The Official USU Newsletter

Volume 9, Issue 20 • November 10, 2014

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

On the cover

Fourth-year medical students work on a 

simulated patient presumed to be suffering 

from diabetic ketoacidosis, when the 

body has no insulin, as part of Operation 

Bushmaster, a field training exercise 

conducted at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. 

(DoD photo by Sarah Marshall) See article 

on page five.

DoD photo by Sarah Marshall

DoD awards $17 Million for TBI research

By Gwendolyn R. Smalls, chief, Media Affairs

TThe Department of Defense has 

awarded an unprecedented $17 

million to a dynamic group of 

world-renown researchers to facilitate 

the development of better-run clinical 

trials in treatments for traumatic 

brain injury, a condition which affects 

thousands of service members as well 

as athletes and the general public. 

According to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, an estimated 

two percent of the United States 

population now lives with TBI-caused 

disabilities, at an annual cost of about 

$77 billion. No TBI treatment has yet 

proven to be effective.

Officially launched October 1, 

2014, this new research initiative, 

called TBI Endpoints Development 

(TED) Award will bring together this 

country’s leading academic clinicianscientists with innovative industry 

leaders in biotechnology and imaging 

technology as well as patient advocacy 

organizations and philanthropies. 

These individuals will analyze data 

from large existing and ongoing 

studies to integrate into a dataset 

that can be interrogated to identify 

the most sensitive clinical outcome 

measures, imaging findings, and 

biomarker. The goal is for these to be 

useful as drug development tools for 

clinical research. This effort in itself is 

unparalleled. 

The agencies involved not only 

include the DoD, but also the Food 

and Drug Administration, National 

Institutes of Health, academic medical 

centers, foundation-funded research 

networks, and patient advocacy 

groups.

Dr. Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, director 

of Clinical Research USU’s Center 

for Neuroscience and Regenerative 

Medicine and a professor of neurology 

here at USU is a member of the 

leadership team of the TED project.

According to Diaz-Arrastia, the 

amount of money that DoD has 

allotted for this research isn’t the only 

extraordinary aspect of this program.

“This is a big national effort and 

it’s not just because of the amount 

of money,” he said. “This is part of 

a major initiative by the FDA to let 

the investigators active in the field 

collaboratively determine which are 

the best outcome markers, the best 

biomarkers, and the best imaging 

methods that can be qualified as drug 

development tools. And it makes a lot 

of sense.” The researchers will 

work directly with the FDA to develop 

better methods for selecting patients 

for clinical trials, and better ways to 

measure patient outcomes that may 

lead to the identification of effective 

TBI treatments.

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.

Dr. Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, director of Clinical 

Research Center for Neuroscience and 

Regenerative Medicine and professor of 

neurology, USU

Courtesy photo
November 10, 2014 3

The Uniformed Services University will hold its 

annual one-day Health Benefits Fair on Tuesday, 

November 18, 2014 in the lobby of Building B, 

from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Representatives from various 

health organizations will be present to provide information 

on their respective health plans as well as address questions 

concerning health coverage.

All eligible employees are encouraged to attend. Those 

who are currently enrolled in a Federal Employees Health 

Benefit plan are strongly urged to review their plan’s rate and 

benefits for 201.

“It’s important for new employees and those who’ve been 

in federal service to attend the Health Benefits fair because 

employees can get the latest information directly from the 

health care carriers,” said Carla Adams, a human resource 

specialist at USU.

“The carriers will inform employees of the various changes 

for the upcoming year so that employees can make an 

informative decision as to whether they want to keep their 

current health plan or change to another plan,” she added. 

The 2014 FEHB Open Season enrollment period will be 

held from November 10 through December 8, 2014, during 

which all eligible active duty civilian employees who do 

not have health coverage may enroll in a FEHB plan. Also, 

employees currently enrolled in a FEHB plan may change 

their enrollment option (for example, from self only to self 

and family) or select a different health plan.

According to Adams, there are some changes in this year’s 

open season of which both new and existing employees 

should be aware.

“In 2015 there will be some FEHB program changes,” said 

Adams. “The changes will include the following:

• Coventry Health Care (enrollment codes IG1, IG2, IG4, 

IG5, GZ1 and GZ2)

will be terminating in the state of Maryland.

• United Healthcare Insurance Company (enrollment 

codes L91 and L92) will be

entering the FEHB Program

• Innovation Health Plan (enrollment codes LQ1 and 

LQ2) will be entering the

FEHB Program in Northern Virginia.

“Employees currently enrolled in Coventry Health Care 

plan must enroll in a new health plan during open season if 

they want coverage. If they do not enroll in a new plan, they 

will not have FEHB coverage in 2015,” Adams continued.

To enroll or change your FEHB plan or enrollment option 

this open season, employees are advised to use the Navy’s 

Employee Benefits Information System or call 1-888-320-

2917, TTY 1-866-328-9889, and speak with a customer 

service representative. FEHB elections or changes must 

be submitted (via EBIS or calling the above telephone 

number) by December 8, 2014. The Navy Northwest Human 

Resources Service Center located in Silverdale, Wash., 

request employees process FEHB elections through EBIS or 

by calling 1-888-320-2917.

To avoid any chance of missing the FEHB December 8, 

2014 deadline, CHR will not be accepting hard copy SF-2809 

election forms.

During the enrollment period, both Adams and Kima 

Watts, will be available to assist USU personnel with their 

FEHB submissions through EBIS.

As with any benefits change, Adams recommends 

reviewing leave and earning statements to make sure the 

correct deductions are withheld.

A copy of the 2015 FEHB rates may be obtained by logging 

on to the OPM 

http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/

plan-information/premiums/

TBI research, continued from pg. 2

“This TED effort is really the attempt to bring the traumatic 

brain injury field together and obviously it was made possible 

through the DoD and would not have happened without that 

(funding),” added Diaz-Arrastia.

The five-year award will give the researchers the opportunity 

to not only study all facets of TBI but possibly fast-track a 

successful treatment.

“Goal number one is to accelerate the clinical research,” 

said Diaz-Arrastia, “so if a company or investigator has a drug 

that they want to test, they don’t have to start from scratch 

to decide what outcome markers and biomarkers they want 

to use. They can use the outcomes of the TED effort, which 

will have already been qualified by the FDA. That will greatly 

accelerate the clinical research effort of a drug and could 

accelerate the approval process.”

While Diaz-Arrastia concedes that all the goals of the TED 

project may not be complete in the five-year timeframe, he 

feels it’s a great head start.

“I think five years is enough for this project,” said DiazArrastia. “Likely there will be need to do a follow- up effort, 

but I think the key aspects will be in place.”

(UC San Francisco Public Affairs contributed to this article)

Annual Health Benefits 

Fair highlights FEHB Open 

Season

By Gwendolyn R. Smalls, Chief, Media Affairs
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

School of Medicine Presents its Annual Faculty Teaching 

Awards

By the Office of Academic Affairs

Courtesy photo

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Todd Gleeson, 

Department of Medicine

Air Force Major (Dr.) Grant Lattin, 

Department of Radiology

 Courtesy photo

The Uniformed Services 

University F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine dean Dr. 

Arthur Kellermann recently announced 

the winners of the School of Medicine 

annual Faculty Teaching Awards. 

These awards recognize two faculty 

members who demonstrated outstanding performance in their roles as educators during the preceding academic 

year (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014).

Several exceptional nominations were 

received and reviewed by the advisory 

committee. After scoring and deliberation, Dean Kellermann presented Navy 

Cmdr. (Dr.) Todd Gleeson, Department 

of Medicine, and Air Force Maj. (Dr.) 

Grant Lattin, Department of Radiology, 

with the awards. 

Gleeson was selected for the award 

for providing critical educational 

leadership in the internal medicine 

clerkship program, mentoring medical 

students, Walter Reed National Military 

Medical Center residents and fellows, 

and building collaborative bridges with 

the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Gleeson has been instrumental in 

building a collaborative educational 

experience at the VA medical center 

in Washington, D.C., and helping USU 

students embrace the continuity of care 

between active-duty service and veterans’ care. Gleeson was the driving force 

behind the creation of a sixth inpatient 

internal medicine team at the D.C. VA, 

which is staffed by internal medicine 

house-staff from WRNMMC as well as 

faculty from both WRNMMC and USU. 

According to the nomination narrative, 

medical students routinely rave not 

only about the patient care experience 

at the D.C. VA, but also acknowledge 

Gleeson’s vital role in sparking their 

interest in internal medicine and veterans’ care. 

Gleeson has been an invited speaker 

for the past two years by the Joining 

Forces collaborative initiative between 

the Association of American Medical 

Colleges and the White House Offices 

of the First and Second Ladies. 

“Cmdr. Todd Gleeson is an outstanding USU faculty member, and an exceptional teacher, who has been recognized 

as a role model by medical students, 

residents, fellows, and colleagues,” said 

Dr. Louis Pangaro, chair of the Department of Medicine, USU.

Lattin served as the director for the 

integrated radiology curriculum, the 

pre-clerkship radiology selective and 

the clerkship radiology elective. He 

also incorporated novel methods of 

education to include re-engineering the 

classroom experience and the incorporation of web-based teaching for 

enhancement of the student experience 

akin to that used for a more interactive 

reverse classroom model of teaching. 

Recently, Lattin won the Faculty 

Senate’s Innovation in Education Award 

for his development of the “Radiology Hunger Games.” This educational 

method adapted a means of challenge 

detailed in the popular book and 

movie series “The Hunger Games,” in 

which representatives from smaller 

groups would “duel.” In the radiology 

version, the students were asked to 

prepare for “combat” by reading and 

learning how to manage three distinct 

imaging scenarios using the American 

College of Radiology Appropriateness 

Criteria Guidelines as well as several 

select pertinent peer-reviewed journal 

articles. The actual event was initiated 

by faculty-mentored group discussions, 

which were also in the manner of a 

reverse classroom in that the majority 

of topic discussion was by the students 

with faculty serving as facilitators. 

Lattin served as the assistant program 

director for the National Capital 

Consortium Body Imaging Fellowship which he personally transformed 

into a more rigorous academic fellowship with formal inclusion of radiologic 

pathologic correlation with pathologists at the Joint Pathology Center. 

“Dr. Lattin epitomizes a great faculty 

educator,” said radiology department 

chair Dr. Vincent Ho. “His tour of duty 

at USU has made an incredible, positive 

impact on how radiology is taught and, 

perhaps more importantly, on how USU 

educators are perceived within the NCC 

and greater academic community.”

Both winners have been recognized 

by placement of their names on tribute 

bricks in the USU courtyard.
5 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter March 29, 2010 5

Military Medical Students Learn to 

Care for Combat Injured

By Sarah Marshall, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

About 170 medical students from the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health Sciences 

recently experienced the demands of caring for 

patients in a simulated combat environment, complete 

with mock explosions, operational problems, reality-based 

missions and numerous casualties.

The fourth-year medical students journeyed here this 

month to participate in a field training exercise known 

as “Operation Bushmaster.” Graduate School of Nursing 

students also participated, along with international 

military medical officers from Mexico, the United 

Kingdom, Israel and Japan, said Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) James 

Palma, an assistant professor of Military and Emergency 

Medicine at USU.

Graduate School of Nursing students also participated, 

along with international military medical officers from 

Mexico, the United Kingdom, Israel and Japan, said Navy 

Cmdr. (Dr.) James Palma, an assistant professor of Military 

and Emergency Medicine at USU.

Preparing for first operational assignments

The goal is to prepare students for their first operational 

assignment when they graduate from medical school, Palma 

explained. They might complete a one-year internship and then 

immediately deploy, or they might go straight into a residency 

and not deploy for another three or four years, he said. Either 

way, he added, “our goal is that they are well prepared for 

their first operational assignment, and that they’re going to be 

lifelong leaders in our military health care system.”

Before “Operation Bushmaster,” students go through a 

two-week military contingency medicine course, during 

which they are presented operational problems and receive 

pre-deployment training, just as they would prior to a real 

deployment, Palma explained. This classroom phase includes 

lectures and is focused on team building. The students become 

a cohesive unit as they prepare to deploy to a fictional country 

facing challenges from rebel forces, he added.

Divided into two groups, the students were sent, sequentially, 

to spend four days at this large National Guard base nestled 

in the mountains just north of Hershey, Pennsylvania. They 

were assigned to one of four platoons – all undergoing 

identical scenarios, planning and executing missions, while 

simultaneously caring for a variety of casualties, ranging in 

severity from fatigue to gunshot wounds. The exercise featured 

nearly 1,000 encounters with simulated patients, Palma said.

Leadership, communication skills, logistics

While patient care is a large part of their training, leadership, 

communication skills and logistics are just as important, Palma 

said. 

Fourth-year medical students respond to a simulated mass casualty scenario as part of Operation Bushmaster, a field training 

exercise conducted at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. 

DoD photo by Sarah Marshall
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter November 10, 2014 6

Bushmaster, continued from pg. 5

The students also were graded on 

how well they performed key positions, 

including platoon leader, ambulance 

team leader, surgeon, and combat stress 

control officer. They were graded on 

a number of factors, such as communication and leadership skills, as they 

were observed by more than 60 faculty 

members from USU, as well as from 

across the country.

The students also were graded on 

how well they performed key positions, 

including platoon leader, ambulance 

team leader, surgeon, and combat stress 

control officer. They were graded on 

a number of factors, such as communication and leadership skills, as they 

were observed by more than 60 faculty 

members from USU, as well as from 

across the country.

Dr. Art Kellermann, dean of the F. 

Edward Hébert School of Medicine of 

USU, noted that while the exercise is 

focused on leadership and enhancing 

the students’ patient care skills, they 

also interact with role players representing local host-nation citizens, practicing cultural sensitivity and expanding 

their problem-solving abilities while 

handling complex issues of their unit’s 

wellness.

“All of this is wrapped into an incredibly challenging series of unfolding 

scenarios,” Kellermann said. “They are 

constantly being thrown problems. 

They have to adapt and learn to work 

with one another in a variety of ways 

and a variety of combinations.”

Upping the ante

As the exercise progressed, they 

“upped the ante,” until the fourth and 

final day, Kellermann said. Their training then culminated with a large masscasualty exercise. “We try to make it as 

realistic as we can,” Kellerman said. “We 

don’t pull punches.”

On the final day, the platoons, with 

about 24 students each, responded to 

a simulated mass casualty. They were 

informed that the fictional country’s 

rebel force leader was identified and 

had started a last effort to take over the 

country’s government, Palma explained. 

As the students responded, they heard 

loud, rapid gunfire, screaming and 

explosions booming 

from a speaker. 

Smoke billowed 

from the woods, 

where casualties were 

coming from left and 

right. 

“You think you 

know what you’re 

going to walk into, 

but the sheer magnitude, the sights ... it’s 

a shock to the senses,” 

said Army 2nd Lt. 

Rowan Sheldon, a 

fourth-year medical 

student in the 2nd 

Platoon. “You have to 

take a step back and 

say, ‘This is my plan, 

this is what I have to 

do,’ and execute the 

plan.”

As he played the role of a surgeon 

during the mass casualty scenario, 

Sheldon said, his platoon worked to 

find balance. Those dedicated to providing immediate care did just that, while 

others remained focused on setting up 

the triage and treatment areas. “Within 

the chaos of the environment, we had 

to create order,” he said. “It was difficult, 

and very realistic.”

Challenging, rewarding training

Overall, he said, the students’ experience throughout the training was both 

challenging and rewarding. “Every single 

person out there now is better than they 

were four days ago,” he added. “It was the 

most realistic training I’ve ever done.”

Navy Ensign Tony Romero agreed, 

adding that even though it was simulated, 

it was still very stressful. During the 

mass casualty scenario, playing the 

role of a medic in the 2nd Platoon, he 

said, he walked by people who clearly 

needed help. Though he wanted to delay 

his assigned tasks to stop and help, he 

reminded himself his job was just as vital 

to meeting the mission -- saving as many 

lives as possible.

Romero said he appreciated the 

feedback he received while being graded 

on his performance. “The [faculty] are 

there to help you, and helping make you 

better will help the entire system,” he 

added.

He also noted everyone looked out 

for each other’s well-being, ensuring 

they had taken time to eat and were not 

overexerting themselves, an important 

aspect of avoiding combat stress.”

Incredibly stressful

“It’s incredibly stressful for them,” 

said Navy Ensign Meghan Quinn. She 

was among the many first-year students 

at the exercise who played the role of 

casualties.

During the mass casualty scenario, 

Quinn acted as though she was exposed 

to a roadside-bomb blast, unable to hear 

and very confused. She said she tried to 

make it difficult for the students to treat 

her by stumbling around. She enjoyed 

watching how they responded, she said, 

and to “see them really respond to you as 

a person and as a patient.”

The training also gave Quinn a firsthand look at the difficult training she will 

go through in just a few years, when she 

returns for the exercise as a fourth-year 

student, she said. She recognized the 

importance of the training, she added, 

as it tests students in ways that can’t 

be accomplished in a classroom. She 

also said it’s important to train in this 

environment, because military medical 

personnel will not always be providing 

care in a hospital.

After the exercise, the students 

returned to their clinical rotations 

across the country.

A first year medical student explains her responsibilities 

during Operation Bushmaster to former U.S. Senator, 

Charles S. Robb, who is now a USU Board of Regents 

member. The annual Military Field Practicum is held at 

Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania for USU first and 

fourth year medical students.

Photo by Thomas Balfour
7 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter March 29, 2010 7

On Oct. 27, 2014, the Department of Defense and 

American College of Surgeons signed a strategic 

partnership agreement establishing a formal process 

for sharing information and expertise across a wide range of 

surgical care issues in areas of medical education, research, 

and evidence-based practices.

Dr. Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of Defense for 

Health Affairs, and Dr. David Hoyt, executive director of the 

American College of Surgeons were the co-signatories of the 

agreement.

“After our 13 years of experience in combat medicine in 

Afghanistan and Iraq, the Military Health System has learned 

a great about trauma medicine, and we have shared it with 

our colleagues throughout American medicine” Woodson 

said.

“But, knowledge sharing is a two-way street,” he continued. 

“Achieving the highest survivability from injuries in the history 

of warfare came about because of the close collaboration we 

have sustained over decades with our civilian colleagues.”

The partnership with the American College of Surgeons has 

been an example of how military-civilian partnerships can be 

fostered and strengthened. The Military Health System and 

the American College of Surgeons share a common heritage 

and ethos, Woodson said: A focus on continuous learning 

seeking to improve care for everyone they serve.

“This partnership directly supports our readiness mission,” 

Woodson said. “You only have to glance at the headlines every 

day, to understand that we continue to be a military medical 

force that has to respond on a moment’s notice, anywhere in 

the world – whether it’s military contingencies, humanitarian 

crises, or disaster response.”

The relationship with the American College of Surgeons 

provides an avenue for military surgeons in all subspecialties 

to sustain their trauma skills at both military and civilian 

institutions around the country, explained Navy Capt. 

(Dr.) Eric Elster, professor and chairman of surgery at the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Elster 

will serve as DoD’s co-chair for the partnership.

“This collaboration is as important for peacetime as 

wartime,” Elster said. “DoD has benefited greatly from our 

participation in the ACS’ National 

Surgical Quality Improvement 

Program. This initiative allows us to 

compare our performance across a 

wide range of quality measures with 

leading civilian institutions.”

“ACS has a long-term commitment 

to serve the public through our 

relationship with the uniformed 

services,” said ACS Executive Director, 

Dr. David B. Hoyt. “We want to sustain 

that relationship through peace 

time. Our shared leadership in this 

partnership allows us to do just that, 

as we contribute our resources toward 

ensuring the readiness of the Military 

Health System.” 

Ongoing, close collaboration with 

civilian partners is important on many 

levels for the Military Health System, 

Woodson said. Both benefit from 

understanding what the other is doing 

in its respective areas of research and 

operational experience – and both can 

accelerate their learning from those experiences.

“This is the future of military medicine,” Woodson 

concluded. “It’s important for both recruitment and retention 

of our superb surgeons. And there is the inherent value in 

providing our civilian colleagues with insight into the unique 

and indispensable role of the Military Health System in 

supporting our broader national security needs.”

Military Health System Expands Partnership with American 

College of Surgeons

Courtesy of Health.mil staff

Dr. Charles Rice, Dr. Bill Schwab, Capt. (Dr.) Eric Elster, Rear Adm. (Dr.) Raquel 

Bono, Dr. Alan Hoyt, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Col. (Dr.) David Murdock, Col. (Dr.) 

Todd Rasmussen, and Col. (Dr.) Jeffrey Bailey celebrate the recent signing of a 

Memorandum of Understanding between the Military Health System and the 

American College of Surgeons.

Courtesy photo
8 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter November 10, 2014 8

Navy and Marine Corps enlisted service members 

will join their colleagues in the Air Force and Army 

for an opportunity to prepare for future careers 

as uniformed physicians through a program headquartered 

at the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed 

Services University of the Health Sciences. Secretary of the 

Navy Ray Mabus officially authorized their participation in 

the program in a memo dated Sept. 9, 2014.

The “Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program,” 

or EMDP2, is a 24-month program for highly-qualified 

enlisted service members interested in a career as a military 

doctor. Candidates attend school full-time at George Mason 

University-Prince William campus in Manassas, Va., to 

prepare them to apply to medical school, while remaining on 

active duty. Candidates must possess a baccalaureate degree 

from an accredited academic institution with a minimum of 

a 3.2 grade-point average and meet service requirements for 

commissioning.

The inaugural EMDP2 class, five students each in the Air 

Force and Army, reported to USU at the end of August to 

begin the program, which includes full-time medical school 

preparatory coursework in a traditional classroom setting at 

GMU-PW, structured pre-health advising, formal Medical 

College Admission Test preparation, dedicated faculty and 

peer mentoring at USU, and integrated clinical exposure. 

Students completing the program successfully will qualify 

to apply to USU, or other U.S. medical schools through the 

Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program. 

Mabus directed the Navy Surgeon General to establish 

criteria for participation in the program as well as application 

procedures and policies and to coordinate policy guidance 

with the Chief of Naval Personnel and Commandant of 

the Marine Corps. The announcement to Navy and Marine 

Corps enlisted members, including criteria for applying, will 

be forthcoming. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Navy and Marine Corps service 

members to the Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory 

Program at USU,” said Army Lt.Col. (Dr.) Aaron Saguil, 

assistant dean for Admissions and Recruitment at the Hébert 

School of Medicine. “With the participation of Navy and 

Marine Corps candidates, military medicine will even better 

reflect the faces of our service members and our nation.” 

“Based on the caliber of the first group of Army and Air 

Force EMDP2 students, we are fully realizing the vision of 

this program – to attract outstanding non-commissioned 

officers for careers as physicians in the Military Health 

System. The addition of Sailors and Marines will build upon 

their success, make this program stronger and make it a truly 

joint endeavor,” said Dr. Art Kellermann, dean of the Hébert 

School of Medicine.

Navy, Marine Corps Students to Join ‘Enlisted-to-MedicalDegree Preparatory Program’

Program gives enlisted service members pathway to become military 

physicians

By Sharon Holland, managing editor

Navy and Marine Corps enlisted service members will join 

their colleagues in the Air Force and Army (shown here) for 

an opportunity to prepare for future careers as uniformed 

physicians through a program headquartered at the F. 

Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences. Secretary of the Navy 

Ray Mabus officially authorized their participation in the 

program in a memo dated Sept. 9, 2014. 

Courtesy photo
March 29, 2010 9

Final Frame

Uniformed Service University personnel celebrate Diwali or the “festival of lights” in USU’s small dining room on October 23. 

Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. It signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge 

over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day 

period.

Photo by Thomas Balfour