s note: Navy Cmdr. Eugene

de Lara is the assistant department head

in the pharmacy department at the

National Naval Medical Center in

Bethesda, Md. Prior to this assignment,

he was deployed to Iraq for six months.

Drugs Online — Continued from Page 5

HPC Ensures Readiness of Deploying Seabees 

U.S. Navy file photo 

U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Two Four

(NMCB-24) lift a 80-foot wall section for a hospital triage wing currently under 

construction in Iraq. NMCB-24 is deployed to central and western Iraq in 

support Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

by hugh c. laughlin

human performance center public affairs 

T

“

This is a hot topic project

that is war-related.

— Continued on Page 10
eing thrown around in the

dirt after working a 12- to 15-

hour shift in a combat zone

may not be an ideal ending to

the day. But 14 soldiers,

sailors and airmen at Camp Eggers,

Afghanistan, volunteered for it.

They were students in the Marine

Corps Martial Arts tan belt course

that teaches basic close-combat techniques. The two-week class ran five

days a week from 6 to 9 p.m. and was

taught by U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery

Sgt. Douglas Yagel, senior non-commissioned officer of the Office of

Military Cooperation Afghanistan’s

Air Plans section, with the help of 

former graduates of the class. 

Yagel decided to teach the martial

arts program here for a couple of 

reasons. Since he is a certified 

instructor, it is part of his job to teach

martial arts. So it keeps his skills

sharp. He has instructed more than 50

people since his arrival in Kabul. 

“Once you are an instructor, at least

for me, you feel the need to teach,”

Yagel said. 

He also thought training a small

group of people would allow the

combat mentality to trickle down to

others in the students’ units. 

The Marine Corps Martial Arts

Program has

evolved with

the everchanging

styles and

concepts of

combat. It

incorporates

techniques

from various

established

martial arts.

The program

consists of a

belt-ranking

system with

five basic

levels: tan,

gray, green,

brown and

black belt.

Black belts can attain one of six

degrees of black belt skill. 

Each student learned and was 

tested on techniques they could need

in various situations. The techniques

included how to restrain people who

grab them from behind, how to get

out of headlocks and choke holds,

and how to stop a person from taking

a weapon from them. 

The tan belt class is made up of

three parts that work together to

“produce a warrior:” physical, 

mental and character training. 

“It can’t be all physical training.

You can teach anybody how to kill,

but if they don’t have the character

side and the mental side, they won’t

use [the training] in the proper 

context,” Yagel said. “It is about

knowing when and where to use 

the techniques.” 

Yagel and the other instructors had

to be creative when planning the

physical conditioning because the

space and training aids are limited

here. He said the altitude was a concern also, since Kabul is 5,900 feet

above sea level. 

The purpose of the mental training

was to get the students thinking more

about their surroundings and to be

ready for anything. He believes 

everyone here should be in a combat

mindset, assessing the intent of 

everyone around and always 

thinking like the enemy. 

Yagel gave classes on what to look

for when outside Camp Eggers

in the city of Kabul and on 

the process of thinking through each

situation. He taught the students how

to be aware of the possibility that

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 9 Deployment Quarterly

Marine Shares

Combat Skills 

With Members 

of Other Services

by air force staff sgt. victoria meyer

office of military cooperation afghanistan

Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Victoria Meyer

U.S. Army Capt. Thomas Ficarra uses a leg sweep to take down

Army Lt. Col. Rick Noriega. The students of the Marine Corps

Martial Arts Program tan belt course were required to properly

execute 47 techniques to receive their tan belt qualification. 

B

”

“

We are in a combat zone. It is

easier to relate it to everyday,

real-world situations.

— Continued on Page 10
Deployment Quarterly 10 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

tion project to build their team and

unit, thus deploying to train.

To build their teams, the Seabees’

version of this assessment is much

like the bill of goods, albeit one of

human capital, where they have a

very detailed list of personnel with

certain skills, according to Bolin.

“They have a very detailed list of

skills, but does it translate into 

readiness at the team level?” Bolin

said. “They know what all the pieces

are, but assimilating all the pieces

together to form a combat-ready 

contingency construction force to be

deployed to the field to build in a

hostile environment is what we’ll be

helping them to do.”

The Human

Performance Center

currently has more

than 25 human 

performance detachments throughout the

Navy’s operational,

training and 

acquisition 

communities. The 

center completed

more than 20 pilot

projects this past year,

with teams focusing

on improving

weapons handling,

flight deck safety and air intercept

controller performance, as well as

reducing training costs and oil spill

occurrences. Human Performance

Center personnel have also been

completing multiple job task 

analyses in support of the revolution

in training and sea warrior. ■

something could go wrong. 

The techniques taught were the

same Marines learn in boot camp. 

But, Yagel said, the class is a little 

different here. 

“We are in a combat zone. It is 

easier to relate it to everyday, 

real-world situations. So the 

mentality is different,” he said. 

“After the class, you could go out 

the gate to go home and be 

confronted with a situation that you

just learned about.” 

The class was challenging for 

every student. 

“I wanted

to learn some

basic combat

martial arts

skills. But I

really wanted

to prove to

myself, and

others, that I

could do it. I

knew it was

going to be

physically

tough, and I

did not want 

to quit once I

started it,”

said Air Force

Lt. Col.

Timothy Doty.

“I received 

valuable 

skills, and

many bruises,

out of the

class.” 

“It is all a state of mind,” said

Army Maj. Miguel Gonzalez as 

beads of sweat dripped from his 

forehead. Gonzalez had just 

passed the test for his tan belt. 

For some students, this was 

more than a chance to learn 

martial arts techniques. 

“As a staff officer you don’t get 

the opportunity to break a sweat 

and get in the dirt with the soldiers 

as often as you used to,” said 

Army Lt. Col. Rick Noriega. “I am 

47 years old. I will never again have

the opportunity to get this training

— and it is free!” 

Everyone who started the class

graduated — which is above 

average. Yagel said the average is 

10 graduates in a class of 12. 

“I knew everyone would 

graduate,” Yagel said. “They proved

themselves every time they came to

‘the pit.’ The true test is making it

through the day-to-day training and

the combat-conditioning drills.” 

The day before they tested for

their belt, Yagel told his class, 

“This class will not teach you 

everything you need to know, but 

it will get you into the right frame 

of mind. It will build a warrior 

mentality.” ■

Combat Skills

— Continued from Page 9

Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Victoria Meyer

Students of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program tan belt

course execute various "takedown" techniques in a sand pit.

Everyone who started the class graduated. Marine Corps

Gunnery Sgt. Douglas Yagel who taught the two-week course

said the average is 10 graduates in a class of 12.

Seabees

— Continued from Page 8

U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Mark Overstreet

Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction

Battalion Two Four (NMCB-24) use bulldozers to

prepare for construction of facilities for Iraqi Security

Forces.
lean air, water and soil – 

without these key resources

Balad Air Base could not 

function. 

With that in mind the

Airmen of the 332nd

Expeditionary Medical Support

Squadron bio-environmental 

engineering flight work around the

clock making sure these resources are

safe for the entire base populace.

“We identify and eliminate 

environmental and occupational 

hazards so that Air Force members

deployed here can spend time with

their grandchildren 30 years from

now,” said 1st Lt. Kevin Tloczynski,

332nd EMEDS bioenvironmental 

engineering flight chief. 

The flight, which includes the 

lieutenant, one staff sergeant and a

senior airman all deployed from

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, has

conducted 25 drinking water 

samples, four air samples, three 

radiation swipe samples and two

depleted uranium samples.

“The water surveillance is 

especially important here,” said Staff

Sgt. Brian Lohr, 332nd EMEDS 

bioenvironmental engineering flight

non-commissioned officer-in-charge.

“We have to monitor the drinking

water often to ensure its potable for

Air Force personnel.”

In addition to testing key

resources, the flight also conducts

shop visits to make sure Airmen

working with hazardous materials

are doing so safely. 

“We identify, characterize and 

recommend ways to mitigate 

environmental and occupational 

hazards,” said Tloczynski. “These

hazards could be anything from heat

stress and noise to radiation.”

Since their arrival, Tloczynski’s

flight has inspected 25 shops. Some 

of the aspects they inspect include 

chemical exposure; thermal stress;

ergonomics; blood borne pathogens;

hazardous waste management; 

radiation; welding, cutting and 

brazing operations; personal 

protective equipment and 

respiratory equipment.

“We are here to protect the 

worker,” said Lohr.

Tloczynski added that in 

addition to their everyday jobs, the 

bioenvironmental engineering team

must also be ready to respond to 

hazardous threats or incidents at a

moment’s notice.

“We use our technical expertise to

characterize radiological, chemical

and biological hazards and make 

recommendations to the incident

commander,” said the lieutenant. 

“We are on call 24/7 just in case.”

With their deployment half over,

the team continues to remain focused

on their tasks at hand.

“We’re here to protect the health 

of the airmen here and will 

continue to do so until we’re gone,”

said the lieutenant. ■

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 11 Deployment Quarterly

by staff sgt. lindsey maurice

332nd air expeditionary wing

public affairs

Bio-environmental Engineers Eliminating Base Hazards 

C

Senior Airman Aubrey Pabon

checks a water sample for 

contamination using a blacklight. She is a bioenvironmental 

engineering technician with the

332nd Aerospace Medical

Squadron. 

U.S. Air Force photo by 

Senior Airman Tim Beckham 

Staff Sgt. Brian Lohr and Senior 

Airman Jennifer Heath of the 332nd

Expeditionary Medical Support

Squadron bioenvironmental flight use

a HAZCAT kit to identify a test sample.

Air Force photo by Senior Airman Adam Bradford 
Deployment Quarterly 12 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

everely injured service members

and their families have a new

resource to help them put their

lives back together after the

service member’s injury. Service

members and their families can call

the toll-free number at (888) 774-1361

for information and referrals. 

That phone number is the 24/7 

helpline for the Military Severely

Injured Joint Support Operations

Center. 

“The center is the Defense

Department’s program to help 

severely injured service members and

their families,” said Navy Cmdr. Dave

Julian, the center’s director of 

operations. Military services will 

continue to help severely injured 

service members through existing 

programs such as the Army’s

“Disabled Soldier Support System”

and Marine’s “Marine For Life” 

programs. The new program will 

augment those services with special

emphasis on supporting families.

Julian explained that the center’s

definition of “severely injured” is any

injury that affects an individual’s

quality of life. He also said the center

will try to help anyone that contacts

them.

When a service member or family

member calls the center for the first

time he or she is assigned a care 

manager. That care manager follows

the case for as long as they need 

assistance offering help as needed

with case management, hospitalization, financial support, education and

employment assistance, information

on Department of Veterans Affairs

benefits, family counseling,

local community resources

and child care support. The

care managers are all 

registered nurses who 

have experience working with 

disability patients.

Early successes for the center

include helping a Marine lance 

corporal who was injured in a motor

vehicle accident. Julian said, case 

managers were able to help get the

corporal an early appointment and

made sure the paperwork was taken

care of. 

The center also helped an Army 

sergeant get promoted. The sergeant,

then a corporal, was hospitalized for

long enough to require reassignment

to the military hospital. Under current

policies, his promotion would have

been delayed until he joined a new

unit. The care manager helped the

medical facility staff coordinate with

the Army’s Human Resources

Command to get the soldier promoted

while he was assigned to the hospital,

said Julian.

A National Guard member 

contacted the center because he was

having trouble getting a determination

of disability from Veterans Affairs.

According to Julian, a center care

manager helped the member contact

the VA. The VA awarded the National

Guard soldier an interim disability

rating and expedited the processing 

of his claim.

A Regional Advocacy Program

A regional counselor/advocates

program will augment the helpline.

The ombudsmen will act as extensions

of the care managers. They will

identify needs and connect resources

to families. Julian said the

counselor/advocate will be located at

military treatment facilities and VA

hospitals throughout the country.

Counselor/advocates can meet with

service members and their families

and offer them face-to-face assistance. 

The center’s staff also includes 

representatives from all the military

services, DoD’s Health Affairs,

Reserve Affairs, the VA and the

Transportation Security Agency. The

center has chartered working groups

to address particular areas of need.

Working groups coordinate issues,

identify resources and ensure an 

integrated approach to problems 

facing severely injured service 

members and their families. Areas 

that working groups are concentrating

on included financial support, 

information technology, VA benefits,

family center support, Federal 

government hiring policies, 

non-government employment 

opportunities, service injured 

support programs, policies, and 

private organizations.

Through the center, the

Transportation Security Agency offers

severely injured service members

assistance clearing airport security

when traveling. It can be difficult for

severely injured service members to

pass through normal screening 

procedures. The TSA representative

can arrange for individual screening 

at passenger control points so the

injured service member can move 

efficiently through screening without

slowing other passengers. 

Julian said the center provides

seamless support as long as it may

take to assure that injured service

members and families achieve the

highest level of functioning and 

quality of life. 

“At the end of the day, it’s always

all about the service members and

their families,” Julian said. ■

DoD Provides Severely Injured 

Troops With A New Resource

by harry sarles

deployment health support 

S

“

”

At the end of the day, it’s always 

all about the service members 

and their families.
bout 400 Infantry trainees

and cadre are testing 

several different types of

combat eye protection 

that might eventually be

issued to all soldiers.

Army Col. Chuck Adams, the 

senior optometry consultant for the

Army’s Office of the Surgeon General,

said the goal is to achieve a “culture

change” from vision correction for

some soldiers, to eye protection for

all.

“We’re talking about putting 

eyewear on half a million soldiers,”

Adams said. “And, it’s not so much

about which product we choose, but

the training. Combat eye protection is

embraced for deployed soldiers. We

need to embrace it for all soldiers.”

Eye injuries represent almost 16

percent of all injuries in Iraq and

Afghanistan since March 2003,

according to statistics from the office

of the surgeon general.

As part of the Military Combat Eye

Protection Program, the office of the

surgeon general and the team from

the Program Executive Office Soldier

at Fort Belvoir, Va., are hoping the 

soldiers in B Company, 1st Battalion,

50th Infantry Regiment, and D

Company,

1st

Battalion,

329th

Infantry

Regiment,

will have

some

good 

feedback

on three sets of spectacles.

“Eye injuries hit the radar post-1972

and the Arab-Israeli Wars,” said Lt.

Col. Emery Fehl, chief of optometry at

Martin Army Community Hospital

and Fort Benning’s Military Combat

Eye Protection Program liaison. 

In subsequent years, the Army

researched and developed spectacles

and goggles designed to combat a

laser threat by blocking certain 

wavelengths. That, he said, is where

the Army’s current offerings, with

their multiple lenses, came in. But

the eyewear adopted in 1994, and

issued in 1998, didn’t pass muster

with the soldiers.

Sarah Morgan-Clyborne, who 

has been working the eyewear

issues with PEO Soldier for about 

12 years said the second generation

items, intended to provide spectacles

and goggles that would share lenses,

provide ballistic protection and 

support prescription lenses, was

unsuccessful.

“We did not design a frame that

was acceptable to soldiers,” 

Morgan-Clyborne said. “Protection

was important, but not a 

motivating factor.”

The missing factor? 

“It was a great product,” Adams

said. “But it doesn’t look like an

Oakley and doesn’t look cool.”

So, the Army entered the formal

contracting process with several 

commercial vendors, MorganClyborne said, and also receives 

unsolicited proposals.

“We evaluate [the eyewear] for

industry safety standards and 

ballistic fragmentation protection,

then rank the products and place

them on an authorized protective 

eyewear list,” she said. 

Individual commanders can select

eyewear for their unit from that list.

Right now, the ballistic protection

piece is more important than the 

laser threat, Fehl said. Of the 345 

eye injuries evacuated from Iraq and

Afghanistan after March 2003, three

soldiers are totally blind and 44 

have total loss of vision in one eye.

But eye injuries aren’t limited to

combat operations. 

Adams said one of his first patients

— as a young doctor in Germany —

was a sergeant with a prosthetic eye

because of an accident on a range.

“We want to protect soldiers’

vision,” Adams said. “One of the

ways to do that is by issuing [combat

eye protection] to every soldier.”

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 13 Deployment Quarterly

research

A

Army Testing New

Types Of Eye

Protection

by melissa house

fort benning, ga.

Photo by Melissa House 

Pfcs. Matthew Brugeman, left, and Michael Brock move off 

the range at Fort Benning, Ga., wearing the clear lenses in their new

combat eye protection, and Brock has prescription inserts.

“

”

We want to protect soldiers’

vision, and one of the ways to

do that is by issuing CEP to 

every soldier.

— Continued on Page 14
Fort Benning is the only installation

conducting the combat eye protection

test, and Fehl said the end number 

of around 400 makes this test 

more valid.

“This is the right place to do this

testing,” Fehl said. 

On April 8 and 9, the two 

companies received a mass issue of

the first set of combat eye protection,

the UVEX XC. Soldiers wore them

during field training for two weeks,

and then critiqued them.

In May, soldiers from B Company,

1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment.

put the second set — ESS ICE 2 

spectacles — through the paces on 

the range. The soldiers have yet to 

see the revision sawfly, the third set

they’ll test. 

Based on the data, the company

will wear the preferred combat eye

protection during their seven-day

capstone field exercise.

Pvt. Duncan Kiruthi, a B Company

soldier, doesn’t normally wear eye

protection. During the first day on the

range, Kiruthi had reservations.

“I’m not feeling confident,” he said. 

But Kiruthi thought since it was his

first time firing a weapon it would get

better and didn’t expect the eyewear

to be a factor. One of the company’s

drill sergeants, Staff Sgt. Jefferson

Negus, said the soldiers, and some of

the cadre, have been putting the 

combat eye protection on every time

they don their Kevlar and equipment.

“The glasses are getting a full set of

abuse,” Negus said. “We’ve had

breakage, but we haven’t seen a 

pattern. They seem to be fitting the

durability standard.”

He said he felt much more 

protected, and the two glasses he’s

tried are light enough not to bother

him. Negus, a combat veteran who

served with the 101st Airborne

Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, said

his unit had eye protection, but it was

a personal choice whether or not to

wear it.

“That’s what we’re trying to

change,” Adams said. “We want to

instill the feeling that something’s

missing when they walk outside

[without eyewear]. Soldiers are 

willing to walk around garrison with

a little bit of blur, but out in the

desert, they want the best possible

vision. They must train as they fight.”

Training as they fight means 

soldiers would be issued combat eye

protection, frame of choice and 

protective mask inserts for those 

soldiers needing corrective lenses, 

and combat eye protection for those

without a need. The Army currently

only issues S-9 glasses to initial entry

soldiers who need vision correction.

Issuing the combat eye protection

to all soldiers is a move Negus thinks

is long overdue. 

“I don’t think the soldiers see the

value in them yet, “ Negus said. But

another of B Company’s soldiers likes

the idea and said the glasses are

working well for him.

“They have saved me a couple of

times already from getting an eye

injury,” said Pvt. Joseph DeLair,

“especially during land nav 

walking through the woods and 

bushes.”

While the combat eye protection

will cost an average of $16 to $40 per

soldier, Adams said it will be partially

offset by no longer issuing the S-9

glasses soldiers don’t like.

“It’s tough to talk numbers,”

Adams said. “But the important point

is — if you lose one eye, the Army

pays a soldier upwards of $1 million

for disability.” ■

Deployment Quarterly 14 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

Eyewear Test — Continued from Page 13

Germ Warfare

Capt. Gabrielle Childs (left) and

Staff Sgt. Becky Patterson sort

sand flies and mosquitoes that

will be tested for insect-borne

diseases that threaten U.S.

forces deployed to Iraq. They

are assigned to the 447th

Expeditionary Medical

Squadron's public health flight.

Childs is deployed from Luke

Air Force Base, Ariz., and

Patterson is deployed from

Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 

U.S. Air Force photo by 

Tech. Sgt. Brian Davidson 
or a seriously injured Marine,

getting to medical treatment is

just the first step in a long and

difficult journey back to duty or

a medical retirement. Along the

way, the Marine and his family will

have to deal with myriad issues from

medical, financial and administrative

to understanding benefits, evaluation

boards and much more. Fortunately,

they don’t have to face these 

challenges alone. 

The Marine Corps has a long 

history of caring for its own and now

there’s a formal program to ensure the

unique needs of seriously injured

Marines (including sailors injured

while serving with Marines) and their

families are met. The new Marine For

Life-Injured Support program will

provide information, advocacy and

assistance from the time of injury

through return to full duty or 

transition to the Department of

Veterans Affairs, up to one year 

after separation. 

“Our job is to minimize the 

difficulties and worries families face 

as they navigate the stressful and 

confusing process,” said Col. Bill Lake,

Marine For Life Program Manager.

“Our goal is to ensure that no Marine

is ‘left behind’ as they transition from

military care to the Veterans Affairs.”

After talking with many injured

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 15 Deployment Quarterly

New Marine Corps Program Helps the

Seriously Injured And Their Families

by major carolyn dysart

marine for life public affairs

MARINE FOR LIFE: Injured Support

Marines, their families, doctors and

commanders, and in conjunction with

extensive research by Headquarters

Marine Corps, the Commandant of

the Marine Corps established the 

program at the end of 2004 and 

operations began in early 2005.

Planned features of the program

include:

● Advocacy for Marines, sailors and

their families within the Marine

Corps and with external agencies; 

● Pre- and post-service separation

assistance and follow up; 

● Assistance in working with 

physical evaluation boards; 

● Educational and interactive web

pages on the M4L website for 

disability/benefit information that

can be accessed by injured

Marines or sailors, their family

members as well as commands

needing to learn more about

injury support mechanisms and

organizations available;

● Enhanced Military “One Source”

capability for 24/7, 365 days 

disability information; 

● Facilitation/assistance with 

organizations and businesses 

willing to hire injured; 

● Coordination with veterans, 

public, and private organizations

providing support to our 

seriously injured; 

● Improved cooperation with the

Department of Veterans Affairs in

the handling of Marine cases; and

● Development of any required 

proposals for legislative changes

to better support our Marines and

sailors. 

“We’re going to change the systems

and paradigms and overcome the

obstacles that have plagued injured

Marines and their families as they try

to obtain the care and benefits they

need to live as normal a life as 

possible,” said Lake, who conducted

much of the research and designed

the program. 

“A key element is improving the

Marine Corps communication with

and understanding of the VA,” 

added Lake.

A Marine officer has been assigned

to the Seamless Transition office at 

VA headquarters to facilitate Marine

cases.

According to Lake, adding the 

mission of taking care of injured

Marines and their families is a natural

fit for the Marine For Life program

which has an established nationwide

network of Marine-friendly 

businesses and support organizations. 

The Marine For Life Web site —

http://www.M4L.usmc.mil — will

become a clearinghouse of 

information for injured Marines, 

their families and others involved in

supporting them. Already the 

Web site includes news and 

information on the recovery process,

benefits, benevolent organizations,

and injury types, as well as links to

helpful Web sites. 

Most of the seriously injured

Marines will eventually transition

F

“

”

Our job is to minimize the 

difficulties and worries families face

as they navigate the stressful 

and confusing process.

— Continued on Page 16
home so the Marine For Life 

transition assistance program is

adjusting its network to identify 

community resources and mentors 

for disabled Marines as well as 

disability-friendly employers and job

opportunities. A survey of registered

Marine For Life employers conducted

in January 2005 revealed that 40 

percent had positions for disabled

Marines.

“The Marine Corps is committed to

taking care of injured Marines and

their families. We’re trying to 

engineer solutions and develop 

a program that will make a 

difference – not just look good,”

said Lake.

The program is currently being

introduced by Marine For Life 

staffers to Marines, sailors and 

their families at Bethesda Naval

Hospital and Walter Reed Army

Hospital in the Washington, D.C.,

area with a plan to expand to all

major Naval hospitals as soon as

possible. Marines who have

already been medically 

discharged are being contacted

by telephone. ■

Marine For Life

Deployment Quarterly 16 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

Injured Marines, sailors or family

members needing assistance can call

toll-free (866) 645 - 8762 or email at

injuredsupport@M4L.usmc.mil. 

For immediate, 24-hour response,

the Military Severely Injured Joint

Support Operations Center can be

reached by calling toll-free

(888) 774-1361. 

— Continued from Page 16 For More Information

Military OneSource Offers One-Stop

Information, Counseling

by lisa gates

deployment health support

he Department of Defense 

recognizes that service

members and their family

members have many

questions about life

issues, but that it can often be 

challenging to find the answers. In

response to this concern, the DoD

established Military OneSource, a

free, 24-hour, seven days a week

information center and Web site

where active duty, National Guard

and Reservists and their 

families can find information on 

parenting and child care, tips on

military life and relocation, work

and education programs, and 

much more. 

Military OneSource also provides

monthly email newsletters filled

with a variety of topics as well as

weekly online polls.

Military OneSource was created in

an effort to reshape and modernize

many of the military family support

programs already established within

DoD. Many of the family support

programs were designed during

World War II, when fewer troops

were married and had families.

Today, more than half of the active

duty, Guard and Reserve force are

married and have different needs

from their counterparts some 40

years ago.

By creating new programs and

using improved technology, DoD is

able to make the programs more

effective and more efficient for the

service members and their families.

Military OneSource contains a

wealth of information and advice as

well as pointers to services ranging

from counseling either by phone or

in person by masters-level 

consultants, to information on 

family support, emotional support,

debt management, and legal issues,

among other topics, all at no cost to

the service member. 

Once on the Web site, to protect

confidentiality, users will be asked

only for their branch of service and

installation. 

"Formerly, Military OneSource

was service-specific," said John

Molino, deputy undersecretary of

defense for military community and

family policy. "Now the information

is all on one Web site, available at

one common phone number and

part of one great family service." 

Military OneSource can be

accessed via the Internet at

http://www.militaryonesource.com.

People who use this site will need a

user ID and a password. 

For those who prefer talking to a

person, military members and 

family members can call toll-free in

the United States by dialing 

(800) 342-9647. 

If stationed outside of the United

States, call the international toll-free

number at (800) 3-429-6477 or 

international collect at 

(484) 530-5947. ■

T
he Air Force spent 

countless dollars and

numerous lost man-hours

in the treatment of 56

civilian contractors at a

deployed location whose unit 

“mascot” exposed them to rabies.

The situation was entirely 

preventable and caused a massive

drain on mission resources, Air

Combat Command officials said.

“Not only did this failure to follow

the rules put lives at risk, it placed a

tremendous burden on the local

medical treatment facility, 

encumbered the theater logistics 

system, and diverted mission focus,”

said Air Force Col. Ken Hall, ACC

Deputy Command Surgeon.

The contractors had adopted a

stray dog that later became infected

with rabies. It bit a number of people

over four days and was eventually

quarantined. It died the next day and

tested positive for rabies.

General Order 1A is designed to

prevent this type of situation from

occurring among service members. It

prohibits service members from

“adopting, as pets or mascots, caring

for or feeding any type of domestic

or wild animals.”

While some units in the area of

operations may have adopted wild

and stray animals as unit mascots,

this seemingly harmless activity is a

potential recipe for disaster, Hall

said.

“The human-animal bond is

strongest in times of stress, like when

you’re far from home and potentially

in harm’s way. Ironically, these 

animals can be far more dangerous

than comforting — to the point of

t Yokota Air Base in Japan,

there’s an airman who 

constructs, assembles,

repairs and adjusts 

orthopedic appliances to

help injured people in the Pacific

Region get back on their feet. 

“[I] help people with disabling 

conditions improve their degree of

function to a healthy level,” said

Master Sgt. Nathan Simonson, an

orthotic laboratory technician with

the 374th Medical Group. 

The lab here, more commonly

known as the “brace shop,” is the

only one within Pacific Air Forces.

Simonson, the only orthotic technician

here, said about 1,000 people from

bases across the Pacific region visit his

clinic annually. His patients’ ailments

result from traumatic injury,

congenital problems, fractures, 

arthritis, muscular dystrophy, 

multiple sclerosis and muscle, tendon

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 17 Deployment Quarterly

— Continued on Page 18

A

health beat

Airman Helps People Get Back On Their Feet

by master sgt. val gempis

air force print news

and cartilage tears. The technician

said his goal is to help patients restore

their mobility and prevent or limit

disability. 

Working under the supervision of

U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis

Master Sgt. Nathan Simonson makes adjustments on a positive plaster mold.

The orthotic lab technician makes, assembles and repairs orthopedic 

appliances for patients who require protective support or correction because of

bone or muscle injury, impairment disease or deformity. He is assigned to the

374th Medical Group at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

orthopedic physicians, Simonson

carefully follows prescriptions. He

evaluates each patient and takes

measurements or casts of their

RABIES: A Threat To Deployed Missions

by 2nd lt. jason mckernan

air combat command public affairs

T

— Continued on Page 18
loss of life — and that’s why GO-1A exists,” Hall

explained.

According to information published by the World

Health Organization, most of the 55,000 rabies deaths 

reported annually occur in Asia and Africa. Exposure to

rabid dogs accounts for 99 percent of rabies deaths 

worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention.

While there are aggressive 

ownership and immunization 

programs in the United States,

similar programs are virtually

nonexistent in the AOR, 

Hall said.

Anyone who is scratched or

bitten by any animal should

thoroughly clean the wound

with soap and water and seek

medical attention as rapidly as

possible, the colonel explained.

“We can effectively prevent

rabies after exposure, but you

have to get the treatment,” Hall

said.

The treatment for rabies is 

completed by receiving a series

of shots over a 28-day period,

but people who fail to seek 

treatment are at a very high risk.

Once the rabies symptoms develop, death is the typical

outcome.

Airmen who are deploying to the Southwest Asia AOR

must understand the practices prohibited by General

Order 1A, Hall said.

“It’s really everyone’s responsibility to know and follow

the rules, but leadership is the key,” said Hall.

“Commanders have to communicate and enforce the 

general order — the risk is too great.” ■

Families and friends wait as the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS

Mercy (T-AH 19) prepares to moor at Naval Station San Diego. Mercy is returning

from a five-month deployment in support of tsunami relief efforts and 

humanitarian aide missions to various Southeast Asia nations. Naval Medical

Center San Diego and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Calif., hosted a 

welcoming arms festival June 11 to celebrate the return home of their deployed

members on behalf of the hospital staffs, families and friends that supported them

during their deployment.

Deployment Quarterly 18 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

extremities to make, fit and repair the

appropriate orthopedic device. Using

drills, saws, shears, punches, sanders,

grinders and sewing machines, he

makes a wide variety of orthoses to

treat almost every part of the body. 

“It’s a detailed-oriented and 

laborious job that requires good 

hand-to-eye coordination,” he said.

“You need a basic knowledge of

anatomy, physiology and kinesiology

[as well as] learn how to work with

metals and plastics here.”

He has made hundreds of items

ranging from intricate back braces to

custom foot orthotics. Although the

brace shop specializes in custom 

bracing, the lab also carries a wide

variety of prefabricated, 

over-the-counter devices for treating 

a lot of different and more common

diagnoses. But Simonson said the

most important part of his

job is a good evaluation. 

“Not all treatments are the

same,” he said. “Everyone

has different needs. There are

a lot of joints and bones in

the body.”

Simonson said knowing 

his patient’s work

environment helps him do

his job better. Mechanics and

flightline airmen work 

outside for hours. Custom

insoles for their boots help

ease pressure on their feet, 

he said. Having a properly

made orthotic device absorbs

shocks, provides support and

relieves pressure on 

uncomfortable sore spots. 

“It’s a very rewarding job,”

Simonson said. “People are

very appreciative of what I do for

them. It’s great to see the smiles 

U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis

Master Sgt. Nathan Simonson makes a 

shoulder orthosis. The orthotic lab technician

makes, assembles and repairs orthopedic

appliances for patients who require protective

support or correction because of bone 

or muscle injury, impairment disease or 

deformity. 

— Continued from Page 17

Orthotics

on their faces after regaining their

health.” ■

USNS Mercy:

Mission

Accomplished

Rabies

— Continued from Page 17
http://deploymentlink.osd.mil • Summer 2005 19 Deployment Quarterly

resource guide

Air Force Association

1501 Lee Highway

Arlington, VA 22209-1198

Phone: (800) 727 - 3337

http://www.afa.org

Air Force Sergeants Association

5211 Auth Road

Suitland, Md 20746

Phone: (800) 638 - 0594 

or (301) 899 - 3500

http://www.afsahq.org/

American Legion

1608 K St., NW

Washington, DC 20006

Phone: (202) 861- 2700

http://www.legion.org

American Red Cross

17th & D Streets, NW

Washington, DC 20006

Phone: (202) 639 - 3520

http://www.redcross.org

AMVETS

4647 Forbes Blvd.

Lanham, MD 20706

Phone: (877) 726 - 8387

http://www.amvets.org

Army Retirement Services

ATTN: DAPE-RSO

200 Stovall Street

Alexandria, VA 22332-0470

Phone: (703) 325 - 9158

http://www.armyg1.army.mil/retire

Association of the U.S. Army

2425 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (800) 336 - 4570

http://www.ausa.org

Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20400

Phone: (202) 273 - 4300

http://www.va.gov

Disabled American Veterans

807 Maine St., SW

Washington, DC 20024

Phone: (202) 554 - 3501

http://www.dav.org 

Enlisted Association of 

the National Guard

3133 Mount Vernon Ave.

Alexandria, VA 22305

Phone: (800) 234 - 3264 

http://www.eangus.org

Fleet Reserve Association

125 N. West St.

Alexandria, VA 22314-2754

Phone: (703) 683 - 1400

http://www.fra.org

Marine Corps Association

715 Broadway St.

Quantico, VA 22134

Phone: (866) 622 - 1775

http://www.mca-marines.org

Marine Corps League

8626 Lee Highway, Suite 201

Merrifield, VA 22031

Phone: (800) 625 - 1775

http://www.mcleague.org

Military Officers Association

201 N. Washington St.

Alexandria, VA 22314

Phone: (800) 234 - 6622

http://www.moaa.org

Military Order of the Purple Heart 

5413-B Backlick Road 

Springfield, VA 22151-3960 

Phone: (703) 642 - 5360 

http://www.purpleheart.org

National Association for 

Uniformed Services

5535 Hempstead Way

Springfield, VA 22151

Phone: (800) 842 - 3451

http://www.naus.org

National Committee for Employer

Support of the Guard and Reserve

1555 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200

Arlington, VA 22209-2405

Phone: (800) 336 - 4590

http://www.esgr.org

National Guard Association of 

the United States

1 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 789 - 0031

http://www.ngaus.org

National Military Family Association

2500 North Van Dorn St., Suite 102

Alexandria, VA 22302

Phone: (800) 260 - 0218

http://www.nmfa.org

Naval Reserve Association

1619 King St.

Alexandria, VA 22314-2793

Phone: (703) 548 - 5800

http://www.navy-reserve.org

Navy League

2300 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (800) 356 - 5760

http://www.navyleague.org

Non-Commissioned Officers 

Association

610 Madison St.

Alexandria, VA 22314

Phone: (703) 549 - 0311

http://www.ncoausa.org

Paralyzed Veterans of America

801 Eighteenth St., NW

Washington, DC 20006-3517

Phone: (800) 424 - 8200

http://www.pva.org

**NEW**
Deployment Quarterly 20 Summer 2005 • http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

resource guide

Reserve Officers Association

1 Constitution Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20002

Phone: (800) 809 - 9448

http://www.roa.org

Reserve Enlisted Association

1 Constitution Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20002

Phone: (202) 646 - 7758

http://www.reaus.org

Veterans of Foreign Wars

200 Maryland Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20002

Phone: (202) 543 - 2239

http://www.vfw.org

Vietnam Veterans of America

8605 Cameron Street, Suite 400

Silver Spring, MD 20910-3710

Phone: (301) 585 - 4000

http://www.vva.org

Direct Helpline for Service Members,

Veterans and Families

(800) 497 – 6261

Deployment Health Clinical Care

Center

(800) 769 – 9699 or from Europe 

00 – 800 – 8666 – 8666

Marine For Life

(866) 645-8762

Military OneSource

(800) 342-9647

Military Severely Injured 

Joint Support Operations Center

(888) 774-1361

TRICARE Active Duty Programs 

(active duty and family members)

(888) DOD – CARE 

or (888) 363 – 2273

TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy 

Express Scripts 

(866) 363 – 8667

TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) 

United Concordia 

(800) 866 – 8499

TRICARE Pharmacy Program 

(877) DOD – MEDS 

or (877) 363 – 6337

TRICARE For Life

(888) DOD – LIFE 

or (888) 363 – 5433

Department of Defense

http://www.defenselink.mil

DeploymentLINK

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

GulfLINK

http://www.gulflink.osd.mil

MedSearch

http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/medsearch

DeployMed

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/

deploymed/

KIDSLINK

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/kidslink

PDhealth

http://www.pdhealth.mil

Hooah4Health

http://www.hooah4health.com/

TRICARE

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/

Department of Veterans Affairs

http://www.va.gov

Phone Resources

Internet Resources

TRICARE Retiree Dental Plan

Delta Dental 

(888) 838 – 8737 

Defense Enrollment Eligibility 

Reporting Systems (DEERS) 

(800) 538 – 9552

TRICARE Online 

(866) DOD – EWEB 

or (866) 363 – 3932

Department of Veterans Affairs

(800) 827 – 1000

VA Benefits and Services

(877) 222 – VETS 

or (877) 222 – 8387

**NEW**

**NEW**

**NEW**