The Official USU Newsletter

Learning to Care for Those in Harm’s Way

Volume 10, Issue 16 n September 14, 2015

www.usuhs.edu
2 the pulse September 14, 2015

On the cover

GSN Dean Completes AACN-Wharton 

Leadership Fellowship Program

by Sharon Holland

Air Force 2nd Lt. Sapna Gopalasubramanian raises her hand to recite her commissioning oath at the commissioning ceremony 

held in the USU Sanford Auditorium September 4. See story, page 4 (photo by Tom 

Balfour)

Dr. Carol A. Romano, dean of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences 

(USU) Daniel K. Inouye 

Graduate School of Nursing (GSN) was among 40 

academic nursing leaders who completed the 

AACN-Wharton Executive Leadership Program 

held August 10-13, 2015, 

in Philadelphia, Pa. 

The American Association of Colleges of 

Nursing (AACN) and 

Wharton School of the 

University of Pennsylvania partnered in the 

leadership endeavor that 

brings nursing deans and 

academic leaders together 

for a four-day leadership 

development program. 

To date, 127 Fellows from 

41 states and the District 

of Columbia have successfully completed the 

program, which is funded by the Jonas 

Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare. 

"Leadership development is a lifelong journey and a critical step in preparing 

nurses at all levels to succeed as effective 

patient advocates, inter-professional partners, and change agents," said Dr. Eileen 

Breslin, AACN President and a member 

of the AACN-Wharton Program Class of 

2014. "I applaud the latest cohort of executive leadership Fellows for their commitment to strengthening the skills needed to 

influence and steer the future of nursing education and research, patient care delivery, 

and healthcare policy."

Participants were chosen by a competitive process and represented a wide 

diversity of nursing programs, including 

large academic health centers, small liberal 

arts schools, public and private universities, rural and urban-based programs, and 

faith-based institutions. According to the 

AACN’s press release, “the program’s curriculum is designed to provide the concepts 

and tools needed to enhance leadership capacity and hone the skills that are essential 

to thrive and move forward strategically. 

The content addresses issues around managing and leading change, influencing and 

galvanizing a diverse set of stakeholders, 

and building enterprising relationships in 

highly volatile environments. Participants 

leave the program equipped with an advanced set of negotiation, leadership, and 

influencing skills, and the confidence and 

ability to serve on or lead high-powered 

boards.” 

“Dr. Romano’s participation in the 

program demonstrates to her students, staff 

and faculty her commitment to leading by 

example in pursuing lifelong professional development,” said USU President Dr. 

Charles L. Rice. “When it comes to having a visionary dean who can think and act 

strategically and proactively in developing 

state of the art programs and forging lasting 

alliances, we are fortunate to have one of 

the best in the nation with Carol Romano.”

Dr. Carol A. Romano, dean of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Daniel K. Inouye Graduate 

School of Nursing (GSN). (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Sharon Holland

Deputy Vice President for External Affairs and Managing Editor

Eric Ritter

Writer and Editor

MC3 Laura Bailey

Writer and Photographer

Tom Balfour

Photographer

 

Production

Editorial content is edited, prepared and 

provided by the USU Office of External 

Affairs unless otherwise indicated. The 

Pulse staff may include or exclude articles based upon news value, impact on 

the university and space availability.

Submissions

The Pulse is published 

biweekly on Mondays. The deadline for 

submissions is at 4 p.m. Tuesday prior to 

the publication date. Submissions can 

be sent to eric.ritter2@usuhs.edu 

or by calling 301-295-3791.
3 the pulse September14, 2015

USU President Announces Retirement

By Sharon Holland

Uniformed Services 

University of the Health 

Sciences (USU) President 

Dr. Charles L. Rice announced that he will retire 

at the end of the 2015-2016 

academic year, concluding 

his 11th year as president. 

Rice made the announcement during his 

quarterly campus “Town 

Hall” meeting Aug. 12, and 

followed it with a letter to 

the University community. 

“Serving as President of USU has been the 

highlight of my career. 

Everything I wanted to 

accomplish when I first 

became a physician and, 

later, an academic leader, 

has been realized through 

my service as President. 

Every day I am surrounded by people who exemplify what is best about our 

profession and our country,” Rice said. “I 

have never once felt that coming to USU 

was work. My passion for our mission and 

my role in it is as strong now as it was in 

2005. The temptation to continue serving as 

President - which I consider the best position in academic medicine - is great. But 

a tenth anniversary is a milestone, and as 

mine approached and passed it has prompted a great deal of personal reflection. I have 

always believed it’s better for an organization for its President to leave too soon rather than too late. Every university can and 

will benefit from new ideas, fresh perspectives, and renewed energy. Part of a President’s responsibility is to know when the 

time is right to exit gracefully, and allow his 

or her Board to conduct a thoughtful and 

thorough search for a successor. I may be 

leaving USU, but USU will never leave me.”

During Rice’s tenure as President, the 

University significantly expanded its academic and research portfolios, completely 

overhauled its medical school curriculum, 

while maintaining USU’s signature military 

footprint and providing a much stronger 

link between classroom learning and clinical experience. Rice also oversaw the expansion of clinical research across the university, with 310 funded research projects, 

and $132.5 million in research funding; the 

introduction of new academic programs, 

such as the Master’s and PhD programs in 

Health Professions Education, Master of 

Health Administration and Policy, Doctor 

of Nursing Practice, Women’s Health Nurse 

Practitioner, and expansion of the Clinical 

Psychology program and implementation 

of the LEAD curriculum and alternative 

and complementary medicine curriculum; 

creation, and subsequent expansion of the 

Postgraduate Dental College and establishment of the Master of Oral Biology degree 

for Army, Navy and Air Force dental residents. 

Rice also established a new Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, oversaw the integration of the USU 

and WRNMMC Departments of Surgery 

and the integration of a department chair 

for USU and WRNMMC Radiology departments. He hired new University 

leaders, including deans of the F. Edward 

Hebert School of Medicine, the Daniel K. 

Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, and 

Postgraduate Dental College, Senior Vice 

President, Vice President for Research, 

Vice President for External Affairs, Vice 

President for Finance and Administration, 

Chief Information Officer/Vice President 

for Information and Education Technology, Chief of Staff, AFRRI Director, Brigade 

Commanders, and established a fully-accredited branch campus in San Antonio. 

Under his leadership, the University forged 

strategic relationships with other federal educational and research institutions, 

such as the affiliations with the Naval Postgraduate School and the National Defense 

University and the National Institutes of 

Rice, Cont. Page 4

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) President Dr. Charles L. Rice. (Photo by Sharon 

Holland)
4 the pulse September 14, 2015

Rice, from Page 3

Health. He was also responsible for the 

creation or development of important interdisciplinary academic centers, including 

the National Center for Disaster Medicine 

and Public Health; the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine; the 

Center for Rehabilitation Science Research; 

Collaborative Health Initiative Research 

Program; Surgical Critical Care Initiative; 

establishing a new Global Health Center. 

Recently, he oversaw the establishment of 

the University’s Enlisted to Medical Degree 

Preparatory Program. 

In learning of Rice’s retirement plans, 

USU Board of Regents chair Dr. Ronald 

Blanck stated, “Dr. Rice has provided visionary and inspirational leadership during 

his tenure at USU, to include acting as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) 

for a time. The Board of Regents accepts his 

announced retirement with regret and profound thanks for all that he has done. We 

will now move forward with a search to 

find an equally qualified replacement.”

A presidential search committee will 

be established by the Board of Regents to 

find a successor to Rice. 

Surrounded by family, friends, and 

USU faculty and staff, several members of 

the Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences’ F. Edward Hébert School 

of Medicine (SoM) Class of 2019 officially pledged to defend their country as new 

officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force 

during a commissioning ceremony, Sept. 4, 

in Sanford Auditorium.

“The purpose for holding this ceremony was to build camaraderie within the 

Class of 2019 and to provide a ceremonial 

oath opportunity for newly-commissioning 

ensigns and lieutenants of the Class of 2019 

in the presence of family and friends. It 

also provided these family and friends with 

a positive first impression of the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health Sciences,” 

said Navy Ensign Chelsea Schifferle. 

The ceremony was orchestrated by 

volunteers from the first-year class, including Schifferle, Air Force 2nd Lts. Sophie Higgins and Elena Segre, and Army 

2nd Lts. Lauren Kecskes, Alison Lam, and 

Emad Madha. 

Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Brigilda Teneza, 

a class of 1997 graduate and SoM comClass of 2019 Students Hold Ceremonial 

Commissioning

By Sharon Holland

(Left) Navy Capt. (Dr.) Patricia McKay, associate dean for Clinical Sciences, speaks to members of the Class of 2019 during their commissioning ceremony held Sept. 5, 2015 in Sanford Auditorium. (Right) Army, Navy and Air Force members of the Class of 2019 stand to recite 

their Service-specific commissioning oaths. (Photos by Sharon Holland) 

mandant, Navy Capt. (Dr.) Patricia McKay, 

class of 1998 and associate dean for Clinical Affairs in the SoM, and Air Force Col. 

(Dr.) Lester “Andy” Huff, class of 1989 and 

director of USU’s Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, each led students in 

reciting their Service-specific oath and in 

congratulating them for the path they have 

chosen and offering advice. 

“Make sure that you are proud of 

your work as officers, as medical students, 

and as physicians,” Huff told the members 

of the class. “It has been a great experience 

for me. Welcome to the University.”
5 the pulse September14, 2015

USU License Plate Available to Maryland Residents

Uniformed Services University of 

the Health Sciences students, staff, faculty 

and alumni who are residents of the State 

of Maryland are eligible to apply for a USU 

organizational license plate. 

The license plate was developed 

several years ago and a number of cars 

throughout the University’s parking garage 

already have them, including President 

Charles Rice’s personal vehicle.

The Motor Vehicle Administration 

(MVA) fee for the USU license plate is $25 

per vehicle, in addition to the regular registration fee. They are available for passenger 

cars, motorcycles, multi-purpose vehicles, 

and trucks with a one-ton or less manufacturer’s rate capacity. 

The organizational plates are only 

available for Maryland residents. Unfortunately, the District of Columbia does not 

offer organizational plates and the State of 

Virginia requires a minimum of 350 confirmed interested residents before it will establish an organizational plate. 

Anyone interested in applying for the 

plate, which shows the university logo and 

the letters ‘U-S-U‘ followed by the MVA-assigned sequential tag number, must pick up 

the Application/Certification for Organizational License Plates from the Office 

of External Affairs, Room A1025. Applicants must provide the vehicle identification number (VIN), year and make of the 

vehicle, sticker, title, and tag numbers, as 

well as insurance information. The form 

must then be signed by Sharon Holland, 

the USU coordinator for the organizational plate who will verify the applicant’s 

tie to the University. 

Once the application form has been 

signed, interested individuals can apply 

for the plates in person at any of the MVA’s 

full service branch offices (http://www.mva.

maryland.gov/hours-Locations/default.

asp). The request will then be forwarded 

to the Glen Burnie MVA office for processing. Applications may also be mailed to 

the MVA’s Specialty Tag Unit in the Glen 

Burnie office: MVA Specialized Tag Unit, 

6601 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 

21062, or taken to an MVA licensed tag 

and title service (http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Vehicle-Services/REG/titleagents.

htm), for assistance with applying. Organizational plates cannot be ordered online.

Photo illustration by Eric Ritter

by Sharon Holland

One of the key recommendations of 

the University’s Strategic Planning process, 

identified by the Strategic Framework and 

Performance Assessment Task Force for 

execution in 2015, is to maximize transparency, efficiency, and integration in personnel management. With this recommendation, Mr. Walt Tinling, the vice president 

for Finance and Administration, invited 

Dr. Donna Whitaker, Lean Six Sigma deployment director and senior master black 

belt, from the Office of the Army Surgeon 

General/Headquarters, Army Medical 

Command, to the University to work with 

Civilian Human Resources (CHR) and Financial and Manpower Management staff 

and other key stakeholders to review and 

assess the civilian hiring process. 

Prior to the review, the average time 

from submission of the SF-52 package to 

CHR until selection, was an average of 

105 days for General Schedule (GS)/Wage 

Grade (WG) hiring (Office of Personnel Management standard is 80 days) and 

216 days for Administratively Determined 

(AD) hiring. Granted, the recruitment process time was extended due to OCHR Silverdale processes or the academic processes (search, CAPT, or BOR) in the case of 

AD hires, but it was clear to agency stakeholders that there was room for significant 

improvement.

After a series of meetings with CHR, 

FMG, select stakeholders, and others where 

all concerns, needs and opportunities were 

expressed and evaluated, a common goal 

was established: “reduce the process cycle 

time within CHR and FMG by 50%.” Dr. 

Whitaker, CHR, and FMG devised an aggressive plan to accomplish this goal, which 

emphasized transparency of the process, 

automation, communication, and training. 

A number of steps have been taken to 

date to reach the goal, including streamlining and updating the Manager’s Guide with 

process descriptions and flow charts for 

hiring actions; developing recruitment and 

AD search committee instructional checklists; providing on-going quarterly training at AO meetings and refresher training; 

sharing the process tracking spreadsheet; 

and reorganizing and modifying the Recruitment Tracker to better identify key 

process steps and dates. This tool is now 

provided it to the Responsibility Centers 

every four weeks.

The remaining steps are the toughest to achieve, but they are progressing on 

schedule. CHR is developing an automated 

SF-52 routing process by mid-November, 

and CHR and the Chief Information Officer’s staff are working together on a process 

to use Google Apps to fully automate functions including establishing an electronic 

SF-52 packet. Once automated, CHR and 

customers will also share the process tracking sheet through use of the Google Drive. 

Vice President Tinling summarized 

this initiative by saying, “We expect to 

achieve positive permanent process improvements which will better support the 

University in meeting its mission and strategic goals.”

USU on Course to Improve Civilian 

Hiring Process Time

Courtesy Article
6 the pulse September 14, 2015

Army 2nd Lt. Michael Polmear, 

a second-year medical student at the 

Uniformed Services University (USU), 

planned to become a military doctor to 

care for injured service members and their 

families. Little did he know, only a little 

more than one year into his studies, that 

he would employ his newfound medical 

knowledge to save his own life. 

In early July, Polmear and his wife, 

Stephanie, traveled to Wyoming to rock 

climb in Grand Teton National Park. He 

had recently completed his Combat Medical Skills (CMS) course and the final module of the first-year curriculum on gastroenterology and hematology at USU, and 

was looking forward to a well-deserved 

study break before heading to the Marine 

Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center 

in Bridgeport, California, for his summer 

operational rotation.

Polmear and his wife are experienced climbers from Colorado. Besides 

the mountain peaks, the Snake River 

valley, abundant wildlife and stunning 

scenery, Grand Teton National Park is 

also known for its world-class search and 

rescue team, the Jenny Lake Rangers. Although he had no idea he’d need their services, he selected the park because of their 

expertise in medical rescues. 

The pair began their climb of the 

Black Dike route on Middle Teton just after 8 a.m. on July 7, when without warnMilitary Medical Student Saves His Own 

Life with Combat Medical Skills Training

by Sharon Holland ing, a huge boulder fell from above and 

hit his left arm, crushing it. His upper arm 

bone was protruding through the skin, he 

was bleeding profusely, and he lost the sensation in his left hand. 

Polmear, who had no prior military or medical experience before starting 

school at USU, remained calm. Using his 

good arm, he took a sling from his climbing 

gear and used it as an arm brace for stabilization. Then he built an anchor and his wife 

lowered him down to the ground. He had 

learned in CMS that it was important to do 

a pulse check to determine if there was arterial bleeding. He found two separate pulses and knew he was going to live, but also 

that his situation was extremely serious. He 

found damage to muscle and bone, but not 

to his arteries. He was carrying a tourniquet with him and he and Stephanie quickly put it on his arm. The pain was excruciating, but he knew from CMS that it was 

crucial to apply the tourniquet very tightly 

to avoid bleeding to death. He pushed the 

bone back into his arm and wrapped it up. 

Nearby climbers called the Jenny Lake rescue team, who asked about the extent of 

his injuries. Polmear had learned the correct terminology and levels of urgency for 

medical evacuations in CMS class, so he got 

on the phone himself and relayed that his 

injuries were “Urgent Surgical,” meaning 

they required immediate evacuation and 

surgery. 

Once picked up by the helicopter 

team, the medevac trip took 10 minutes, 

followed by a 30-minute ambulance ride to 

the medical center in Jackson Hole. He was 

in the OR within six hours of the accident. 

Polmear knew from his studies the type of 

surgeon he would need to care for his injuries; he insisted they find an upper extremity, fellowship-trained reconstructive 

surgeon. 

The ER doctor and radiologist reviewed his x-rays and informed him they 

thought he might need an amputation. He 

told them 'no way’; his elbow was still intact. He had learned that if the elbow was 

intact, there is a good chance of being able 

to keep the arm. They said, "Worst-case scenario, Walter Reed has great prosthetics," 

to which I responded, 'Yes, but they have a 

better rehab program," said Polmear. Once 

the surgeon arrived he agreed there was no 

need to amputate. 

Polmear had suffered nerve damage, 

which caused the loss of sensation in his left 

hand. His shattered arm bones looked like 

jigsaw puzzle pieces. He spent seven hours 

in surgery. The doctor was able to put the 

pieces back together and reconstruct the 

nerve. The crush injury to his muscle tissue 

sent protein into his blood which caused 

liver and kidney damage. Polmear had just 

finished the gastroenterology module at 

school that included hematology, so he was 

able to interpret his own blood test results 

in the hospital. He knew it was important to 

decrease the pain medication levels to minimize the impact of drugs on his already 

over-burdened kidney and liver, so he insisted on managing his own pain medicaPolmear, Cont. Page 7

(Left) The Black Dike route on the east face of Middle Teton in Grand Teton National Park is one of several popular ascents used by climbers 

scaling the peak. (Photo courtesy of National Park Service) (Right) Army 2nd Lt. Michael Polmear, a second-year medical student at USU, 

displays the surgery scars left as a result of a boulder that fell and shattered his arm during a rock-climbing excursion in Grand Teton National 

Park in July. (Photo by Sharon Holland)
7 the pulse September14, 2015

A military physician must be more 

than an excellent clinician - he or she must 

be prepared to lead, often in high-stress, 

high-stakes environments such as war 

zones or areas devastated by natural disasters.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has created a 

groundbreaking new program, Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) 

to help educate its medical students in 

the leadership skills essential to ensuring 

effective 21st century health promotion 

and health care delivery while meeting 

the needs of the Military Health System 

(MHS). 

The LEAD curriculum will be incorporated into all four years of the undergraduate program in the F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine (SOM), says retired 

Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Eric B. Schoomaker, 

professor and vice chair for Leadership, 

Centers and Programs in the school’s Department of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM). The goal is to ensure that every USU graduate has the capability to lead 

interdisciplinary groups of health care professionals, ensuring optimal patient care 

and safety even in the most challenging of 

field environments.

“USU must do more than educate clinicians, as important as that task may be,” 

says Schoomaker. “We must also produce 

health care professionals who are ready and 

able to function as high-performing team 

members, leaders of small groups, and, 

ultimately, directors of large and complex 

New Leadership Curriculum Developed for USU

by Mark Rosati health care organizations.”

Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, 

and Dr. Charles Rice, USU President, have 

emphasized the importance of leadership 

training -- that USU must outpace every 

institution in the world in health care leadership development, and produce highly 

skilled health care providers and leaders capable of rising to the challenges of the MHS 

mission.

Last October, SOM Dean Arthur 

Kellerman directed MEM to implement a 

comprehensive military medical leadership 

development program, which was designed 

by Schoomaker, a former Army Surgeon 

General; Neil Grunberg, PhD, a professor 

of medical and social psychology; John 

McManigle, MD, senior advisor, MEM; and 

Army Col. (Dr.) Francis O’Connor, chair of 

MEM. The new program of instruction, 

developed with input from faculty, staff 

and students, and comprehensive review 

of leadership literature and programmatic 

approaches, including those in use at the 

military service academies, has been integrated into the four-year SOM curriculum 

starting with the 2014-2015 academic year. 

The LEAD program will include classroom 

instruction, field training, and a capstone 

project. 

Several pedagogical sessions have 

been created to begin LEAD, including plenary sessions, small working groups, and 

interactive experiences relevant to medicine and military medicine. For example, 

sessions will address history and types of 

leadership; personality type and leadership; 

emotional intelligence; effective communication; character; communicating difficult 

information, and crisis communication.

In contemporary medicine, McManigle notes, “The achievement of optimal 

public health and health care require coordinated and cooperative teamwork and 

leadership. The ‘one-stop-shop’ physician 

no longer exists. Now medical specialties, 

nursing, and allied health professions must 

work in a therapeutic alliance with patients to prevent illness and injury, enhance 

health and well-being, and treat illness and 

injury.”

The need for leadership and collaboration is particularly acute in an organization as large as the MHS, which must 

be ready at all times to deploy health care 

teams to assist the U.S. armed forces, or support relief efforts for major disasters such 

as the earthquakes in Pakistan and Haiti or 

the Indonesian tsunami. All of these situations require strong leadership - including 

team-building, problem-solving, planning 

and organization, risk analysis, and conflict-resolution - in tremendously stressful 

environments, and all of these skills will be 

taught to every USU SOM student as part 

of the LEAD curriculum.

“At USU, we do not consider leadership development a privilege reserved for 

a chosen few - we provide it to all,” said 

Grunberg. “All of our graduates need to 

be prepared to be outstanding health care 

practitioners - and medical leaders - for the 

uniformed services and the nation. At the 

leadership academy of the Military Health 

System, with more than 9.6 million beneficiaries, nothing less will do.”

tion levels which cut his recovery time in 

half – only four days in the hospital. 

He was released from the hospital 

and spent another week in Jackson Hole 

recovering before returning to Bethesda. 

He changed his summer operational experience from the mountain medicine course 

to a rotation with USU's Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine, 

which allowed him to complete the required rotation while also being able to go 

to Walter Reed National Military Medical 

Center (WRNMMC) for a myriad of follow-up doctors’ and rehabilitation appointments.

Once back at home, Polmear was put 

under the care of the WRNMMC Orthopaedic Service. He said he was told his injuries were a "paper cut" compared to some of 

the injuries they had seen and cared for. He 

had a second surgery, conducted by USU/

WRNMMC surgeon, Army Col. (Dr.) Leon 

Nesti, to transfer a "good" nerve to take the 

place of the damaged nerve. The transfer 

changed the architecture of his nerves in 

his left arm. Polmear is now working with 

WRNMMC's Occupational Therapy staff 

to get his grip strength and dexterity back 

to normal limits, although his "opposition" 

(touching his thumb to his other fingers) is 

still affected. He credits Army Maj. Matthew Miller, the residency director for the 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at WRNMMC, for teaching him to 

use his hand in a new way and cannot say 

enough about the Occupational Therapy 

staff for their dedication to his recovery.

Polmear said, fittingly, his goal in 

coming to USU was to become a hand surgeon. He said depending on the progress 

he makes, he may have to change plans, 

but USU associate dean for Clinical Affairs, 

Navy Capt. (Dr.) Patricia McKay, an orthopaedic hand surgeon, has been offering advice and encouragement. 

Most importantly, though, Polmear 

said being on the other side of the patient 

care spectrum has given him a new perspective as a provider, a deeper respect for 

the injured, and the value of embracing the 

process of discovering a new normal. 

“I have embraced the opportunity to 

learn experientially from my injury,” said 

Polmear. “Medical school has introduced 

me to numerous resources where I can find 

information and solace. Our curriculum 

also highlights the powerful combination 

of willpower, adherence to the treatment 

plan, and being active and healthy as the 

major contributors to the best outcome.”

Polmear, from Page 6
8 the pulse September 14, 2015

Final Frame

A historian with the Antietam Battlefield memorial site displays civil war-era surgical tools to USU medical students during the Antietam 

Battlefield Medical Staff walk. The annual event is conducted during the student's first year of medical school. The Antietam Battlefield medical staff walk provides an opportunity for the students to study a military campaign rich with medical problems that – while technologically 

different – remain valid teaching points for the students if put in the modern context. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Vietnam veteran and former Prisoner of War, Guy Gruters spoke to members of the USU community in Sanford Auditorium, September 

3rd about leadership and overcoming obstacles, and also described his experiences as a POW in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" in North 

Vietnam for more than five years. Gruters was released in 1973 and left the Air Force at the rank of captain shortly thereafter. His daughter, 

Amber Gruters, is a graduate of USU. (Photo by Eric Ritter)