VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 WWW.USUHS.MIL MAY 27, 2008 

USU Newsletter 

In This Issue 

 

Letter from Dr. Casscells.................2 

SOM, GSN Awards...........................2 

Student Profile: LCDR Hawker.....3 

Avon Walk..........................................3 

Catching Up with Alumni.............5 

Rep. Van Hollen................................5 

AOM.....................................................7 

Dates to Remember.........................7 

Commencement, Pg. 4 
 

Carol R. Scheman 

Vice President for 

External Affairs and 

Managing Editor 

Tech. Sgt. André Nicholson 

Editor 

Mass Communications 

Specialist Third Class 

Jeffrey Hopkins 

Assistant Editor 

Christine Creenan 

Copy Editor 

 

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 by 

calling 301-295-3925. 

PAGE 2 

Cover photo by 

MC3 Jeff Hopkins

USU Newsletter 

Editorial Staff 

 I am sorry I couldn’t be with you to recognize 

your achievement, and the pride (and patience!) of 

your loving families. I am visiting our hospitals in the 

sands and mountains that many of you will soon 

know well. 

 Together with Army Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. 

Eric B. Schoomaker, and Joint Staff Surgeon Rear 

Admiral David J. Smith, I am learning how we can 

better train our medical personnel to prevent and to 

treat the physical and mental injuries of combat, 

and to help war-torn people care for their own. This 

visit, like the one we made in January that included 

Navy Surgeon General VADM Adam Robinson, Air 

Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. James G. Roudebush, and CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding, M.D., 

should net us “eyes on” knowledge that will benefit 

our future mission. 

 These tasks, together with your humanitarian 

relief for disasters like the earthquake in Peru and 

the cyclone in Myanmar, and our efforts to prevent 

and respond to epidemics in Asia and Africa, will 

challenge your fortitude and measure your devotion to duty. 

 You will be far from your loving families but constantly watched by a God who "neither slumbers 

nor sleeps." 

 You will also have the company of line leaders 

who are "first out of the foxhole and last in the 

chow line," and young medics and corpsmen who 

answer "corpsman up!" or “medic!” with a prayer 

and a dash to save a life that has, in some 170 instances in these wars, cost them their own. 

 Your courage will be of a different sort: exposure 

to infections and toxins and bombs. Yes (and we 

were reminded of this the other morning as a 

rocket exploded 200 

meters from the tent 

hospital). 

 More importantly 

you will make - and 

help our troops and 

commanders make - 

life and death medical decisions, and 

weigh the medical 

issues of the patient 

and the mission. This 

is the courage that 

Washington showed 

when he vaccinated 

his troops against 

smallpox. 

 You will also be challenged to lead by your wisdom, your understanding of people and increasingly, by your ability to innovate and to communicate. This will mark you as leaders, enabling you to 

transcend medical technology and play a critical 

role in preventing crisis from erupting into conflict. This unique form of medical leadership, which 

transcends the technical craft of the physician and 

marks the service of every uniformed health care 

professional (nurse, administrator and others) is 

hard-won and requires much schooling and practical experience. It is a major concern of all of us who 

lead in military medicine and is the reason we make 

such strong investment in your education as military 

physicians. 

 Your hard work and dedication has just begun. 

Perhaps this is an odd thing to say to a graduating 

Dr. Casscells Congratulates 2008 USU Graduates 

S. Ward Casscells, M.D. 

Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Health Affairs 

See CASSCELLS, Pg. 6 

 The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) Graduate School of 

Nursing held its Class of 2008 

Honors and Awards Ceremony 

May 12, and the School of Medicine held their Graduation 

Awards Ceremony May 15. 

 The following are the recipients of awards from the School of 

Medicine: 

Society of Medical Consultants to 

the Armed Forces Award: 2LT 

Massimo Federico, MS, USA 

Association of Military Surgeons 

of the United States Award: 2LT 

Caroline Mans, MS, USA 

Surgeon Generals’ Awards: 

2LT Massimo Federico, MS, USA 

ENS Lindsey Rath, MC, USN 

2nd Lt William Howarth, MSC, 

USAF 

ENS Sarah Hartnett, USPHS 

Navy League Award: ENS Sandra 

McLaughlin, MC, USN 

Air Force Association Award: 2nd 

Lt Stefan Hamelin, MSC, USAF 

Association of the United States 

Army Award: 2LT Jeanne Patzkowski, MS, USA 

Outstanding Biomedical Graduate Educator Award: Neil E. Grunberg, Ph.D. 

The Cinda Helke Award: Neil E. 

Gruneberg, Ph.D. 

School of Medicine Outstanding 

Civilian Educator Award: retired 

Col David R. Welling, MC, USAF 

William P. Clements Jr. Award: Lt 

Col Pamela Williams, USAF, MC 

Carol J. Johns Medal: Merrily 

Poth, M.D. 

John F. Maher Award: 2nd Lt. 

Andrew Skabelund, MSC, USAF 

Marcia Salazar Award for Humanism in Medicine: 2nd Lt. Brian 

Fitzgerald, MSC, USAF 

CAPT Angeline A. Lazarus 

Outstanding Achievement 

Award: ENS Grace Lee, MC, USN 

Jeffrey P. Kavolius Award for Academic Excellence: 2LT Massimo 

Federico, MS, USA; 2LT Jeanne 

Patzkowski, MS, USA 

Enrique Cervantes Agurre Medical Education Award: ENS Mason 

Harrell, MC, USN 

Captain Richard Hooper Memorial Award: ENS Peter Seguin, MC, 

USA 

A. Bernard Pleet Outstanding 

Student in Neurology Award: 2LT 

Jenna Schwartz, MS, USA 

Emma Bockman Award: 2nd Lt 

Brian Fitzgerald, MSC, USAF 

Henry M. Jackson Foundation 

Fellowship Award: Lara Kingeter, 

Emerging Infectious Diseases; 

Robyn Osborn, Medical and Clinical Psychology 

The Val G. Hemming Fellowship 

SOM and GSN Host Annual Award Ceremonies 

See AWARDS, Pg. 6 
 LCDR Jeremy Hawker knew early on he wanted to be in the 

military. As a young boy he played soldier, was proud of the father who flew A-6 Intruders for the Marines, and liked exploring 

different parts of the country as his family moved from one base to 

the next. For most, it was of little surprise and excited anticipation 

that Hawker decided to carry on the proud military tradition by 

joining the United States Navy. 

 A third generation officer, Hawker used the nursing degree he 

received from the University of Minnesota at Mankato, to promote 

wellness across the globe. Deployments to Iraq and humanitarian 

missions in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia taught him to care for 

patients in challenging conditions. “That’s what we join for,” 

Hawker said of his experience oversees. “Not everyone in the 

Navy Nurse Corps gets the opportunity to deploy. I feel fortunate.” 

 Fortune would strike again while aboard the USS Eisenhower 

when Hawker’s mentor, CAPT Brian Dawson, encouraged him to 

apply to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 

Soon after, he was accepted into the Perioperative Clinical Nurse 

Specialist program where he 

quickly made a name for himself. His peers elected him class 

leader and he became involved 

in several extracurricular activities, including membership in 

the Student Advisory Committee. 

 After spending two years at 

the university, Hawker graduated this month. He is excited 

about the manuscript he has 

created and believes the university’s focus on research allows 

students to “walk away with a product other health care professionals can potentially use.” He credits USU with instilling a 

“leadership quality you wouldn’t get at another university.” 

 Hawker has realized his childhood dream for more than a decade now and plans to serve in the Navy well after graduation. His 

wife and children will enjoy the same lifestyle of his upbringing. “I 

wanted to be in the military from day one,” he said, and “I wouldn’t do it any differently.” 

Student Profile: LCDR Jeremy Hawker, NC, USN, GSN PCNS Program 

 CAPT Gerald V. Quinnan, Jr., M.D., 

USPHS, professor and chair, Department of 

Preventative Medicine and Biometrics at 

the Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences (USU), will be one of 10 

scientists awarded a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 

Diseases, part of the National Institutes of 

Health. 

 Quinnan has conducted extensive research with HIV and recently had the results of his research titled: “Extensively 

Cross-Reactive Anti-HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibodies Induced by gp140 Immunization” 

published in Proceedings of the National 

Academy of Sciences. 

 The grant is being awarded in order to 

advance underdeveloped approaches to 

designing a preventive HIV vaccine. The 

NIAID is launching a new program to foster 

the study of B cells, immune cells that can 

produce antibodies with the capacity to 

neutralize HIV. The $15.6 million, five-year 

program will strengthen and expand the 

scientific foundation of HIV vaccine research through a network of 10 research 

teams nationwide that will share resources, 

methods and data to accelerate progress. 

 In the immune system, B cells recognize 

key parts of microbes, called antigens. 

Then, in cooperation with T cells—parts of 

the immune system that kill cells infected 

by pathogens—a reaction is triggered that 

leads B cells to produce antibodies, which 

can lock onto antigens and sweep them 

out of the body. HIV is devilishly good at 

fooling B cells and shielding itself from antibodies or changing its antigenic parts, so 

antibodies can rarely rid the body of the 

virus. 

 The new NIAID research program aims 

to uncover mechanisms that will enable 

scientists to outwit HIV and stimulate the Bcell production of long-lasting antibodies 

that can neutralize strains of the virus. 

PAGE 3 

By Christine Creenan 

Web Writer, Office of External Affairs 

LCDR Jeremy Hawker, NC, USN 

 How far would you go to make a difference? For SSgt Melisa Witter, USAF and 

SGT Jamie-Lea Donnelly, USA, the answer is 

at least 34 miles. In just two days, coworkers at the Uniformed Services University of 

the Health Sciences (USU) treaded an arduous course which began in Washington 

D.C., continued across the Virginia line and 

ended in Bethesda, Md. in order to raise 

awareness and funds for breast cancer 

treatment, research and education. 

 The ladies each raised more than $2,000 

for the Avon Foundation, a public charity 

committed to improving the lives of 

women and their families through scholarship programs and community outreach. 

 Thanks to a Krispy Kreme fundraiser, 

internet collections, and down right pleas 

for donations, Witter and Donnelly relied 

on the kindness of family, friends and coworkers to provide the funding necessary 

to register for the event. Some people 

gave spare change while others pledged 

several hundred dollars, and the friends are 

thankful for every penny they could turn 

over to help the millions of women and 

men affected by breast cancer world wide. 

 But raising money was only half the 

battle, as the ladies would soon find out. 

“The first day was 80 or 90 degrees,” Donnelly said. The course became very trying, 

but according to Witter, “we kept going.” 

Motivated by the outpouring of community support, encouragement came in the form 

USU Staff Participate in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer 

By Christine Creenan 

Web Writer, Office of External Affairs 

See AVON, Pg. 5 

Courtesy photo 

SSgt Melissa Witter, USAF, (left) and SGT 

Jamie-Lea Donnelly, staff of USU’s Multimedia Design Center pose at the finish line of 

the 2008 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. 

USU Department Chair to Receive NIAID Research Grant 
PAGE 4 

 As the soon-to-be graduates of medical school and the Graduate School of Nursing of the Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences (USU) paced the hallways of Constitution Hall on 

the morning of May 17, the surrounding crowds chatted excitedly. Most of these students and their families have looked forward to this day for many years, and during the final minutes before this landmark ceremony, these great expectations showed. Lt. 

Paul Gerald Albers, a USU graduate, accurately summed up the 

emotion: “This is one of the 

best feelings in the world.” 

 Just days prior, the class of 

2008 gathered on campus for 

a weeklong celebration of 

their academic achievements 

in medicine, graduate biomedical sciences and advanced practice nursing. 

Every year, USU hosts this 

“Research Week” event to 

offer students, faculty and 

staff the opportunity to collaborate with one another 

and promote their research. 

But for the graduating class, 

Research Week 2008 was also 

a celebration and a prelude 

for commencement. 

 One medical student, Lt. 

Edward Jones, was given the 

opportunity to speak at the 

graduating class’ academic 

awards ceremony. During his 

address, Jones revealed his deep appreciation for the love and 

friendship he came to share with his classmates. “I joined the 

Army in search of a family that I never had,” said Jones, as he began his speech. 

“When a soldier 

finds himself under fire, the only 

guy he cares 

about is the guy 

on his left and his 

right. They’re his 

buddies, they’re 

his brothers, he’d 

do anything for 

them and they’d 

do anything for 

him. And you are 

my brothers and 

my sisters, and I 

would do the 

same for you – 

everyone in the 

class of 2008.” 

 Without a 

doubt, the men 

and women of the class of 2008 will remember and cherish their 

experience at USU throughout their careers. But Dr. Larry Laughlin, dean of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, added that 

this graduating class should also leave USU with a strong conviction. As he spoke, he emphasized that the journey does not end at 

graduation – it begins. 

 “I believe that this group of 

people is gifted, that’s the good 

news,” Laughlin said. “The bad 

news is that with great gifts come 

great expectations, and with 

great expectations comes great 

responsibility.” 

 Three days later, as the class of 

2008 patiently waited for the 

moment they would receive their 

diplomas, Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, 

director of the National Institutes 

of Health, reinforced Laughlin’s 

claim during his commencement 

speech, reminding graduates of 

the great task ahead. Zerhouni, 

who has been practicing and 

teaching medicine for more than 

30 years, not only warned this 

class of the awesome responsibility of medical stewardship, but 

also clued them in on a very real 

goal that he says, must be 

achieved. 

 “Medicine cannot stay as we 

know it today. It will not serve our country as we know it today. It 

has to transform itself from a medicine where we waited for disease to strike the patient to intervene, to a medicine where we will 

be preempting disease because we understand disease at a more 

fundamental level than we did twenty years ago,” Zerhouni said. 

 As the graduates received their diplomas, RADM Steven K. Galson, acting surgeon general of the United States, beamed with 

pride alongside Air Force Surgeon General Lt Gen James G. 

Roudebush and the rest of the official party. Once the last diploma 

had been awarded, the concert hall overflowed with celebration 

as roars of applause burst from a crowd of more than 3,500. 

 Having officially entered their professional careers as physicians, biomedical 

scientists and advanced practice 

nurses, the class of 

2008 dressed in 

their new uniforms and ranks, 

transforming the 

front rows of Constitution Hall into 

a spectacle of 

Army greens, 

Navy whites, Air 

Force blues and 

Public Health Service dress blues. 

The United States 

Marine Band, “The 

President’s Own,” 

played a medley 

of songs for each service as the country’s newest uniformed 

health care professionals congratulated each other with proud 

smiles and handshakes. And as the medical graduates recited the 

Hippocratic Oath, they officially assumed the responsibility that 

Dr. Zerhouni, Dr. Laughlin and countless professors throughout 

their graduate and professional programs had spoken about: the 

responsibility to protect life. 

By David Loebsack 

Health Affairs 

USU Graduates to “Care for Those in Harm’s Way” 

Photo by Tom Balfour 

Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director for 

the National Institutes of 

Health, addresses the graduates and attendees of USU’s 

2008 Commencement Ceremony. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Dr. Charles L. Rice, university president, and 

the members of the official party look on as 

SSgt Rachel Broussard, USAF, USU Servicemember of the Year places the ceremonial 

mace in front of the lectern at the 2008 USU 

Commencement ceremony. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

Class of 2008 graduates help each 

other with their robes outside of 

the Daughters of the American 

Revolution Constitution Hall before the 2008 USU Commencement ceremony. 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

2008 graduates pose with friends and family 

outside of DAR Constitution Hall after the 

ceremony. 
PAGE 5 

of messages chalked on the pavement and 

dangling from the trunks of trees as well as 

in the marchers, themselves. “The stories 

were so touching,” Witter said before adding, “You’re walking next to people who 

just had chemo.” 

 She goes on to discuss several of the 

courageous “ambassadors for the cause” 

including an elderly woman who travels 

from city to city, participating in all nine of 

the Avon sponsored marches. It is clear 

Witter is deeply humbled by the marchers, 

which is perhaps the reason she is so reluctant to discuss the injuries she sustained 20 

miles into the walk. They were minor—

three blisters—but painful additions to an 

already difficult journey. When asked 

about care, hesitation gives way to pride 

because Witter’s care givers were School of 

Medicine students. In fact, several USU 

volunteers were stationed intermittently 

along the course, ready to administer first 

aid to the sprained ankles, calloused feet 

and dehydrated bodies that crossed their 

path. 

 “It feels like we’re doing something to 

help people, which is why we came to 

medical school in the first place,” said medical student and Avon volunteer, 2LT Robert 

Vietor, USA, an MS-2. 

 A newly bandaged Witter and companion, Donnelly finished day one at mile 

marker 21 where they camped in tents on 

site and woke to begin the process again. 

A new day and13 miles later, the volunteers finished what they set out to do: 

prove every step counts. 

From AVON, Pg. 3 

 The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) 

chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha honored new inductees by hosting a dinner, May 10. 

 During the festivities, USU alumnus COL Terry Walters, MC, 

USA, was the distinguished speaker at the event. Walters graduated from the School of Medicine in 1984 and received her Master 

of Public Health degree in 1995. Walters, who is currently the 

commander of Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, is 

also a former U.S. figure skating national champion and holds 

national and world power lifting titles. Two other USU alumni, Dr. 

John Farley, SOM Class of 1990, and Dr. Tandy Olsen, SOM Class 

of 1997, were also part of the festivities as new inductees. 

 As many USU alumni rise to the top of their fields they have 

taken hold of other medical schools. CAPT Chris Kane, MC, USN 

(RC), SOM Class of 1989, recently became a professor of surgery 

and chief of Urology at the University of San Diego. Kane specializes in prostate and kidney cancer. Retired CDR Peter Johnstone, 

MC, USN, also SOM Class of 1989, was honored as a professor and 

chair of Radiation Oncology at 

Indiana University. 

 Col Arnyce Pock, MC, USAF, 

SOM Class of 1985, was honored as the recipient of the 

2007 Lifetime Achievement 

Award from the University of 

Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. 

Each year a single award is 

given to a graduate from each 

of the three University of Illinois 

campuses and is presented during the annual commencement 

exercise. As cited by the University's Alumni Association, the 

awards recognize "outstanding 

alumni for their professional 

achievement, distinguished 

service to the university and/or 

humanitarian efforts."

Catching Up with USU School of Medicine Alumni 

AOA advisor and USU Department of Medicine chair, Robert 

Goldstein, presented COL Walters with a plaque and coin in 

appreciation for her appearance 

at this year’s induction dinner. 

By Leeann Ori 

Alumni Program Specialist, Office of External Affairs 

Photo by Leeann Ori 

 Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) welcomes the audience to the Veteran Affairs community outreach discussion. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the services and benefits that are available to veterans and how 

they can be accessed. Members of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences' Office of External Affairs were present to provide information about the education and research being conducted at the university. 

 Honoring a Commitment to Those Who Served 

Photos by HM2 Michael Oliver 
PAGE 6 

class, but know that I fully realize the hard 

work and dedication you have already contributed. As I’m sure you’ve heard before, 

becoming a medical professional means a 

lifetime of learning about science and 

about people. 

 Please take a minute to thank not only 

your families but your teachers and the 

leaders like the late Dr. Jay Sanford, who 

nurtured this school to adulthood, VADM 

James A. Zimble who has been stalwart in 

its defense, and President Charles Rice who 

has built bridges to other universities, the 

Army, the Veterans Administration, and the 

National Institutes of Health. 

 And don't ask your chairman, Everett 

Alvarez, about his heroism in Vietnam. Just 

thank him for two decades of clear-eyed 

service to USU, and for his example. And 

thank the unsinkable Tammy Alvarez for 

the love that produced, Fighting For Life, 

the most inspiring movie of our lifetime. 

 Please also thank our unflappable dean, 

Larry Laughlin, M.D., and welcome the 

distinguished dean of our graduate school 

of nursing, Ada Sue Hinshaw, RN, Ph.D. 

 And thank your classmates for buddy 

learning, and for shoulders to lean on, even 

as they held you to standards that are incomprehensible in civilian medical schools. 

 Together, your fullness of dedication will 

lead to a fullness of life. You will face -- and 

most of you will meet -- challenges unknown to your civilian colleagues. But 

these will prepare you to lead, when you 

conclude your military career, in the world 

of medicine, or rather, in the medicine of 

the world. 

 Many of you will distinguish yourselves 

as "doers," many as teachers, and all as 

leaders by example. Some of you may follow the path of the 17 former service members like Joe Murray and Ed Krebs and Gerald Edelman who won the Nobel prize in 

medicine, or should have, like the late Maurice Hilleman and Judah Folkman. 

 Basic research is one way to serve, as are 

clinical and health services research. But 

you can also serve just by spending time 

with researchers. They need to know your 

needs. That is one of the secrets of success 

of the great surgical pioneers who began 

their careers in the military: Harvey Cushing, Michael DeBakey, Denton Cooley, 

James "Red" Duke, and Ken Mattox. (Almost 

all are Texans: facts are facts). 

 You heard from Dr. Elias Zerhouni, your 

commencement speaker. Please take his 

words into your hearts. 

 Dr. Zerhouni has led the National Institutes of Health into an innovative era of 

interdisciplinary focus. He and his NIH colleagues have pursued a different path from 

yours. They are specialists dedicated to 

discovery and invention on a time span of 

decades. We are grateful to them for partnering with us in our new areas of focus for 

USU: brain injury, psychological resiliency, 

and stem cell therapeutics. We also partner 

with NIAID's Dr. Anthony Fauci in infectious diseases, and are likely to do more 

with NIH in areas like imaging, biomedical 

engineering and informatics. Let’s not forget telemedicine and web-based education, by which the unique lessons learned 

at USU can benefit our allies everywhere. 

 We are also learning from leaders in 

public health like Institute of Medicine President Harvey Fineberg, M.D., CDC Director 

Julie Gerberding, M.D., HHS Secretary Mike 

Leavitt, who has led the nation's efforts in 

informatics and in avian influenza, and FDA 

Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, 

with whom we are developing new ways 

to monitor drug safety. 

 In each area USU brings unique needs, 

responsibilities, and talents, to compliment 

the specialized knowledge of our civilian 

colleagues. Armed with the new tools that 

result from these collaborations, and recalling that only a few years ago Soviet soldiers 

were driven from Afghanistan more by 

preventable diseases than by rockets, you 

will quickly make decisions that change the 

course of an epidemic or of a war. 

 Catch your breath now, express your 

thanks, and accept from me the thanks of 

our surgeons general and Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert Gates. Then go out to 

lead, by serving those who guard our families and our freedom. 

From CASSCELLS, Pg. 2 

Award: Christina Faherty, Emerging Infectious Diseases 

LTC Daniel Kayanan AMSUS Military Medicine Award: 2LT Jeanne 

Patzkowski, MS, USA 

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: 2LT Karen McGrane, MS, USA; 2LT Emily 

Simmons, MS, USA 

Government Services Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, Emergency Medicine Award: 2nd Lt Joseph 

Maddry, MSC, USAF 

Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians, Outstanding 

Student of the Year: 2nd Lt Elizabeth Casstevens, MSC, USAF 

Outstanding Student in Pediatrics Award: ENS Ben Nelson, MC, 

USN 

American Academy of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services Chapter 

East, Outstanding Achievement in Pediatrics Award: 2LT James 

Cox, MS, USA 

Outstanding Student in Psychiatry Award: ENS Chai Wu, MC, USN 

Armed Forces District, ACOG, Outstanding Student in Obstetrics 

and Gynecology Award: 2nd Lt Christopher Meinhart, MSC, USAF 

Army Chapter of the American College of Physicians, Outstanding 

Achievement Award: 2LT Nicholas Orr, MS, USA 

Society of the Air Force Physicians, Outstanding Achievement 

Award: 2nd Lt Bryan Ramsey, MSC, USAF 

Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal: 2nd Lt Beau Baum, 

MSC, USAF; 2nd Lt Thomas Beachkofsky, MSC, USAF 

Admissions Committee Certificates of Appreciation: ENS James 

Bailey, USN; 2nd Lt Jessica Beachkofsky, USAF; 2nd Lt Thomas 

Beachkofsky, USAF; ENS Jerald Cook, USN; 2LT Austin Cox, USA; 

ENS Robert Drewelow, USN; 2nd Lt Brent Feldt, USAF; 2nd Lt 

Philip Flatau, USAF; ENS Andrew Harbuck, USN; 2LT Leslie Jetté, 

USA; 2nd Lt Richard Kipp, USAF; ENS Grace Lee, USN; ENS James 

Masterson, USN; ENS Andrew McLaughlin, USN; 2LT Nicholas Orr, 

USA; ENS Colleen Perez, USN; ENS Ryan Restrepo, USN; ENS Peter 

Seguin, USN; 2nd Lt Andrew Skabelund, USAF; 2nd Lt Alison 

Smith, USAF; 2LT Rachel Sullivan, USA; 2LT Christopher Tracy, 

USA; 2nd Lt Baxter Tharin, USAF; ENS Allison Weisbrod, USN; 2nd 

Lt Michael Zeola, USAF 

 The following are awards from the GSN’s Honors and Awards 

Ceremony:

Federal Nursing Service Chiefs Award: Ph.D.: LCDR Michelle Kane, 

NC, USN; Masters: CPT Kelly Chiffer, AN, USA 

Military Officers Association of America Outstanding Student 

Award: Ph.D.: Col Lela Holden, NC, USAF; FNP: CPT Un Kim, AN, 

USA; NA: Capt Adam Dalgleish, NC, USAF; PCNS: LCDR Jeremy 

Hawker, NC, USN 

Distinguished Academic Performance Award: FNP: LT Jennifer 

Lezcano, NC, USN; PCNS: LCDR William Young, NC, USN 

Distinguished Clinical Performance Award: FNP: MAJ Jane Christensen, NC, USA; PCNS: CPT Shannon Cole, AN, USA 

Dean’s Award for Research Excellence: FNP: LT Agnés Ambrosi, 

NC, USN; LT Jennifer Lezcano, NC, USN. PCNS: LT Paul Albers, NC, 

USN; Capt Steven Blevins, NC, USAF; LCDR Richard Lawrence, NC, 

USN; and LCDR William Young, NC, USN 

Academic Excellence Award: LCDR William Young, NC, USN 

(PCNS) 

First Year Outstanding Student Award: FNP: Capt Lisa Madison, 

NC, USAF; PCNS: Capt Mary Hillandbrand, NC, USAF 

Distinguished Masters Uniformed Faculty Award: CDR John Maye, 

NC, USN 

Distinguished Masters Civilian Faculty Award: Roopa Biswas, Ph.D. 

From AWARDS, Pg. 2 
PAGE 7 

May 28 : Seminars, “Molecular Mechanisms of EphA2 Deregulation During Heliobacter Pylori Infection,” and “Mechanisms of 

Angitensin II-Induced Apoptosis in Primary Endothelial Cells” - 

Speakers will be Reyda Gonzalez-Nieves, MCB graduate student, 

and Young Lee, MCB graduate student, respectively. Lectures begin at 3:30 p.m., Lecture Rm. A. 

June 6-8: Tom’s Run 2008— Tom's Run is a 200-mile fitness event 

in memory of CWO4 Tom Brooks, USCG (Ret.), who contracted 

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Each year teams of runners relay 

from Cumberland, Md. to Washington, D.C., and finish at USU. For 

information, contact SSgt Rogers at mrogers@usuhs.mil. 

June 30 : First USU/HJF Symposium — “Military and Civilian Medicine Joining Forces to Advance Research,” will be held from 7:30 

a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference 

Center in Bethesda, Md. For more information, visit 

http://www.hjf.org/symposium, or call 301-294-1218. 

2008 Field Exercises: Operations Bushmaster and Kerkesner will 

be conducted July 13-25 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Penn. These 

exercises are unique to our university and require the support of 

all university uniformed personnel. Only emergency leave will be 

granted during this time frame as there are more than 135 uniformed personnel needed to support this mission. 

101 Days of Summer Safety Message, 2008: From the Secretary of 

Defense: Tragically, last year during the 101 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day, 77 service men and women died in private motor vehicle accidents. While Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer it also means increased traffic on our Nation’s 

roads. Know that the choices you make at sporting events, barbeques and other summer activities can impair your judgment and 

reaction times, all of which are necessary for safe driving. Don’t 

put your life, or the lives of others, in danger by making poor decisions. Most vehicle accidents are the results of alcohol, fatigue and 

excessive speed. Your safety and the safety of those around you, 

is in your hands. Enjoy the summer and all it has to offer, but be 

smart and be safe! 

Military Personnel Office Information: When a military member 

transfers to another department or their rating official changes, 

please inform the Military Personnel Office staff of this personnel 

action to determine if a Change of Rater Report is required. When 

a change of rater is greater than 90 days for Army personnel and 

120 days for Air Force personnel after the last evaluation close-out 

date, a Change of Rater Report is mandatory. 

Dates to Remember 

Stepping Out 

Photo by MC3 Jeff Hopkins 

 As part of “America On the Move,” HMC Jeffrey Mueller, USN, Leading Chief Petty Officer of the USU Company’s Navy Division, has lead a walking group during lunch for the duration of May. AOM is a national nonprofit organization who are working to improve the health of Americans by promoting a healthy diet and exercise. Mueller (far left) and HM1 John Motichka, USN, Leading Petty Officer for the Navy Division, lead a group 

of staff and faculty on a walk around the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center. 
UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY 

of the Health Sciences