The Official USU Newsletter

Volume 9, Issue 19 • October 27, 2014

www.usuhs.edu
2 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

On the cover

Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Robert Miller, a 1989

Hébert School of Medicine graduate takes 

over as Medical Education and Training 

Campus (METC) commandant in San 

Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 24. See article on 

page four.

Official photo: courtesy of Lisa C. Braun, METC Public Affairs

Former U.S. Senator Charles Robb to 

serve on USU Board of Regents 

by Sharon Holland, managing editor

Charles S. Robb, former U.S. 

Senator and Marine Corps 

veteran, has been appointed 

by the Secretary of Defense to serve as 

a member of the Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences 

Board of Regents.

Robb, who also served as the 

governor of Virginia from 1982-1986, 

is a distinguished professor of Law 

and Public Policy at George Mason 

University.

Robb earned a Bachelor of Arts 

degree from the University of 

Wisconsin at Madison in 1961. A U.S. 

Marine from 1961-1970, he served two 

tours of duty in Vietnam, where he 

commanded a rifle company in combat 

and was awarded the Bronze Star. In 

1973, he earned a law degree from the 

University of Virginia Law School, and 

clerked in the Fourth Circuit Court of 

Appeals, later entering private practice. 

He was elected lieutenant governor 

of Virginia in 1978, serving four years 

until his election as governor in 1982. 

After a term in office, he once again 

entered private practice, only to be 

elected to the United States Senate in 

1988. He was reelected six years later, 

and won reelection twice.

After his service in the Senate, 

Robb served on the Board of Visitors 

at the U.S. Naval Academy, and began 

teaching at George Mason University 

School of Law. President George W. 

Bush later appointed Robb as co-chair 

of the Iraq Intelligence Commission, 

and in 2006, he was appointed to serve 

on the U.S. President’s Intelligence 

Advisory Board. Robb has served on 

the Board of Trustees of the MITRE 

Corporation for more than 13 years. Courtesy photo

Sharon Holland

Deputy Vice President for

External Affairs and Managing Editor

Gwendolyn Smalls

Chief, Media Affairs

Master Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson

NCOIC of VPE and Deputy Chief, 

Media Affairs

MC3 Laura Bailey

Editor

Kyle Fuhrman

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 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 laura.bailey@usuhs.edu or by 

calling 301-295-3116.
October 27, 2014 3

USU students, staff receive German 

Armed Forces Proficiency Badge

By MC3 Laura Bailey, writer and photographer

Nearly 30 Uniformed Services 

University staff and students, 

from each branch of service, 

received the German Armed Forces 

Proficiency Badge in Reston, Va., Sep. 

25. 

The GAFPB, a rare award, is highly 

sought after by U.S. military service 

members around the world and is one 

of several foreign badges approved by 

the U.S. Army for wear on the dress 

uniform. The German liaison office in 

Reston, Va., provided the backdrop for 

the event – and a chance of a lifetime. 

“It’s an honor to receive this 

badge,” said Sgt. Cassie Barnett, 

non-commissioned officer in charge 

of the Veterinary Medicine Division, 

Center for Laboratory Animal 

Medicine at USU. “It’s a unique 

opportunity for us to do something 

that a lot of people know about, but 

don’t always get to do because there are 

not a lot of places that do it.” 

Participants must have approval 

from their command, complete combat 

lifesaver training, demonstrate proper 

donning and wear of a protective 

mask and all nuclear, biological, 

chemical clothing and complete three 

events within 90 minutes during the 

basic fitness test in order to receive 

the award. A grading point matrix is 

used to determine the score for each 

event. These scores are then averaged 

to determine what level badge – 

gold, silver or bronze, qualifies the 

participant before moving on to the 

pistol marksmanship event, foot 

march and 100-meter swim in military 

uniform. 

“They carry a 33-pound ruck sack 

during a six-to 12-kilometer ruck 

march depending on which badge they 

qualify for,” said Barnett, who received 

the gold GAFPB in 2012 and now 

serves as a proctor for the competition. 

“They also have to complete a 25-meter 

marksmanship qualification where 

they fire two shots in three different 

positions – standing, kneeling and 

prone (unsupported).”

For one USU staff member, the 

desire to wear the GAFPB on her 

uniform was sparked more than 10 

months ago. 

“I first heard about the German 

badge late last year and I immediately 

knew it was something that I wanted,” 

said Staff Sgt. Steffany Molina Rivera, 

a health physics specialist for the 

Occupational Safety Division at USU. 

“I began qualifying in Jan. 2014.”

After successfully completing all 

the events, she achieved her goal 

and received the silver award, Sept. 

25. According to her, the feeling

of accomplishment was worth the 

challenges. 

“One of the tougher events was the 

hang,” said Molina Rivera. 

The flexed-arm hang is one of the 

three timed events during the basic 

fitness test. In order to qualify for a 

badge, a participant must perform a 

pull-up while keeping their chin above 

the bar for a minimum of five seconds.

“It was hard, but I did it,” said 

Molina Rivera. “The 100-meter swim 

in uniform wasn’t easy either. I forgot 

how heavy it feels when it’s in the water. 

When I was getting close to the end of 

the ruck march I saw my first sergeant 

coming to help me finish. That really 

motivated me – I wasn’t going to give 

up. It felt awesome to receive my badge. 

It’s already displayed on my uniform.”

The USU participants who received 

gold awards are: 2nd Lt. Jason Ausman, 

2nd Lt. Taylor Bates, 2nd Lt. Austin 

Bell, Sgt. Jeffrey Dillon, Senior Chief 

William Dow, 2nd Lt. Michael Eckhoff, 

2nd Lt. Thomas Gilder, Col. Kevin 

Glasz, 2nd Lt. Spencer Heggers, 2nd Lt. 

Yevgeniy Maksimenko, Lt. Col. James 

Mancuso, 2nd Lt. Brian Merrigan, 

2nd Lt. Aimee Moores, 2nd Lt. Douglas 

Morte, 2nd Lt. Nicholas Nesbitt, 2nd 

Lt. Taylor Roth, 2nd Lt. Evan Shawler, 

2nd Lt. Elan Sherazee, 2nd Lt. Wesley 

Sit and 2nd Lt. Michael Williams.

Silver badge recipients are: Staff 

Sgt. Marco Acevedo, 2nd Lt. Shane 

Goller, Staff Sgt. Henry Gonzalez, 

Capt. Sara Hegge, 2nd Lt. Connie Lin, 

Col. Frederick Lough, Staff Sgt. David 

Manzanares and Staff Sgt. Steffany 

Molina Rivera.

Senior Enlisted Advisor Army 1st Sgt. Celecia Kalili (far left) and Staff Sgt. Steffany 

Molina Rivera (center) of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences 

compete for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge in Reston, Va., Sep. 25. 

(Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Laura E. Bailey)
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

Hébert School of Medicine graduate takes over as 

METC commandant

By Sharon Holland, managing editor

Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Robert I. Miller, a 

graduate of USU’s F. Edward Hébert School 

of Medicine class of 1989, became the third 

commandant of the tri-service Medical Education and 

Training Campus in San Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 24.

Miller relieved Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) William M. 

Roberts during the Change of Commandant ceremony, 

which was presided over by Defense Health Agency 

director Air Force Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Douglas Robb. Miller 

is METC’s first Air Force commandant and is now also 

dual-hatted as the director of Education and Training for 

the Defense Health Agency. The Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Health Affairs, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, was a 

guest speaker for the event, which was also attended by 

USU President Dr. Charles Rice and Senior Vice President 

Dr. Patrick Sculley.

“I was delighted to be present when Brig. Gen. Miller 

took the reins of the METC Commandant from Rear 

Adm. William Roberts,” said Rice. “General Miller 

acknowledged the role USU played in his education and 

the tremendous support provided by fellow alumni as he 

assumed progressive levels of responsibility in his U.S. Air 

Force career.”

In his new role, Miller will oversee METC’s 51 separate 

basic and advanced Army, Navy and Air Force enlisted 

medical courses of study. The campus graduates more 

than 20,000 medics, hospital corpsmen, and medical 

technicians each year.

“The retirement of Rear Adm. William Roberts as 

commandant of the METC leaves big shoes to be filled,” 

said Sculley. “We are very fortunate in having Brigadier 

General Robert Miller step into that role. Bob has a 

superb background as a clinician, educator, and leader. 

He is perfect for his new duties,” he said. “It makes me 

very proud that he is both a USU School of Medicine 

graduate and a graduate of my undergraduate alma 

mater, Washington and Jefferson College. I know that I 

will enjoy working with him as we advance the proposed 

affiliation between METC and the university for awarding 

of undergraduate degrees for METC students.

Air Force Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Douglas Robb (left), director of the Defense Health Agency, presents the Medical 

Education and Training Campus guidon to new METC commandant Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Robert Miller, 

while outgoing commandant Rear. Adm. (Dr.) William Roberts (right) looks on.

Photo by Lisa Braun, METC Public Affairs
The afternoon was filled with family 

activities and the annual ‘alumni versus 

students’ athletic events. Saturday 

evening, graduates and their guests, 

faculty, staff and students gathered for 

the alumni awards banquet. This year’s 

recipients were: 

2014 Lifetime Achievement Award – 

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas Travis (SoM ’86)

2014 USU Alumni Military Medicine 

Award – ret. Army Col. (Dr.) Tad L. 

Gerlinger (SoM ‘94)

2014 USU Alumni School of 

Medicine Award – ret. Army Col. 

Edward Arrington (SoM ‘88)

2014 USU Alumni Graduate School 

of Nursing Award – Army Col. Richard 

Prior (GSN ‘02)

Unfortunately, the Alumni 

Association did not receive 

nominations for the 2014 USU Alumni 

Graduate Education Award, so there 

was no recipient.

Dr. Leon Moores (SoM ‘90), president 

of the USU Alumni Association, said 

he was very pleased with the support 

from the university, the participation 

from alumni, and the hard work of the 

Alumni Association volunteers who 

helped put the weekend together. 

“It’s terrific that the university was 

excited about linking events like the 

Fall Convocation with the Alumni 

Weekend activities,” Moores said. “It’s 

always great for alums to touch base 

with students, share stories, and remind 

ourselves how important USU has been 

for us over the decades.””

October 27, 2014 5

USU Alumni Association President Dr. Leon Moores (right) introduces School of Medicine 

Dean Dr. Art Kellermann at the 2014 USU Alumni Weekend Awards Dinner. (Photo by 

Sharon Holland)

Graduates from the Uniformed 

Services University’s Hébert 

School of Medicine and Inouye 

Graduate School of Nursing converged 

on the university campus for the USU 

Alumni Association’s “2014 Alumni 

Weekend,” Sept. 19-20.

The weekend’s events kicked off 

with the USU Fall Convocation. USU 

President Charles Rice officially opened 

the academic year, welcoming new 

students to the medical, nursing, and 

graduate degree programs. Alumni 

and other physicians in attendance 

were invited to join medical students 

in reciting the Hippocratic Oath during 

the ceremony. 

“Watching all the bright, young faces 

brought me back to 24 years ago standing 

in the atrium reciting that same oath,” 

said Navy Capt. (Dr.) Eric Gessler (SoM 

1994), who attended the ceremony. “It 

was a great reminder of the vital role 

the Hippocratic Oath serves in my daily 

practice. It was moving to think about 

all the lives this new class will touch and 

illnesses they will heal over their next 

24 years and more.”

The Friends of USU hosted a 

reception for alumni, faculty, staff, 

students and other guests following the 

convocation and screened “Fighting 

for Life,” the documentary about USU 

released in 2008. 

Saturday, an academic symposium 

was held with presentations by several 

alumni leaders, including Navy Rear 

Adm. (Dr.) Forrest Faison III (SoM 

1994), deputy surgeon general of 

the Navy and deputy chief, Bureau 

of Medicine and Surgery; ret. Army 

Col. (Dr.) Terry Walters (SoM ’84, 

MPH ’95), acting chief consultant, 

Post-Deployment Health, Office of 

Public Health, Department of Veterans 

Affairs; ret. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Charles 

Beadling (SoM ’84), Director, USU 

Center for Disaster and Humanitarian 

Assistance Medicine; and Victoria 

J. Davey, PhD, MPH, RN (PhD ‘87, 

GSN ‘09), associate chief research and 

development officer for Epidemiology 

and Public Health, Office of Research 

and Development, Department of 

Veterans Affairs.

Graduates return to campus for 2014 Alumni Weekend

By Sharon Holland, managing editor
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

Uniformed Services University of the Health 

Sciences leaders recognized two military 

treatment facilities for their outstanding support 

of USU medical and nursing students last year.

President Charles Rice presented the USU Excellence in 

Teaching Award to the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in 

September, and the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in 

October. The university bestows the award on one small and 

one large military treatment facility each year. The award 

also includes a $5,000 grant from the Henry M. Jackson 

Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, to be 

used for education and training at each facility.

“I am delighted to present the USU award for teaching 

excellence to the commanding officer and staff of Naval 

Hospital Camp Lejeune,” said Rice during the presentation 

in North Carolina. “NHCL was selected based on the very 

strong recommendation of students from the Daniel K. 

Inouye Graduate School of Nursing and the F. Edward 

Hébert School of Medicine. Students were complimentary of 

the commitment, enthusiasm and intellectual rigor of all of 

the faculty and staff at NHCL.”

Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune commanding officer Capt. 

(Dr.) David Lane, who has subsequently been promoted to 

rear admiral and taken over as the Medical Officer of the 

Marine Corps, praised the hospital staff for their excellent 

support of USU programs that resulted in receipt of the award 

and for their focus on integrating teaching into patient care. 

“We are thrilled at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune to get 

the USU Excellence in Teaching Award. It is one example of 

the many great improvements that have taken place at NHCL 

over the past three-five years. Receiving the award from USU 

validates the time, energy, and resources NHCL has placed 

on integrating clinical teaching into healthcare delivery,” said 

Lane. “As you may know, the Camp Lejeune Family Medicine 

Residency was struggling just a few years ago, but the entire 

hospital has undergone a dramatic turnaround in its effort 

to be ‘the medical center of choice.’ In 2012, NHCL received 

a full, five-year accreditation from the 

Accreditation Council for Graduate 

Medical Education, and we had zero 

deficiencies - a rarity for any program and 

first for a Navy family medicine residency. 

In 2013 we received the AMSUS Military 

Health Care Facility of the Year Award, the 

AMSUS Rehabilitation Award, and one of 

our orthopaedic surgeons was selected as 

the AMSUS Physician of the Year. Also, we 

were ranked as the number one of 36 sites 

by Duke for its Certified Nurse Anesthetist 

Program.”

Fort Belvoir Community Hospital 

director, Navy Capt. Jennifer VedralBaron greeted USU leadership and others 

in attendance at the awards ceremony 

there, saying, “Anytime Fort Belvoir can 

be put on another map is a good day. We 

have received this award for the quality of 

individuals on the staff who are here today. 

It’s about the faculty, the people who every 

day welcome your medical students and 

nursing students. They are dedicated 

and value their abilities to impart those 

abilities to your students.”

“It should come as no particular surprise 

that the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital 

is the recipient of the large MTF award. Just a few years ago, 

DeWitt Army Community Hospital at Fort Belvoir was the 

recipient of the small MTF award,” said Rice. “One more 

time winning, and you’ll retire the award.”

Nominations for the awards were received from throughout 

the military health system. Commands that demonstrated 

USU honors Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, Fort Belvoir 

Community Hospital for teaching excellence

By Sharon Holland, managing editor

From left to right: John Lowe, president and CEO, Henry M. Jackson Foundation 

for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Dr. Arthur Kellermann, dean, USU’s 

F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Navy Capt. Jennifer Vedral-Baron, Fort 

Belvoir Community Hospital director, Dr. Marguerite Littleton-Kearney, acting 

dean, Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing and Dr. Charles Rice, 

president of USU are all smiles during the USU Excellence In Teaching Award 

presentation. (Photo by Sharon Holland)
outstanding clinical teaching effort, 

strong command support, strong 

faculty participation and performance, 

and strong administrative support for 

USU programs were then considered 

for the two awards by representatives 

from both the School of Medicine and 

the Graduate School of Nursing.

“What makes a great academic 

facility is a great teaching hospital, great 

patients, and great teachers; not just 

instructing, but teaching by example. 

Their skill, wisdom, judgment, and most 

of all, their compassion,” said medical 

school dean Dr. Art Kellermann. “We 

receive input from our students from 

the School of Medicine and Graduate 

School of Nursing and then negotiate 

until we determine the award recipients. 

There was no need to negotiate this 

year. It was a consensus. On behalf of 

the faculty and medical students of the 

F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine – 

America’s Medical School – thank you.”

Dr. Marguerite Littleton-Kearney, acting dean for USU’s 

Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, who attended 

the ceremony at Fort Belvoir, also offered thanks to the 

hospital staff.

“It’s truly a privilege to be here. It’s a wonderful, dynamic 

environment full of excellent teachers. I know the enormous 

amount of time it takes to share your knowledge and expertise 

with our students. Thank you for dedicating your time to 

them,” she said.

In presenting the HJF award to each command, Foundation 

president and CEO, John Lowe, said “The Henry M. Jackson 

Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine 

is pleased to recognize the marvelous work you all do in 

support of USU’s teaching programs by presenting these 

awards to assist your continuing education efforts.”

October 27, 2014 7

The Uniformed Services 

University of the Health 

Sciences is the newest member 

of the Consortium of Universities of 

the Washington Metropolitan Area 

following unanimous endorsement of 

USU’s membership application by the 

Consortium’s governing board.

“It gives me great pleasure to inform 

you that the board unanimously endorsed 

your application to join the Consortium 

at its meeting this morning. So, it is now 

official,” said Dr. John C. Cavanaugh, 

president and CEO of the CUWMA. “We 

are so very pleased to have USUHS as the 

newest member of the Consortium.”

The Consortium, founded in 1964, 

is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization 

which supports cooperative endeavors 

and is governed by the officers and 

representatives of the participating 

universities and colleges. In addition 

to USU, the CUWMA is comprised 

of 13 colleges and universities in the 

Washington, DC, area. They represent 

public, private, federal, historically black, 

religious, and secular schools, as well as 

those devoted to the deaf and hard of 

hearing, and those focused on women’s 

education, with student body sizes 

that range from a few hundred to more 

than 35,000. The Consortium works on 

issues with local governmental entities, 

including the District of Columbia 

government, National Capital Planning 

Commission, and the National Center for 

Health Statistics, among others, and also 

provides students with opportunities to 

benefit from the combined resources of 

its members.

USU graduate students, particularly, 

will reap the benefits of the new 

relationship between USU and the 

CUWMA through the Consortium’s 

cross-registration program. Graduate 

students will be able to take courses 

at other member institutions without 

paying tuition.

“I am delighted that USU has 

been admitted to membership in the 

Consortium. We look forward to 

developing closer relationships with 

Consortium member institutions and 

working together on issues affecting 

higher education in our area,” said USU 

President Dr. Charles Rice.

USU joins DC-area Educational Consortium

by Sharon Holland, managing editor

Officer Capt. (Dr.) David Lane (second from left) are joined by USU medical students 

Ensigns Daniel Standish, Dawn Callahan, and Luke Womble for the USU Excellence 

in Teaching Award presentation at the Naval Hospital in Camp LeJeune, N.C. (Photo 

by Sharon Holland)
Final Frame

U.S. Public Health Ensign Devin Cooper provides medical aid in a simulated mass casualty drill as part of 

Operation Bushmaster. The annual Military Field Practicum is held at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania for 

Uniformed Services University fourth-year medical students.

Photo by Thomas Balfour