Volume 6, Issue 11 n June 13, 2011

www.usuhs.mil

The Official USU Newsletter
On the cover

Recent GSN alumna and Army Capt. 

Margo Jenkins represented the USU at 

the annual Memorial Day “reflections” 

ceremony in Washington, DC. (See story 

page 3)

Courtesy Photo

Photo by Thomas C. Balfour

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 June 13, 2011

	 	 	

U.S. Army Surgeon General Eric B. 

Schoomaker, M.D., Ph.D. offered the 

graduating students words of support 

and thanks for what they have and will 

accomplish in service to their country.

Class of 2011 USU Graduates

by Christine Creenan-Jones

USU graduated it’s 32nd class of

students, May 21 at DAR Constitution

Hall. Army Surgeon General Eric B.

Schoomaker, M.D., Ph.D., served as

this year’s commencement speaker

and degrees were awarded to 167

medical students, 39 graduate program

students and 49 Graduate School

of Nursing students. The following

awards were given to this year’s

high-achieving students and faculty.

Board of Regents Award

Medical: Ens. Dinchen Jardine, MC, USN

Nursing: Cpt. Margo Jenkins, AN, USA

Biomedical Sciences: Kathleen R. Jones

Military Officers Association of America

Outstanding Student Awards

Family Nurse Practitioner: Lt. Cmdr.

	 L. Creller, NC, USN

Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist:

	 Capt. Wesley M. Rimer, USAF, NC

Nurse Anesthesia: Capt. Julio Cano,

	 USAF, NC

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse

Practitioner: Lt. Connie J. Braybrook,

	 NC, USN

Doctor of Philosophy: Maureen

	 N. Hood, RN, MSN

School of Medicine Outstanding 

Biomedical Graduate Educator

David R. Tribble, MD, DrPH

Henry M. Jackson Foundation 

Fellowships in Medical Sciences 

Kathleen R. Jones, Emerging

	 Infectious Diseases

Kristen R. Hamilton, Medical and

	 Clinical Psychology

Carol J. Johns Medal

Sheila M. Muldoon, MD, Professor

	 of Anesthesiology

William P. Clements Jr. Award 

Col. (Dr.) Brian K. Unwin, MC, USA,

	 	Assistant Professor, Family

Medicine

School of Medicine Outstanding 

Civilian Educator

Martha Johnson, PhD, Associate 	 	

	 Professor, Anatomy, Physiology

	 and Genetics

School of Medicine Esprit de Corps

Ens. Dinchen Jardine, MC, USN

Graduate School of Nursing 

Esprit de Corps 

Lt. Col. Rebecca Yurek, AN, USN

Society of Medical Consultants to the 

Armed Forces

2nd Lt. David Lindholm, USAF, MSC

AMSUS Award

2nd Lt. Jason Hoskins, USAF, MSC

Surgeons General Awards

Army: 2nd Lt. Jason Bingham, MS, USA

Navy: Ens. Kimberly Vance, MC, USN

AF: 2nd Lt. Kristen Saenger, USAF, MSC

PHS: Ens. Isaac Young, USPHS
Army Capt. Margo Jenkins knows the

meaning of Memorial Day. The nineyear Army vet has served her country as

an Adult Nurse Practitioner and recently

completed her Master’s degree at USU to

earn distinction as a Psychiatric Mental

Health Practitioner. And she did it with

honors, accepting the Federal Nursing

Service Chief’s Award and the USU

Board of Regents Award for academic

excellence. She also is the first Army

Nurse Corps Officer to be selected to

complete her doctoral program straight

from her Master’s work.

Capt. Jenkins knows her effort will be

of critical importance when she cares for

service members on the battlefields and

as they return from deployments. She

personally has lost three family members

this year who served in military uniform

– one in each Armed Service – Army,

Navy and Air Force. And her sister-in-law

was engaged to a service member who

was sent to Vietnam and never returned.

His name – Bruce Morrow – is on the

Memorial Wall Capt. Jenkins was facing

when she told her story as one of several

speakers participating in the Memorial

Day Storytelling in Washington, DC.

“It’s important for people – men and

women who have never served – to

meet and hear from active-duty women

who can tell them, from a personal

perspective, what it is like,” said Capt.

Jenkins. “As an Army soldier I honor

those service members who paved the

way for me. Without their contributions and sacrifices I wouldn’t have the

opportunities I have today.”

Capt. Jenkins told attendees that

“Today, there are fewer and fewer veterans

to share their stories. Many of our older

veterans - especially those from World

War II and Korea - tend to be reticent and

don’t want to talk about their service. But,

unlike during past periods in our history,

many Americans today have never even

met a soldier. I stand today as a soldier

who remembers.”

Capt. Jenkins added, “You are doing

an important thing, making a difference, by being here today. You are not

forgetting the sacrifices of our soldiers

and service members. I stand today as

a soldier who remembers. My husband

retired U.S. Air Force TSgt Timothy

Jenkins stands here today as a representative of Desert Storm – he remembers. Both of my sons on active-duty

in the U.S. Air Force, SSgt Christopher

Pettingill, and Senior Airman Christopher Lussier – both remember.”

Courtesy Photo

The Official USU Newsletter 3

USU Nurse Participates in 

Memorial Day Storytelling Event

Recent GSN alumna reflects on military values and personal memories

by Ken Frager

Floral displays adorn the stage as Army Capt. Margo Jenkins reflected on her career as 

an Army nurse, and on the contributions of those who have served before her, during the 

annual Memorial Day Storytelling event held at the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.

Lt. Daniel Faircloth, MC, USN

Cpt. Peter Ling, MC, USA

Cpt. Michael Faria, MC, USA

Lt. Col. Michael Cosio, MC, USA

Maj. Edward Morarity, MC, USA

Lt. Joel Martinique, MC, USN

Maj. Mario Tanchez, USAF, MC - MPH Program

Cmdr. Arvo Oopik, USPHS

Maj. James Troy, MC, USA

Lt. Cmdr. Neil Graven, USPHS

Lt. Cmdr. Richard Balk, MC, USN

Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Rifkin, MC, USA

Maj. Kathleen Crawford, USAF, MC

Maj. Christina Manthos, MC, USA

D. Robin Hill, Ph.D. - Graduate Education Program

Lt. Col. William Reed, MC, USA

Cmdr. Kerry Knoizen, MC, USN

Maj. H. Glenn Ramos, MC, USA

Yvonne Andejeski, M.D.

Sandra King, M.S. - Graduate Education Program

Anne C. Gawne, M.D.

Jeffrey P. Kavolius, M.D.

Cmdr. Byron Hendrick, MC, USNR - MPH Program

Cmdr. Adrian Szwec, MC, USN

Maj. Bradley Abels, USAF, MC

Karen Strand Manusov, CRNA - GSN Program

Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munaretto, MC, USA

Kevin Lewis, M.D.

Antonita De Jesus, M.D., MPH – MPH Program

Maceo Braxton, M.D.

Maj. Robert Oak, MC, USA

Terence J. O’Grady, M.D.

Barton Branscum, M.D.

Rikki Solow, Ph.D. - Graduate Education Program

Lt. Col. Mark Yuspa, USAF, MC

Maj. John Vickery, USAF, MC – MPH Program

Cmdr. Michael Mazurek, MC, USN

Louis Beltz, M.D.

Maj. Matthew Burke, MC, USA

Jerel Erne, M.D.

Col. David Burris, MC, USA

In Memoriam USU honor its 

alumni who have lost their lives
4 the pulse June 13, 2011

Graduate School of Nursing dean 

receives Pioneering Spirit Award 

by Ken Frager

Courtesy Photo

Ada Sue

Hinshaw, PhD,

RN, FAAN, dean

and professor,

Graduate School

of Nursing,

USU, was

presented with

the GE Healthcare-AACN

Pioneering

Spirit Award by

the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses (AACN) during the 2011

National Teaching Institute & Critical

Care Exposition in Chicago recently.

This AACN Visionary Leadership Award

recognizes significant contributions that

influence high acuity and critical care

nursing and relate to the association’s

mission, vision and values.

“Of all the awards that I could

receive, this one is special to me

because it comes from the professionals who use the nursing

research,” said Dr. Hinshaw.

“It’s a real honor to be selected.”

Dr. Hinshaw was the first

permanent director of the National

Center of Nursing Research and

first director of the National Institute

for Nursing Research at the National

Institutes of Health (NIH). In

these roles she led successful efforts

to position nursing research within

the mainstream of public-funded

biomedical and behavioral science

in the U.S. She led the institute in its

support of disease prevention, health

promotion and environments that

enhance nursing patient

care outcomes.

The Pulse Spotlight: 

Name: 

Liam Kean

Duty title: 

Research Assistant

How long have you worked at USU?

Almost 2 years

What brought you to USU?

I relocated because I was offered a 

great job opportunity by my supervisor, 

Dr. William Watson, in the Department 

of Neurology. 

What is your favorite part of USU? 

I appreciate the close community of the 

university and the working atmosphere. 

I also enjoy how wooded and peaceful 

the campus is, considering the close 

proximity to urban areas. 

What advice would you pass on to 

people new to USU? 

It is pretty easy to make friends on 

campus. Also, the crab cakes from the 

USU Cafeteria are a real treat! 

Editor’s Note: If you know a hardworking under-recognized person in 

your department, submit their name and 

contact information, and they might be 

selected for the Pulse Spotlight. Please, 

submit all nominees to usunewsletter@

usuhs.mil. Nomination is not a guarantee 

for publication.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

USU’s Education Day is sponsored

by the Faculty Senate Education

Committee and was first held in 2008

to promote continuing education of

faculty, staff, and students at USU

and its affiliated teaching institutions,

provide interdisciplinary discussion of

innovative and effective strategies used

in health science education, facilitate

transfer of strategies across disciplines,

and to foster optimal teaching and

learning opportunities through the use

of technology.

“As we enter the next phase of

curriculum reform, which is basically

the implementation phase, our Education Day program will offer some

tools and tips that most will find very

helpful,” said Dr. James Smirniotopoulos,

committee chair. “Our keynote speaker,”

– Dr. Stephen Ray Mitchell, the dean for

medical education from the School of

Medicine at Georgetown University –

“has gone through a similar process and

can offer first hand guidance on what we

can expect along the way.”

Dr. Mitchell will discuss lessons

he and his faculty learned and help

make the challenge of reform into a

new learning opportunity. “Anytime

we can find better ways to apply new

skills we are enhancing the educational experiences of our students,”

said Dr. Smirniotopoulos.

Education Day 2011 is scheduled

for Thursday, June 16 and the theme

is Pathways and Pitfalls in Curriculum 

Reform. Online registration is open

until midnight, June 14, 2011 and you

must be registered to participate.

Turning challenges into opportunities

by Ken Frager

Courtesy Photo

Ada Sue Hinshaw, 

PhD, RN, FAAN
The Official USU Newsletter 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.

Have you heard of H.E.L.P.?

Men and women in the military

who operate in and around

open water need protection

against drowning and immersion syndrome. Quick response to

cold-water immersion is important

because of its immediate impact

on the body. Immersion syndrome

could cause cessation of breathing and/or cardiac arrest in certain

A “Royal Experience” for CHAMP’s medical director

by Ken Frager

Army Col. (Dr.) Francis

O’Connor, medical director for the Consortium for

Human and Military Performance (CHAMP) at USU, was

the keynote speaker this year

for the 28th London Marathon

Medical Conference. The

Royal Society of Medicine

hosts this annual event, which

occurs the day before the

London Marathon, to address

many topics on the science of

marathon for doctors, physiotherapists, and sports scientists.

This year’s conference included

talks on “Mental Toughness” and

showcased the debate on the cardiac

risks from marathon running. Dr.

O’Connor, who attended the conference

in his role as president of the American

Medical Society for Sports Medicine

(AMSSM), was one of four international

speakers who presented “Overheating:

Managing Exertional Heat Illness in

the Injured Runner.” Dr. O’Connor has

pioneered the U.S. Army’s approach to

standardizing the evaluation, treatment

and return to duty (or play) criteria of

heat injured U.S. Army Soldiers. The

following day, he observed the medical

care team and provided consultation

on exertional heat stroke cases and

their management. 

Dr. Thomas Riley from Homerton

University Hospital, who worked in

the finish line medical tent at

the marathon, said in an email

to Dr. O’Connor, “I wanted

to thank you again for your

excellent talk and thought you

would like to know how much

our seven heat stroke casualties had benefited from the

treatment you advocated. It’s

certainly greatest return in

terms of benefit to practice in

the shortest time of any lecture

I have ever attended.”

Dr. O’Connor’s talk addressed

the priority importance of

rapid cooling with partial immersion ice baths for heat-stressed

athletes who have mental status

changes (often combative) and core

temperatures approaching or exceeding 40 degree Celsius (104 degree F.).

Dr. O’Connor stressed the importance of rapid cooling as a first

step to the subsequent steps of

intravenous fluid placement and

cardiac monitoring.

people. Cold water causes a loss

of heat much faster than cold air

does and can quickly cause performance impairments, including not

being able to fasten a life jacket or

other safety equipment. Making an

effort to tread water or swim only

increases the body’s heat loss and

hastens the onset of hypothermia.

A person alone can extend

survival time by using body posture

that covers areas especially vulnerable to heat loss. Those in the water

should avoid movement and use

the “heat-escape lessening posture”

(H.E.L.P.). This posture minimizes

the exposure to cold water of the

individual’s groin and chest because

the arms are folded across the chest

and pressed to the sides and the

knees are drawn up with the legs

crossed at the ankles, creating a

fetus-like position Note that this

technique does require the use of

a personal floatation device that

allows the knees to be drawn up.

If more than one person is

involved, the “huddle position”

should be used to reduce heat

loss. In this position, individuals

should press together their chests,

abdomens, and groins. In addition

to conserving each individual’s

body heat, the huddle position

helps prevent the swimmers from

becoming separated before they are

rescued, provides a larger rescue

discovery target, improves morale,

reduces shock and panic, and may

reestablish a chain of command.

These survival techniques require

practice and the use of personal

flotation devices. Treading water in

the H.E.L.P. position in heavy seas

is a major challenge, and the huddle

position requires that all participants be able to tread water, so being

fit and prepared is essential.

Courtesy Photo Army Col. (Dr.) Francis O’Connor, right, 

speaks with Dr. Courtney Kipps, the London Marathon 

Conference Coordinator.
6 the pulse June 13, 2011

Distinguished alumnus returns to campus

by MC1 Chad Hallford

Sharing career knowledge

by Ken Frager

Second-year medical student Air Force 2nd Lt. Jeffrey

Sorenson explains his medical “complaints” to students

at Montgomery County’s John F. Kennedy High School

while U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan listened

in. Secretary Duncan was visiting the school along with

Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, who also

toured the classroom. Sorenson, along with classmates

Andrew Chamberlin, Angel Zhang and Kevin Gould,

supported Kennedy High School’s Medical Careers

Pathway Program, led by Ms. Barbara Marchwicki,

during the 2011 school year. Earlier in the year, high

school students in the medical careers program won

second place in the Patriots Bio-Medical Competition

Photo by Ken Frager at the National Institutes of Health.

Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) C. Forrest

Faison, III, Commander Navy Medicine

West and Naval Medical Center San

Diego, is the first flag level alumnus to

return to campus as part of a new initiative by Brigade Commander Navy Capt.

(Dr.) Tanis M. Batsel Stewart.

“I think it is important to let our

students see and hear from those who

came before them, that the opportunities to succeed in military medicine

are endless,” said Capt. Batsel Stewart.

“Having these distinguished visitors

return, to speak with our medical

students, is a testament to the commitment they have made as flag officers

and military leaders, to grow the next

generation of military medical leaders.”

“I’m a big believer in this University,” said Rear Adm. Faison. “I jumped

at the opportunity to return and speak

with the medical students.” According

to Adm. Faison, as a medical student

at USU he was reminded to put his

patients first and as a military leader he

was trained to put his people first. ”The

way I see it, leading these junior officers

is another way of taking care of them

and putting them first.”

Over Faison’s more-than-30-year

career, he has had opportunities to

lead and treat from joint commands

in Kuwait and the Middle East, to lead

and deliver care from several of Navy

Medicine’s largest medical treatment

facilities at Portsmouth, Va., San Diego

and Camp Pendleton, Calif. and to

influence policy — shaping the present

and future of military medicine.

“I shared one of the key points in my

career with the students earlier. In my

fourth year of medical school, we went

to Camp Bullis, Texas for Operation

Bushmaster. At that time the teacher,

then — Lt. Cmdr. Michael L. Cowen,

who went on to be Vice Admiral and

Surgeon General of the Navy, taught

me a lesson I have never forgotten,”

said Faison. “When you’re tired, cold,

stressed to the maximum and you want

to be somewhere else, eating, warming

up — you’re out there because that

patient on the stretcher needs you and

is depending on you. It’s the right thing

to do. That’s what being a physician is

all about....caring for those who need

our help....whether at the bedside, in

theater, at HQ, or in a front office....it is

all about caring for those who need our

help and are depending on us.” 

Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) C. Forrest Faison, III addresses medical students during his recent 

return to USU as part of a coordinated effort by USU Brigade leadership.

Photo by Thomas C. Balfour
Briefs

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 selfcoded or non-licensed software on

network resources; add, remove,

configure, or attempt to modify

USU computer operating systems

or programs; move audio/visual 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 governmentoperated system or program; access

online gambling, games and social

engineering sites, dates or times.

Helpdesk Closure 

The NOC helpdesk is closed for training on Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m.

During this time, you can leave

a voicemail message at 295-9800,

utilize the HEAT Self Service (http://

www.usuhs.mil/uis/forms/trouble.

html), or email help@usuhs.mil.

If an emergency should arise,

please call 295-9870.

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.

Professional activities

The Department of Defense and

USU policy requires that all employees, both military and civilian, receive

approval for engaging in any activity outside their work environment,

which involves their professional

expertise or government occupation,

and involves compensation.

This approval is required prior to

engaging in the activity.

In order to get approval, any

employee can complete a USU Form

1004. This completed form must be

approved and signed by each department chair or activity head.

These forms are available in the

General Counsel’s office or online at

the USU OGC Web site.

Completed forms must be turned in

to the General Counsel’s office. The form

will be routed to the appropriate dean,

brigade commander or USU president.

Once processing is completed, a copy

of the approved form will be returned to

the employee for the employee’s records.

The Official USU Newsletter 7

The USU Merit Review

Committee is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2012 USU

Intramural Research Funding.

Applications may be submitted for Pilot, Standard and

Exploratory grant funding. New

or revised applications will be

accepted. Competing continuations are no longer funded. These

applications are for basic, clinical

or behavioral research.

Projects will be evaluated for

demonstrated relevance to military

concerns and/or are specific to the

USU mission.

Eligibility for funding from the

University’s intramural program is

restricted to USU-billeted civilian

and uniformed faculty members

with full, associate or assistant

professor titles.

Late applications will not be

accepted and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Applications must be submitted

by June 17, 2011.

For additional information:

http://www.usuhs.mil/research/

intramuralfunds.html or contact

the Office of Research at

(301) 295-3303.

Funding Applications

MS-1 Train-Up Week 

on USU Campus

Kerkesner and Bushmaster 

Field Training Exercises, 

Fort Indiantown Gap, PA

June 20 - 24, 2011

July 5 - 22, 2011