Volume 6, Issue 15 n October 3, 2011

www.usuhs.mil

The Official USU Newsletter
On the cover

USU’s Brigade Chaplain (then) Lt. Chris 

Martin addresses troops during a recent 

deployment. (See story page 3) 

Courtesty Photo

Sharon Willis

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Ken Frager

Public Affairs Specialist

Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

Production Editor

MC1 Chad Hallford

Writer

Christine Creenan-Jones

Contributing Writer

Lori Fields

Layout and Design

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 will be published 

bi-weekly on Mondays. The 

deadline for submissions is at 4 p.m. 

Tuesday prior to the publication 

date. Submissions can be sent to 

usunewsletter@usuhs.mil or by 

calling 301-295-0895.

2 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

	 	 	

Department of Surgery hosts 

26th annual trauma conference

by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

USU celebrated its 26th Annual

Surgery for Trauma Day August 25 in

Sanford Auditorium.

The day-long event featured prominent guest lecturers, including Michael

Rotondo, M.D, the William R. Drucker

distinguished surgical lecturer. Dr.

Rotondo is professor and Chairman for

the Department of Surgery and Chief,

Center of Excellence for Trauma and

Surgical Critical Care at Pitt County

Memorial Hospital in North Carolina.

The Martin Silverstein distinguished

surgical lecturer was John Armstrong,

M.D., from the University of South

Florida College of Medicine in Tampa,

where he is associate professor of

Surgery and Medical Director of the

Center for Advanced Medical Learning

and Simulation.

Several other distinguished speakers

participated, including Dr. Jonathan

Woodson, the Assistant Secretary

of Defense for Health Affairs and

Dr. Robert Dodson (USU, SoM ’86),

surgeon and president of the medical

staff at the St. John’s Regional Medical

Center in Joplin, Missouri.

Dr. Dodson’s speech titled “Experience with the Joplin Tornado,”

highlighted how his USU education

and military trauma training helped

lay the groundwork for the successful

medical support of the city following

that May 22, 2011 tornado that struck

his hospital.

“You have to be prepared,” said

Dodson, who retired from the Air Force.

“This school (USU) is all about giving

people the tools to make good decisions.”

After the tornado ripped through

Joplin, the St. John’s hospital was the

only medical facility still standing,

but it had sustained major damage.

“The only thing worse than being

hit by a tornado is being the only

surviving hospital,” Dodson said.

Despite a ruined medical facility,

limited supplies and practically no

electronic communication capability,

these medical professionals addressed

more than 350 casualties within the

first hour after the tornado.

“It was difficult, but we went from

nothing to fully capable in seven

days,” he said.

The casualty count would continue

to rise until more than 1,500 casualties were seen. In total, more than 150

people lost their lives in the storm,

including six people who were in the

hospital when the tornado hit.

But through this tragic event, Dodson

wanted to provide a specific message to

the students at USU – quality training

will empower them to succeed despite

the situation and austere setting.

“Not only will you learn disaster

planning here – you will learn it and

you will live it,” Dodson said. “One day

you will have to do this. So take advantage of the experience you have here.”

Dr. Robert Dodson, 

a surgeon and president 

of the medical staff at 

the St. John’s Regional 

Medical Center in 

Joplin, Missouri, speaks 

during the 26th annual 

Surgery for Trauma Day 

at USU. Dodson (USU 

‘1986) spoke about his 

experiences following 

the May 22 tornado that 

hit Joplin.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Chris Martin

assumed responsibilities as the

Chaplain for the Uniformed Services

University of the Health Sciences

this summer.

Previously serving at Marine Corps

Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, he relieve

Navy Chaplain (Lt. Cmdr.) Bruce

Mentzer, who retired in August.

“I am excited to be here. I have

always had a close relationship with

my unit doctors on deployments,”

Chaplain Martin said. “So, I am really

excited about being in on the initial

training level for our future doctors.”

Having previously served on three

deployments assigned to Marine

battalions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Chaplain Martin feels his experience will be valuable in completing

the Command Religious Program

– the free exercise of religion, as well

as all personnel, staff, students and

their families being able to call on the

Chaplain’s office for support through

counsel, worship and training activities which support character development and spiritual formation.

“I am hoping to bring three things

to USU: availability, approachability and friendliness,” he said. “I want

everyone to feel comfortable enough

to approach a chaplain’s office with

any need. I want them to know we are

available to meet anyone’s needs, when

they need us. And, we are here to help

them attain their goals.”

Lt. Cmdr. Martin was born in

Portsmouth, Virginia at the U.S.

Navy Hospital. He earned a Bachelor

of Science degree in Business from

Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in

October 3, 2011 3

A Profile in Leadership: Chaplain Chris Martin 

by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

1992 and received a direct commission in the Navy as a Chaplain

Candidate in 1997. Lt. Cmdr. Martin

earned a Masters of Divinity degree

from Gordon-Conwell Theological

Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in 1998 and was ordained a

Minister of Word and Sacrament by

the Presbyterian Church (USA) in

September, 2001.

Lt. Cmdr. Martin is the proud

husband to his wife Julie, and father

to their three children, Ben, Katie,

and David.

Through all of his personal experiences, education and perspective, the

Chaplain hopes he will be a valued

leader, coworker and friend to everyone at USU.

“Ultimately, I hope people leave

this office with a positive image of

military chaplains,” he said. “This is

not about me. When these doctors

and nurses get to their next duty

assignment, say five years down the

road, and times get tough, I hope

their experience here makes them feel

comfortable enough to reach out to

their current chaplain for the assistance they need.”

Courtesty Photo

Courtesty Photo

Lt. Cmdr. Chris Martin addresses troops during a recent deployment with 

a Marine battalion in Afghanistan.
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

USU’s Williams honored by national association

by Ken Frager

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Carlos Williams,

Director of Education and CivilMilitary Medicine at the Center for

Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM), received

the President’s award from the

National Medical Association, the

largest and oldest national organization representing African American

physicians and patients in the United

States and abroad.

Cmdr. Williams was recognized

for his outstanding work as chair of

the Office of the Assistant Secretary

of Defense for Health Affairs Medical

Stability Operations Working Group’s

Education and Training Committee.

Dr. Williams led the effort that established the DOD’s Minority Global

Health Education and Training

Consortium. This initiative brings

together the NMA, the American

He is currently working in coordination with numerous United Nations

agencies and other U.S. government

departments and international and

national non-governmental organizations to improve partner nations

disaster response capabilities. Cmdr.

Williams has conducted sustained

engagements in several African

nations, focusing on crisis response

and disease surveillance.

In his letter to Cmdr. Williams,

Dr. Leonard Weaver, President of the

NMA, stated, “You have achieved the

highest standards of humanitarianism

through your exemplary work.” He

went on to say, “Through your work

with the Federal Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance

Medicine you have improved the lives

of millions around the globe.”

Cmdr. Williams brings a breadth

of experience to CDHAM and USU.

He is clinically trained in both

pediatrics and internal medicine,

and besides his medical degree from

Morehouse School of Medicine, he

holds Masters degrees in both Public

Health and Business Administration

from Johns Hopkins University.

Medical Association and the

National Hispanic Medical Association. It seeks to pair U.S.-based institutions with public health programs

in Africa, Asia and South America.

USU welcomed the newest students to the campus, including the School of Medicine’s

class of 2015 and the new graduate students with a special Presentation Ceremony to 

round out Orientation week. This ceremony is an official induction into life as a student, 

and the students recite their respective Oaths, swearing to uphold the standards of their 

profession of medicine and science. It also was the first opportunity for family to visit the 

campus and to celebrate along with faculty and staff.

The medical school class of 2015 includes 171 students across the services, while the 

graduate school welcomed more than 40 new future researchers.

Presenting our latest best and the brightest

Courtesy Photo

Photo by Ken Frager

Navy Commander (Dr.) Carlos Williams accepts the National Medical Association’s 

President’s Award from Vice Admiral Adam M. Robinson, Jr., Surgeon General of the Navy.
October 3, 2011 5

HPRC Health Tips

The Human Performance 

Resource Center Health Tips is a 

new column intended to provide the 

USU community with information to 

help develop and maintain a healthy 

lifestyle. Check out the HPRC website 

at: http://humanperformancere

sourcecenter.org.

Swimming for fitness

Swimming is a wonderful way

to improve overall fitness while

minimizing risk of injury. It’s

easy on your joints and improves

cardiovascular fitness. While training in a pool may not simulate

your specific duties, cross-training

Maintaining connections

by VPE Staff

for alumni to have one office to work

through, and it helps us continue to

build the university’s relationship with

them,” said Ms. Willis.

The team is tasked with keeping

track of more than 6,500 graduates

of the School of Medicine, Graduate Nursing and Graduate Education

programs. “Internet search engines

and the military locators are our

best friends,” Ms. Willis said. The

office also helps graduates stay in

contact through email, Facebook,

and events, like the successful “Guess

Who’s Coming to Dinner” program

being relaunched shortly, which pairs

alumni with current students for

networking over dinner. 

“One of the most valuable benefits

for students, and even prospective

students, is our ability to connect

them to alumni who can help guide

them during their military medical

careers,” Ms. Willis said. “Getting a

classroom education is critical, but

putting that education to work, or

experiencing life in a specific medical

specialty or treatment facility, is better

learned from someone who has been

reduces the risk of injury from other

repetitive exercise like running. Effective pool training sessions should

vary in intensity and emphasis. To

avoid shoulder joint and upper back

issues, warm up by swimming for five

to ten minutes at a pace slower than

your usual training pace, and include

kicking and pulling drills. To improve

strength and endurance in the water,

try interval training. Shorter rest intervals will improve endurance, while

longer ones will stress your anaerobic

system and improve your strength and

power. Alternating between aerobic

(longer and slower) and anaerobic

(shorter and more intense) workouts

will optimize your overall performance for both combat swimming

operations and cardiovascular fitness

in general.

Energy drinks and adolescents

Energy drinks are marketed

to improve physical and mental

performance, mainly to “boost

energy.” Adolescents are finding

energy drinks more often, in

part because of heavy marketing of sports drinks by athletic

superstars, causing adolescents to

confuse energy drinks for sports

drinks. Energy drinks contain

large amounts of caffeine and other

stimulants, while sports drinks

contain carbohydrates and electrolytes and are intended for use when

athletes (including adolescents)

are engaged in prolonged, vigorous

exercise. Adolescents have already

had problems combining energy

drinks and alcohol, which has led

to risky behavior.

Walking into room A1025 is like

walking into a shrine to USU. The

walls are covered with photos of alumni

sitting on palace thrones in Iraq, on top

of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on board the USNS

Comfort, and taking over as hospital

commanders. A poster from the film,

“Fighting for Life,” which featured USU

and its alumni, sits in the corner next

to a bookshelf filled with decades of the

university’s yearbook containing photos

of every graduate.

And no wonder. A1025 is where

USU’s Alumni Affairs Office, directed

by Ms. Sharon Willis since 1993,

and her team, which includes Gloria

Maguire and Bernie Schwartz, are

tasked with forming the bond that

keeps students connected to the University long after they graduate.

“For alumni, we are a central point of

contact for whatever services or information they need from the University,”

said Ms. Willis.

The Alumni Affairs staff gets requests

for LRC accounts, transcripts, faculty

appointments, reunion information,

or questions on how USU time counts

toward retirement. “It’s much easier

there. Our alumni value the opportunity to serve in this role.”

The office also assists other departments who need to reach graduates

to teach or for some other purpose. 

“There have been times when the

Admissions office needed a graduate

in a deployed location to serve as an

interviewer for an applicant who is also

in or near that same deployed location,

and our office was able to help them,”

said Ms. Willis. “The same holds true

when the President’s office receives an

invitation to an installation ceremony

for a new university president around

the country. We help to identify and

contact USU alumni in those areas who

might be able to serve as official representatives at those ceremonies.”

“I probably have one of the greatest jobs here,” said Ms. Willis. “I get to

watch our students grow while they’re

here, but I also get to follow their

careers and share in their successes

along the way. And the work we do

benefits not just the University, but all

of the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen and

even civilians, who our graduates care

for while serving in harm’s way.”
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

The brotherhood of military medicine

by Christine Creenan-Jones

New faculty orientation day

Courtesy USU Faculty Senate Mentoring Committee

Twin brothers, Ben and Zach Clark

grew up watching their father Col.

(Dr.) Gary Clark, (USU ‘88), take

care of Soldiers on the military posts

they called home. He was a very good

doctor, and an easy role model for the

boys. So it wasn’t long before young

Ben and Zach decided they wanted to

heal warriors as Army physicians, too.

Their resolve continued through

high school. The twins, athletic and

popular, finished at the top of their

class. For them, college opportunities

were boundless, but Ben and Zach had

only one university in mind. 

Attending West Point, the Army’s

military academy in New York, was

part of the family legacy carved by their

father and older brother. It also brought

the twins one step closer to their dream. 

“There are no easy days at West

Point,” said Ben, the older, slightly taller

brother. “The program is long and

intense, but it’s incredibly rewarding,

The USU Faculty Senate Mentoring

Committee will host an orientation

day on Thursday, October 13, 2011, in

Lecture Room E, Building C (0800 -

1545), for all new faculty.

The main function of the

committee is to identify and promote

administratively supported policies

and practices that facilitate career and

academic success, enhanced personal

growth, and job satisfaction of all USU

faculty. In accordance with this charge,

presentations from senior faculty and

University leaders have been planned

throughout the day to provide new

faculty with important information

and an opportunity to ask questions

about available resources.

While the New Faculty Orientation

Day has been designed primarily for

too. You gain a lot of knowledge and

self-confidence at West Point. After

graduation, I felt like I could tackle any

obstacle in my path.”

Today, those obstacles are pretty

significant on the Bethesda campus. Like

West Point, USU expects more from its

students than most traditional universities. Academic development is just one

piece of the curriculum. Ben and Zach,

second lieutenants now, will have to be

strong military leaders as well.

But, their upbringing and education has prepared them for USU. They

already have the ambition and discipline to succeed. And when things get

tough, they also have another secret

weapon to fall back on – each other.

“My brother and I have always been

very close,” said Zach, the more artistic

twin. “We push each other to do well and

always keep an eye out for one another.”

Their unique bond will help the

Clark brothers navigate another

faculty who are new to the University,

ALL FACULTY are encouraged to

attend as many of the planned sessions

as possible, including the all-faculty

reception which will follow in the

lobby outside of Lecture Room E.

All attendees must register in

advance at:

http://www.lrc.usuhs.

mil/content/training_reg.

php?Grp=Public&ClassID=716

Event highlights include: 

•	 Introduction and Overview

by USU Leadership

•	 Faculty Support Resources

•	 Appointment, Promotion and

Tenure process at USU

(SOM and GSN)

•	 Research and Technology Transfer

difficult four-year program. USU is the

final leg of their academic journey into

military medicine before the twins are

able to call themselves Army doctors

at last.

Photo by Thomas C. Balfour

•	 Teaching & Education

(Curriculum Reform)

•	 Reception

(ALL FACULTY ARE INVITED)

Please mark the date and watch

TV monitors around the USU

campus for specific information

about the day’s events.

Contacts:

Faculty Senate President: Tomoko

Hooper, MD, MPH (thooper@

usuhs.mil)

Mentoring Committee Co-chairs:

Johnan Kaleeba, Ph.D. (jkaleeba@

usuhs.mil) and Col Nicholas

Lezama, USAF, MC, SFS. (nicholas.

lezama@usuhs.mil)
October 3, 2011 7

Briefs

Working side by side on land...and at sea.

Lt. Col. (Dr.) Kevin Banks (SoM, 2001), a member of a

combat support hospital Task Force in Afghanistan had been

in theatre for about a month when he realized that there was

a large USU contingent working with him. USU alumni from

the school of medicine and GSN were working. According

to Dr. Banks, “This is just one more demonstration that USU

graduates are active in operational settings, with GSN and

SOM alumni working side by side.”

Shown l-r: Capt. Allen Mitchell ‘92 (NMC Portsmouth - ENT), Lt. 

Cmdr. Tim Mickel ‘99 (NMC San Diego - Orthopedics), Lt. Cmdr. 

James Solomon ‘03 (NNMC Bethesda - Anesthesiology), Lt. Cmdr. 

Kerry Hollenbeck ‘03 (NMC San Diego - Anesthesiology), Lt. Cmdr. 

Katherine Covington Austin ‘00 (NMC Portsmouth - OB/ Gyn), 

Capt. Michael Mazzilli ‘90 (NMC Portsmouth - Anesthesiology), Col. 

Edwin Burkett ‘91 (Langley AFB - Chief, Global Health, Office of the 

Command Surgeon), Lt. Cmdr. Philip Letada ‘03 (NMC Portsmouth 

- Dermatology)Cmdr. (s) Andrew J Sellers ‘99 (NMC Portsmouth - 

Radiology), Maj. Melissa McGuinn King ‘03 (Eglin AFB - Hematology/ 

Oncology), Capt. (s) Stephen Sears ‘93 (OSD(HA) TMA)

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Melissa King (SoM, 2003) recently

returned from a deployment on-board the USNS COMFORT. 

She wrote “Despite my Air Force roots, I have been assigned to

the USNS Comfort,” which recently returned from their more

than five month deployment in support of Operation Continuing Promise 2011, a humanitarian mission to nine countries in

the Caribbean and Central and South America. “USU was well

represented and I had the opportunity to work alongside 10

other USU alumni who were aboard for the mission.”

Kneeling (l-r): Capt. Greg Phillips (CRNA, ‘09), Col. Clorinda 

Zawacki (DCCS, ‘93), Maj. Christopher Finch (Anesthesiologist, 

‘05), Maj. Denise Moultrie (RN, OIC, ‘08), Col. Clifford Porter 

(General Surgeon, ‘86), Maj. Kevin Guthmiller (Anesthesiologist, 

‘05), Capt. (P) Greg Kraus (Anesthesiologist, ‘06), Maj. Laura 

Gallaway (CRNA, ‘09).

Standing (l-r): Lt. Col. Kevin Banks (Radiologist, ‘01), Maj. Jason 

Bothwell (Chief, Emergency Medicine, ‘01), Maj. Nici Bothwell 

(ENT, ‘02), Lt. Col. Heather Currier (Chief, Surgery, ‘99), Maj. Tristan 

Knutson (Emergency Medicine, ‘05), Lt. Col. Donald Helman 

(Chief, Critical Care, ‘97), Capt. Corey Jones (CRNA, ‘09).

Courtesy Photo Courtesy Photo

Using Computer Resources

Security incidents continue to be a

drain to limited USU Information Assurance manpower. The following highlight

current DoD policy and best practices:

Personnel must not install self-coded

or non-licensed software on network

resources; add, remove, configure,

or attempt to modify USU computer

operating systems or programs; move

audio/v isual or network cables,

computers or attempt to connect

personal computers to the network

including MDL and lecture hall spaces;

connect personal devices except for

those previously authorized by NOC;

download pornographic material and

store or display offensive material, such

as racist literature, sexually harassing or

obscene language or material; store or

process classified information on any

USU system.

Personnel must not permit unauthorized individuals access to a government-owned or government-operated

system or program; access online

gambling, games and social engineering

sites, dates or times.

Help Desk Closure

The Customer Service Division

(CSD) Help Desk is closed for staff

meetings and training on Thursdays

from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Online

services are still available during this

time. Utilize the USU Service Desk

(https://usuca/CAisd/pdmweb.exe)

to enter your request and it will be

serviced accordingly.

Exercise/Fitness Areas

Physical Fitness training should be

conducted in designated areas.

The only authorized space for PT

within the university is room G060.

The campus’ Student Community

Lounge area is also authorized, but only

during specified PFT dates or times.