USU Newsletter 

VOLUME 2,ISSUE 13 WWW.USUHS.MIL AUGUST 6, 2007 

 In This Issue 

Operations Kerkesner, Bushmaster 

Pt. II.....................................2 

Town Hall Meeting..................6 

AACA Honored Member..........6 

USU Briefs..................................7 

Calendar............................Back 

Operations Kerkesner, Bushmaster Part II.................................. pgs. 2-5 
USU Newsletter 

Editorial Staff 

Carol R. Scheman 

Vice President for 

External Affairs and 

Managing Editor 

Tech. Sgt. 

André Nicholson 

Editor 

Mass Communications 

Specialist 

Third Class 

Jeff Hopkins 

Assistant Editor 

 

Mass Communications 

Specialist 

Seaman 

Raul Zamora 

Assistant Editor 

 

Sharon Willis 

Contributing Writer 

Marla Wright 

Webmaster 

Publishing 

USU Duplicating Office

Production: 

Editorial content is 

edited, prepared and 

provided by the USU 

Office of External Affairs unless otherwise 

indicated. The Newsletter staff may include 

or exclude articles 

based upon news 

value, impact on the 

university and space 

availability. 

Submissions: 

The USU Newsletter 

will be published biweekly on Mondays 

and deadline for submission is Friday at 4 

p.m. Submissions can 

be sent to usunewsletter@usuhs.mil or call 

301-295-3925. 

PAGE 2 

Front Cover Photo By 

MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

HM1 Monicka Boyd (right,) AFRRI, evaluates an 

MS1’s proficiency in administering IVs in a field 

setting as part of Operation Kerkesner’s IV lane. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

During the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Lane, the firstyear students get a taste of Bushmaster’s mass-casualty 

drill, complete with moulage and simulated mortar fire. 

During the lane, a platoon of first-years is split into two 

groups; one third of the students are moulaged to be 

mass casualty patients, while the other group of students 

coordinates an effective triage mission, including the 

employment of scouts and radiomen to quickly and efficiently get their wounded friends to safety. Each group 

takes a turn as the moulaged patients. 

Photo by Tech Sgt James Steele 

MS1 students aid each other in donning Mission 

Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear as part 

of the survival lane. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

ENS Paul Maliakel and 2nd Lt Ramon Riojas display their platoon’s guidon. Each platoon creates and produces its own guidon to represent 

the platoon for the duration of the operation. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

 After months of planning, the Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences’ Military and Emergency 

Medicine Department executed and successfully completed the third joint service exercise at Fort Indiantown 

Gap (FIG), Pa., July 19. 

 The field exercises known as Operation Kerkesner and 

Operation Bushmaster are unique to USU’s medical 

school curriculum. This is the third consecutive year the 

exercises were held at the same time. 

 Operation Kerkesner provides first-year medical students (MS-I) with the opportunity to train on basic service 

member skills that will enhance their ability to communicate and save patients on the battlefield. 

 Operation Kerkesner is designed to give the MS-I students a feel of what it’s like to practice medicine in a military environment. The students go through four days of 

intense training with three lanes of instruction a day. 

These training blocks take the students through a crawl, 

walk, run phase of training. Students received instruction 

in lanes such as IV, combatives, land navigation, and care 

under fire. 

 “Aside from the military medical skills that they gained 

I hope that the Kerkesner students were able to experience camaraderie and esprit de corps with their fellow 

classmates,” said Lt Col Lisa Beck, MSC, USAF, director, 

Operations Kerkesne

By TSgt Andre Nicholson 

NCOIC, Office of External Affairs 
PAGE 3 

SSgt Troyann Ernle, MEM, instructs ENS Brian Toupin, 

MS-I, in the proper reintegration of the M16 at the Survival lane. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Students take cover from opposing fire during the Care Under Fire lane, in which a 

platoon is split into two opposing teams, 

and then attempt to capture the other 

team’s flag. The lane teaches the students to 

take care of their medics. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

First-year students had to rely on teamwork to navigate through a series of 

complex obstacles during the Leadership Reactionary Course. The lane’s 

purpose is to help bolster leadership abilities and teamwork among the 

medical students. 

Photo by Tech Sgt James Steele 

Academic Support Division, MEM, and officer in charge of Operation 

Kerkesner. “I also hope that for those students without prior service that 

they gained some confidence and leadership experience that they can 

carry with them as they begin their military career.” 

 Both faculty and staff members are involved with making the exercises a 

success. The enlisted support staff plays an intricate role in both field exercises from planning, setting up, tearing down, to offering mentorship and 

guidance to the students. 

 “The enlisted support staff is highly important,” Beck said. “We could not 

have accomplished the mission without their support. At Kerkesner the 

enlisted staff was even more critical because they not only accomplished all 

the logistics of the exercise but they were instructing the medical students 

as well.” 

 “Faculty members are also invaluable members of the team,” Beck 

added. “Visiting faculty from Texas, California, Colorado, North Carolina, 

New York and Ohio took time away from their regular duties to volunteer 

to assist us in training the students. The students had the opportunity to 

capitalize on the experience of faculty members from all over the United 

States that have recently been deployed.” 

 Operation Bushmaster is the School of Medicine exercise that serves as 

the practical exam for the Military Contingency Medicine (MCM) course. 

Drawing from all available “lessons learned” from the current and operational environments, it simulates a military joint task force deployment durer, Bushmaster—Part II 

See EXERCISES, Page 4 and 5 
PAGE 4 

SSgt Rachel Broussard, Military Training Network, applies a mock injury to 

an MS-I student in the moulage tent. Staff members apply the simulated 

injuries to demonstrate a level of realism to the field training. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Fourth-year students arrived at Fort Indiantown Gap, 

PA, for Operation Bushmaster, a field-training exercise 

which simulates care-giving in a hostile environment. 

Photo by MCSN Raul Zamora 

One of the first situations the students are put into is 

the triage tent exercise, where they have three minutes to quickly diagnose a number of patients. 

Photo by Tech Sgt André Nicholson 

Armed with non-firing M16 rifles, fourth-year students 

took turns standing shifts as sentries, providing security for their site. An operating-word and a password 

were set for each day; if the password was not spoken in a reply, the sentry would then deny access and 

further interrogate the subject. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

ing which the students must plan for and then provide all of the medical 

support for the mission. Students are evaluated on their ability to stabilize 

and treat combat casualties at the point of wounding and evacuate those 

casualties to higher levels of care with surgical support assets. They are also 

evaluated on their ability to provide routine care for non-battle related injuries and illnesses, to prevent illness through appropriate preventive medicine measures, and to provide screening and initial treatment for combat 

stress related problems. 

 Military Contingency Medicine’s unique curriculum is specifically designed to prepare medical students to provide the highest quality health 

care for service members in austere environments. The training includes a 

three week didactic session that culminates with the four-day field exercise. 

 The exercise takes place in the fictional country of Pandakar. The students participate in a variety of roles including litter bearing, security officer, 

ambulance team leader, radio operator, commander and senior medical 

officer. 

 It begins with the students being transported by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the softball field behind USU to FIG. The flight emphasizes the 

challenges of providing health care during flight operations as the students 

experience the difficulty of obtaining vital signs on each other. 

 As the exercise gets underway students are tested on medical skills, 

judgment and leadership. They must be aware of the culture in the country 

and understand the care of detainees and prisoners of war. Students are 

even put through situations where illegal orders may be given to see how 

they will respond. 

 “These field exercises are very likely the last chance the students will 

have to train before they have to do this for real,” said LTC Clifford Lutz, MC, 

USA, course director MCM, assistant professor, Department of MEM. 

 Along with the school of medicine, students in the Graduate School of 

Nursing (GSN) also participate in Operation Bushmaster. 

 “Operation Bushmaster allows medical and advanced practice nursing 

students a unique opportunity to train together under austere conditions,” 

said Diane Seibert, Ph.D., CRNP program director, Family Nurse Practioner 

program. “The relationships they build with one another as they collaboEXERCISES, continued from page 3 
PAGE 5 

Ensign Katrina Vongsy, MS-IV, briefs senior leaders (left to right) Dr. S. 

Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Lt Gen 

James Roudebush, MC, USAF, Surgeon General, Dr. Charles Rice, M.D., 

USU president, MG George Weightman, MC, USA, special assistant to 

the Army Surgeon General, at the Expeditionary Medical Squadron station during their visit to Operation Bushmaster. 

Photo by TSgt James Steele 

A mock mass-casualty event, complete with moulaged patients marked 

the finale of each week-long iteration of Operation Bushmaster. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Proper litter-bearing and ambulance loading were 

among field-skills fourth-year students practiced at Bushmaster. 

rate to solve operational and clinical problems will serve 

them well as they move out into federal health care settings and begin providing care for those who have been 

placed in “harms way.” Bushmaster provides everyone a 

unique opportunity to hone skills and learn about many 

roles within an operational theater.” 

 Many of the advanced practice nurses have been in 

deployed environments and are able to share that experience with the medical students during the field training. 

 “I was really impressed by one of the nurses during 

Bushmaster. During her time in our platoon (Platoon 5), 

MAJ Moultrie demonstrated great leadership skills,” said 

2LT Tracy Franzos, MS-IV. “Not only did she draw upon 

her experience to provide us with great advice, she used 

what little free time she had to help medical students 

hone their intubation and cricothyroidotomy skills. Futhermore, no matter how exhausting the exercises became, she always remained upbeat and never lost her 

sense of humor. I was very impressed by her professionalism and self-sacrifice, and I noticed the other students 

seemed impressed as well.” 

 “The field training allows students the opportunity to 

train as they work . . . that being said, collaboration and 

teamwork are critical elements to our success in the operational environment in the care of those who have 

been placed in "harms way," said COL Linda Wanzer, 

M.S.N., R.N., CNOR, AN, assistant professor and program 

director of the Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist Masters program, and perioperative nursing consultant to 

the Army Surgeon General. “This exercise provided a 

unique opportunity for the second year advanced practice nurses in the GSN to explore their new roles in the 

"mock" operational theater along side their MS-IV colleagues, highlighting the value that each role brings to 

the care of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.” 

 The field exercises and the unique MCM curriculum 

have proven to be so successful that students and faculty 

from several other countries such as Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Thailand have come to participate in the training 

with the hopes of taking the military emergency medicine training they receive here back to their country. 

 As the importance of military medicine gains national 

and worldwide attention due to current operations, both 

field training exercises have garnered visits from senior 

level members within the Department of Defense, Health 

and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and 

the U.S. Public Health Service. As well as local and national media coverage, which provides a conduit for the 

university to demonstrate its importance and the leading 

role it plays in military medicine. 

 To read the History of Operations Kerkesner and Bushmaster – Part I, visit http://www.usuhs.mil/vpe/

newsletter.html and look at issue 11. 
PAGE 6 

 A faculty member at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences 

(USU) was recognized as an honored member of the American Association of Clinical 

Anatomists (AACA) at the 24th annual 

meeting June 19. 

 Gary Wind, M.D., FACS, professor of surgery, USU, was awarded honored member 

status for his distinguished career in, and 

enthusiasm for clinical anatomy, as demonstrated by his anatomical and surgical publications, the insight of his anatomical, developmental, and surgical illustrations, and 

his pioneer efforts in internet-based surgical 

education. 

 Wind said he was proud to join the 

ranks of honored members of the AACA 

which include several notable people. 

 “It is a great honor for me to be included 

with surgical luminaries such as Chester B. 

McVay and Oliver Beahrs, as well as anatomic icons like Russell T. Woodburne, Keith 

Moore, and John Skandalakis,” Wind said, 

“and particularly to be linked with Frank 

Netter and his art.” 

 Wind was also the 2007 Keith L. 

Moore/Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins 

Presidential Speaker, and delivered a 

speech entitled, “What You See is What You 

Get,” a challenge 

to the meeting’s 

attendees to effectively present 

the next generation of visual 

medical information.. 

 In addition to 

working at USU, 

Wind is also the 

director of art and 

education for 

Vesalius, an internet-based resource for 

surgical education, and a staff surgeon at 

the National Naval Medical Center. 

USU Faculty Member Recognized as 2007 Honored 

Member of American Association of Clinical Anatomists 

Look Who’s Talking... What did you learn from this year’s Operation Kerkesner?

By MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Assistant Editor, Office of External Affairs 

Gary Wind, M.D., FACS 

Professor of Surgery, 

USU 

SSG Sherry Kwasnik 

NCOIC, Grad Health 

EHS 

“I think the 

most important thing to 

learn is how to 

be organized 

and plan carefully, which is 

what made 

the mission 

successful.” SGT Rachael Thompson 

FAP 

 

“I learned not 

to go against 

HM2 Charles in 

pugel sticks. 

The face she 

makes alone is 

scary, and it’s 

just inevitable 

that you’re 

going to get 

beat.” 

“It was a good reminder of why we’re 

at USU, and good 

motivation for second year and providing good care for the 

battlefield.” 

2d Lt Roselyn Clemente 

SOM, 

Class of 2010 

Talk of the town 

 CAPT David Wade, MC, USN, gave a presentation on the 

latest BRAC/Integration updates during the university’s town 

hall meeting, July 24. Some of the concepts revealed for the 

new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center include 

three new operating rooms, 20 new ICU beds, an expanded 

emergency room, and additional patient and staff parking. 

 Other topics covered during the meeting were updates on 

building renovations, the National Security Personnel System, 

the Defense Travel System, and the university’s Branding Initiative. 

 The next town hall meeting is scheduled for Sept. 20. 

Photo by HM2 Michael Oliver 
PAGE 7 

Change of Command Ceremony: The Brigade Commander, LTC 

John Maurer, USA, will change command with COL Jack Wempe, 

USA, Aug. 10 at 10 am in the USU Courtyard. This is a mandatory 

event for all Brigade faculty, staff, and students. Uniform will be 

BDUs/ACUs/Cammies. 

 

2007 USU Picnic: The annual USU Picnic will be held Aug. 29 from 

11 am—4 pm in the USU Courtyard and Dining Facility. Tickets are 

$3.00 each, and children under three years old are free. Tickets 

must be purchased by Aug. 17. Families are welcome. To purchase 

your ticket, contact Nadine Utz in RM A1040C or April Broussard in 

the Office of Student Affairs in Bldg C. 

Assistant Awards Program Manager: The Brigade is soliciting for an 

Assistant Awards Program Manager for the Military Awards Program (MAP). This service member should route their request 

through their chain of command to the MAP Program Manager, 

HM1 Hassan, USN (BDE).

USU Leave and Liberty/Pass Policy for Military Personnel: A new 

USU policy has been signed into effect for all military personnel at 

USU and AFRRI. One change is that requests for leave must be 

submitted in advance at least seven days prior to departure. Additionally, individuals leaving the CONUS must complete a security 

brief prior to their departure. This policy can be found on the USU 

website or by clicking: 

http://www.usuhs.mil/bde/pdf/USULEAVELIBERTYPOLICYFORMI

LITARYPERSONNEL.pdf. 

USU News Briefs 

Congratulations to the following USU alumni 

and faculty who were recently selected for 

promotion to commander in the US Navy 

Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, and Medical Service Corps. 

Elizabeth Adriano—Class of 1996 

Tracy Altland—Class of 1997 

Robert Browning—Class of 2000 

Donald Crain—Class of 1996 

William Cramer—Class of 2000 

Kara Crismond—Class of 1996 

Michelle Corriere—Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and 

Biometrics 

Kimberly Davis—Class of 1996 

Steven Escobar—Class of 1996 

Dennis Faix—Class of 2001 (MPH Program) 

James J. George—Class of 1996 

John Grimwood—Class of 1994 

Harold Groff—Class of 2000 

Francis Hall—Class of 2003 (MPH Program) 

Reid Holzclaw—Class of 1996 

Suezane Holzclaw—Class of 1996 (MD,) Class 

of 2003 (MPH) 

Cheuk Hong—Class of 1992 

Michelle Kane—GSN Ph.D. Student 

David Krulak—Class of 1998 

Christopher Landes—Class of 1996 

W. Trevor Lennard—Class of 1999 

William D. Leonard—Class of 1995 

Kevan Mann—Class of 1996 

Patrick McEldrew—Class of 1996 

Erica Kitchell Miller—Class of 1996 

Cathleen Shantz Mills—Class of 1996 

Gary Morris, MSC, USN—Assistant Professor of 

Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, USU 

Timothy O’Hara—Class of 1996 

Angelique Craig Olszowka—Class of 1996 

J. Reed Pate—Class of 1992 

Lisa Pearse—Class of 1991 

Ralph Pickard—Class of 1996 

Emerich Piedad—Class of 1996 

Robert D. Polley—Class of 1999 (Nurse 

Anesthesia Program) 

Bryn Reina—Class of 1996 

Sara Saltzstein—Class of 1996 

Stuart Shippey—Class of 1999 

Craig Spencer—Class of 1996 

Michael Sullivan—Class of 1996 

Sally Tamayo—Class of 1996 

Kristopher Thibodeau—Class of 2000 

Gregory Their—Class of 1996 

Jeff Tjaden—Class of 2003 (MPH Program) 

Jeff Tomlin—Class of 1999 

Harvey Wilds—Class of 1997 

Michael Wittenberg—Assistant Professor of 

Obstetrics and Gynecology, USU 

Congratulations to the following USU alumni 

and faculty who were just selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, 

Nurse Corps, Biomedical Sciences Corps, or 

Medical Service Corps: 

Maj Sarah Beal, Commandant's office/Air 

Force Company Commander 

Maj Julie Bosch, GSN Family Nurse Practitioner class of 2000, current GSN Ph.D. program 

student 

Maj Elizabeth Decker, GSN FNP class of 1997 

Maj Brian Koonce, GSN Nurse Anesthesia 

class of 1999 

Maj Timothy Middleton, MPH Class of 1988 

Maj Scott Nemmers, Department of Preventive 

Medicine and Biometrics, USU 

Maj Susan Perry, GSN Nurse Anesthesia class 

of 1998 

Maj Alesia Ricks, GSN Nurse Anesthesia class 

of 1999 

Maj David Stamps, GSN Nurse Anesthesia 

class of 1997 

USU Alumni, Faculty Promotions 

Look Who’s Talking Too... What did you learn from this year’s Operation Bushmaster?

Col Charles Beadling 

USAF, MC 

Academic Division 

Director, Vice Chair 

MEM 

“I learned that the 

people of the university have an 

incredible ability 

to be flexible, and 

to adapt and 

grow into new 

positions that they 

may not have. 

SGT Jeff McQuaid 

NCOIC, Veterinary 

Medicine Division 

LAM 

“I learned to work 

closely with each 

of the different 

services, and I met 

a lot of people that 

I had never met 

before. 

Water/Power/Fuel 

for life!” 

“I learned to listen 

to LTC Lutz, ‘Stay 

away from poison 

ivy!’” 

2LT Greg Brown 

SOM 

Class of 2008 
USU Calendar of Events 

 1 

Administrative 

Officers/Departmental 

Representatives 

Meeting 

10:30 a.m. 

Lecture Room B 

Medical Effects of 

Ionizing Radiation 

Scientific Update 

AFRRI Conference 

Room 

USU Toastmasters 

Meeting 

noon—1 p.m. 

Room A2011

2 

Medical Effects of 

Ionizing Radiation 

Scientific Update 

AFRRI Conference 

Room 

USU Brigade Photo 

7:15 a.m. 

USU Ampitheater

3 

Medical Effects of 

Ionizing Radiation 

Scientific Update 

AFRRI Conference 

Room 

4 

5 6 7 8 

USU Toastmasters 

Meeting 

noon—1 p.m. 

AFRRI Small 

Conference Room 

9 10 

Change of 

Command 

Ceremony 

10 a.m. 

USU Courtyard 

DTS: AO/RO 

Training 

8 a.m.—noon 

LRC 

11 

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 

19 20 21 22 

USU Toastmasters 

Meeting 

noon—1 pm 

AFRRI Small 

Conference Room 

23 24 25 

August