VITAL SIGNS. Change of Command Ceremony. Navy Medicine. NAVAL HEALTH CLINIC ANNAPOLIS Committed to Excellence Since 1845

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1 Navy Medicine VITAL SIGNS NAVAL HEALTH CLINIC ANNAPOLIS Committed to Excellence Since 1845 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Change of Command Ceremony Chief Pinning Ceremony Chief Pinning Ceremony Summer Vacation 2 Sea Cadets Lakehurst Winter Dress Blues Inspection Temp Staff 4 Awards 5 Promotions/ Retirements LT Pia Francisco Public Affairs Officer HM2 Neil Ritchey Assistant Public Affairs Officer Chief season is a life-changing occurrence taking place at the end of each summer. For the select few welcomed into this unparalleled brotherhood, it is a time of great pride and reflection as they see their hard work come to fruition. Naval Health Clinic Annapolis (NHCA) was honored to have two such selectees inducted into this respected fraternity, HMC Cory J. Bemis and LSC Dexter J. Devonish. HMC Bemis and LSC Devonish were first notified of their selection on August 3, Following a six week transition, they were ceremoniously pinned on September 15, With their families by their side and our proud staff looking on, the Navy greeted its newest Chiefs to a role of responsibility and deck plate leadership. Their experience and knowledge is a valued asset for our NHCA family and we are lucky to have them mentor our junior personnel. Upon completion of his initial 5-year enlistment, HMC Bemis made it a personal goal to make Chief before he retired. Through focus, dedication, and help along the way, Chief Bemis was able to achieve what he worked so hard to obtain. He says he was surprised to hear his name and was extremely honored and humbled by his selection. When asked what he was most thankful for in this experience, he told me the support of his family, namely his wife Michelle, and his mentors that supported him along the way, stating that without their support this wouldn t have been possible. As a 2 nd Class Petty Officer, LSC Devonish consistently performed his duties at a high level and became a seasoned subject matter expert within his rate. After being meritoriously advanced to First Class, he set his sights on anchors and rounding out his resume. He focused on his leadership and sustaining superior performance in order to improve his chances for selection, and his resolution was rewarded. LSC Devonish says his proudest moment was putting on the khakis for the first time. He is thankful for the support of his family and the Chief s mess throughout his journey. He told me the greatest thing he learned from Chief season was, It s never about you, it s always about the sailor. He said that as a Chief you must take care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually in order to help your sailors thrive. Naval Health Clinic Annapolis is proud to have HMC Bemis and LSC Devonish as part of its Chief s Mess. Their knowledge, experience, and leadership continue to mold our young sailors while their ideas and innovation add valued insight up and down the chain of command. Congratulations on your selection as Chief Petty Officer! - HM2 Ritchey

2 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R Summer Vacation P A G E 2 Baseball, apple pie and the open road three great things that every American can enjoy. Since taking car rides with my family as a child, the enjoyment of the open road was always thrilling. The thought of being in complete control of the destination, the frequent stops, and numerous places to see, give a sense of power that can only be felt in that moment. When I was in high school I knew I wanted to travel throughout my adulthood. The United States Navy has given me plenty of opportunity to do so. Not only through different duty stations, but also by earning my 2.5 leave days per month. This summer, I planned to follow my dreams and put my leave to good use. With plenty of leave days saved and a brand new Harley Davidson, my wife and I set off on the great American road trip. For the next 20 days we created our very own "Manifest Destiny". Our journey began at our home in Annapolis, Maryland, with our toes in the great Atlantic water. We set a plan, that in 1 weeks time, our toes will be submerged in the Eastern Side of the Pacific Ocean, along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). We would end our cross country travels in the same waters we left behind. While stationed in Hawaii, my wife and I spent a lot of time enjoying the central Pacific waters and soaking up the sun's rays. We were anxious to get back. As we traveled west, we visited family in Ohio, went inside the St. Louis Arch, and overlooked the great Mississippi river. We made a pit stop in Kansas City, visiting the Harley Davidson Factory where my Sportster was built, followed by some of the best BBQ we have ever tasted. Next stop was Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, one of the major reasons for traveling west. While stationed in Hawaii, we took the opportunity to drive to the summit of Maunakea. With a view 13,803 feet above the ocean, the breathtaking views were quite the experience. Our journey up Pikes Peak shared many similarities. As we increased elevation, the terrain of Pikes Peak became much like our experience with Maunakea; with sandy soil, no vegetation, and cold thin air. We rode on through Denver where the good people of Mile High Harley Davidson serviced the bike, ensuring it was in top condition as we screamed towards the deserts of Utah and Nevada. Our next major stop we had planned, and a big reason for taking the trip, was the great Bonneville Salt Flats just outside Salt Lake City. I've been reading Hot Rod magazine since I was in 5th grade. Each year, there is a large article of Speed Week which is hosted on the salt flats. Unfortunately, we arrived at the Salt flats about 10 days too early to watch Speed Week. However, being there on the salt, imagining motorcycles, cars, and jet powered machines screaming across the salt for miles to achieve new speed records, really makes you think how advanced the human race has become. We continued our ride through the Donner Pass and Lake Tahoe area. This area has some especially interesting history, as it makes you realize how difficult the pioneers had it when traveling west. I highly recommend taking a few moments to do a simple Google search and brush up on the events that took place in those mountains. The Lake Tahoe region is breath taking, with every pull-off and back road along these mountain ridges opening a new world to explore, reminding you there is a lot more to this great country than what's in your back yard. Finally, after nearly a week of riding, we arrived in San Francisco. We toured the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the home of Danny Tanner (Full House), Haight & Ashbury, and sampled the sourdough bread bowls. We cruised along the coast via PCH, exploring each little town and the scenic views they had to offer. After a few days exploring the Bay Area and reuniting with some extended family, it was time to say goodbye to California and make our way back to the East Coast. During this journey I was thankful for many things. We experienced great weather nearly the entire time, with only a few miles where the sky opened up and rain poured down. Secondly, there were all the nice people we met along the way. It s amazing to see the kindness and generosity all across this great nation on a very personal level. Seemingly every gas station had someone with a bike or they knew someone who did, striking up interesting and enjoyable conversations. I would like to thank the great people at Harley Davidson for building the machine to make my dream possible. There aren t many people who have the opportunity to ride across the country and I will never forget my experience or the bike that made it possible. Lastly and most importantly, I am thankful for the career that allowed me the time off and I would like to thank my wife, Andrea, who rode every mile with me and helped me fulfill my dream. - HM2 Schaeffer

3 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R P A G E 3 Naval Sea Cadets visit Lakehurst Service is a way of life for the Sailors at Naval Branch Health Clinic Lakehurst. Three Sailors, HM2 Sheretta Blyther, HM2 James Bond, and HM2 Patrick Hargrove, recently volunteered three hours to the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadets is a congressionally-charted, U.S. Navy base organization, comprised of two programs, The Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) and The Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC). These programs focus on educating individuals between the ages of 10 and 17 on the United States Navy s daily operations, history, and traditions. These sailors spent two days, August 17 and 18, 2017, providing 18 kids between the ages of 13 and 17 lifelong lessons. In an effort to teach military bearing and proper wear of the uniform, they completed a uniform inspection. Our volunteers provided the cadets a class on how to lace their boots, roll their blouse sleeves, and remove gear adrift. They conducted a class to teach basic first aid, to include CPR, and how to control bleeding, splinting, and more. This was a wonderful opportunity for our Corpsmen and Cadets to share in a mutually beneficial experience. We are thankful to our volunteers and to the Cadets for their interest. - HM2 Sheretta Blyther Winter Dress Blues Inspection September 25 and 26, 2017, marked a very important event for the staff at NHCA. The clinic held one of its bi-annual command uniform inspections where Sailors are inspected in preparation for the winter uniform switch to the Navy Service Dress Blue uniform. Enlisted and Officers alike stood in formation while members of the Triad and other officiates went from sailor to sailor inspecting each aspect of their uniform. Ensuring ribbons are at the correct height, hair is within grooming standards, and even how shiny one s shoes are encompass just a few of the many things being inspected. While every staff member looked their sharpest, some were deemed to have gone above and beyond, receiving an overall "outstanding" score followed by recognition from the Triad. These inspections are rooted deep with Navy tradition and show just how proud and dedicated the staff at NHCA is to staying committed to excellence! - HN Anderson

4 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R P A G E 4 Temp Staff Each year NHCA receives temporary staff to help support manning in the clinic during Midshipmen evolutions. These Corpsmen come straight out of Corps school into the fast-paced world of Navy Medicine. Their first work experiences are shaped here at NHCA, learning and assisting in our many departments before departing to their first assignments. At the beginning of each summer, hundreds of incoming Midshipmen referred to as Plebes come to the Academy to begin their training. The temporary staff are essential in supporting NHCA s vital role in medical support, during this summer of training known as Plebe Summer. The summer evolution begins with preparation for Induction Day, a two day evolution processing hundreds of new Midshipmen and updating their vaccinations, medical records, and blood tests for naval duty. After I -Day, the temporary staff assist Brigade Medical Unit (BMU) with PEP Sick Call and the influx of patients during the Plebe Summer evolution. Their involvement helps the junior sailors gain valuable work experience and provides support across the clinic. HN Sawyer was a vital asset to the Directorate for Public Health and an excellent example for temporary staff. He was assigned to assist Medical Readiness and fulfilled his obligations tirelessly while helping BMU with sick call in his down time. Every day he showed up motivated to learn and assist. He would often walk in asking what I was going to teach him that day, what he could do, and how he could help. No matter the task, HN Sawyer was motivated to learn and grow. Upon his departure to FMTB, HN Sawyer had gained experience in Medical Readiness, Preventive Medicine, Plebe sick call, and a plethora of Medical Strike Team assignments in the months he was with us. We sadly bid farewell to HN Sawyer with a departmental pot luck and were happy seeing him off to his new opportunities, sending him with valuable tools to use in the future. - HN Cain V I T A L S I G N S

5 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R P A G E 5 Awards Awards LT Wilches, Servio; NCM HM2 Lantern, Jalessa; NCM Awards (Cont.) HN Lose, David; LOA HN Rodriguez, Raphael; LOA HM2 Martin, Zachary; NAM HM2 Williams, Tori; NAM HN Martin, Kechonda; NAM HM2 Martin, Zacahary; MOVSM HM1 Salas, Jorge; FLOC HM1 Yi, David; FLOC HM2 Kimani, Griffin; FLOC HM2 Rodriguez, Victor; FLOC HM3 Cage, Ashley; FLOC HM3 Calabrese, Ryan; FLOC (x2) HN Hernandez, Edgar; LOA Patient Safety HN Aldereteyebra, Arianna Civil Service Ms. Deborah Bohlman Ms. Regina Chase Ms. Tanisha Haynes Awards Legend MSM: Meritorious Service Medal JSCM: Joint Services Commendation Medal NCM: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal NAM: Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal GC: Good Conduct Medal MOVSM: Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal FLOC: Flag Letter of Commendation LOC: Letter of Commendation LOA: Letter of Appreciation P-Safe: Patient Safety Award

6 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R P A G E 6 Promotions/Retirements Fair winds and following seas to CAPT Bibeau and CDR Cardinale. NHCA would like to thank you for your unwavering support and commitment during your time in Annapolis and throughout your naval career. You will be fondly remembered and greatly missed! Check out our Facebook page for more photos from the command and updates on what s happening at the command. NavalHealthClinicAnnapolis If you would like to contribute an article or announcement to this newsletter, please HM2 Neil E. Ritchey at neil.e.ritchey.mil@mail.mil or call MISSION Maintain a ready medical force, optimize the health of those entrusted to our care, and support the Brigade of Midshipmen. VISION To be the premier choice for patients and staff, promoting excellence in readiness, health, and partnerships. COMMANDING OFFICER S PHILOSOPHY SHIP: Service, Health, Integrity, and People