Military Medicine: The Foundation and MAMC

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

Military Affairs Committee



Date & Time:  Wednesday, Sept. 9, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Place:  La Quinta Inn | 1425 E. 27th St. | Tacoma 98421
Register: Register Online

Event Sponsor:

The event fee will be hosted by our sponsor for invited Military Personnel who reserve with Janice Hutchins, (253) 683-4882

AGENDA:  MILITARY MEDICINE

THE MADIGAN YOU NEVER KNEW
Col. Michael Place
Commander
Madigan Army Medical Center

Col. Place came to Madigan after serving as the senior medical advisor in the Army Secretariat, assigned as the Assistant Deputy for Health Affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Washington, D.C.

As the commander of Madigan Army Medical Center, he leads an organization of about 5,300 staff members who provide health care to more than 105,000 beneficiaries.

Colonel Place entered the Army as the Distinguished Military Graduate from Johns Hopkins University where he was also recognized as a George C. Marshall Award recipient.  After medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, he completed his internship and family medicine residency as chief resident at Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, GA.

Place, a family physician, earned both the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star during a career that included assignments with the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 101st Airborne Division, and deployments to Hungary in support of the Kosovo Air Campaign, and to Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan.  Place also commanded the 10th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Carson, Colo., including a year-long deployment to Afghanistan as a medical task force commander.

SUPPORTING MILITARY MEDICINE
Jane S. Taylor
Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Geneva Foundation

Ms. Taylor founded The Geneva Foundation in 1993. Ms. Taylor has a known track record for successfully leading and growing for-profit and non-profit organizations. After working as a Critical Care nurse, she moved into the field of pharmaceutical research.

Following work at Syntex Laboratories, Ms. Taylor founded Pacific Coast Clinical Coordinators, Inc. ("PC3Inc"), a Site Management Organization providing clinical, administrative and regulatory support to physicians conducting pharmaceutical research trials. PC3Inc.

In 1995, Ms. Taylor founded Northwest Kinetics (NWK), a Phase I pharmacokinetic clinical research unit. Then, Ms. Taylor directed her attention to the Middleton Foundation for Ethical Studies, a non-profit organization focused on establishing ethical standards for clinical research in developing countries. Ms. Taylor has remained active in community work by serving on numerous boards for non-profit organizations.

The Geneva Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports and advances innovative medical research and excellence in education within the U.S. military. With over 450 employees worldwide.  Since its inception, Geneva has supported medical research at over 50 Federal Laboratories and Military Treatment Facilities worldwide.  Geneva works with researchers from idea inception through the successful completion of the program: accommodating individual research interests, locating suitable funding sources, developing research proposals, and managing research projects.

NEXT ACTIVITIES
October 14 Military Affairs Forum
November 12 John Anderson Military Citizen of Year with Rotary Club #8

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Visit the “Tacoma-Pierce Co. Veteran & Business Service” Facebook page.  Like the page to stay informed of workplace opportunities for transitioning vets and vets as well as current information.

Opportunity with Alliance Northwest

Opportunities to be a sponsor or exhibitor for the Alliance Northwest B2G Conference.

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NDTA Scholarship Opportunity

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Forces 2020 Realignment Decision

Today the Department of the Army announced force structure and stationing decisions associated with the active component end-strength reduction of 80,000 soldiers, resulting in an Army end-strength of 490,000 by 2017.

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A BCT will inactivate at each of the following locations by 2017:  Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Campbell, Ky; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Drum, N.Y.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Knox, Ky.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Stewart, Ga., and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.   Two BCTs, stationed at Baumholder and Grafenwoehr, Germany, will complete their inactivation in Fiscal Year 2013, leaving two BCTs in Europe to fulfill strategic commitments.

Based on extensive analysis, the lessons of a dozen years of combat and the need to increase operational capability and flexibility, the Army will make the following changes to its force structure:

• Reorganize infantry and armor brigade combat teams (BCTs) to restore the third maneuver battalion and increase engineer and fires capability.
• Reduce active component BCTs from 45 modular to 33 reorganized BCTs.
• Continue growth in aviation, special operations, missile defense and cyber capabilities.

This active component force structure, in conjunction with Army National Guard and Army Reserve capabilities, supports the current defense strategy and meets combatant command requirements through regional alignment of forces and global responsiveness for contingencies.

The decision to restructure armor and infantry BCTs helps mitigate the loss of BCTs by eliminating the headquarters but preserving 13 Armor and Infantry battalions that would be lost without the reorganization.

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Stationing decisions necess- itated by the reductions and reorgan- ization were based on a compre- hensive analysis of installation quantitative and qualitative considerations to include training, power projection, well-being, expansibility, regeneration, geographic distribution, environmental and socio-economic impacts, cost, and alignment with the defense strategy. Opportunities for community input  were included through both the programmatic environment assessment public comment period and community listening sessions  conducted in parallel with the military value analysis and qualitative stationing analysis, prior to the final decision.

The reduction of 80,000 soldiers from the force represents a 14 percent reduction across the AC force. The specific impacts of these decisions on individual installations are being provided to affected Congressional delegations. The Army will conduct Congressional notification in accordance with Section 993, Title 10 U.S.C. prior to taking any irrevocable actions to implement these decisions.

These reductions are consistent with fiscal constraints resulting from the Budget Control Act of 2011 and defense planning guidance issued in 2012, but do not reflect  additional reductions that will be required if sequestration-driven funding reductions remain unmitigated.

For more information on this release, please contact Lt. Col. Peggy Kageleiry at 703-697-7550 or Wayne Hall at 703-693-7589, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Army.

More Money for On-Base Schools

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), senior member of the Military Construc- tion and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced major funding from the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA).

The funding, totaling $90,768,089, addresses capacity and facility condition deficiencies at the Greenwood ($28,566,022), Clarkmoor ($30,870,778), and Beachwood ($31,331,289) Elementary Schools, which serve the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) community. The Clover Park School District and State of Washington will match these grants with an additional $23,075,465 for a total investment of $113,843,553.  Approximately 1,550 pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students will be served by these projects. 

“When our best and our brightest put on the uniform to serve our country honorably, we make a promise to support them and their families both on and off the battlefield,” said Senator Murray. “This includes making sure their children have an adequate learning environment that promotes a positive education experience, not one that puts them in harm’s way or detracts from the curriculum. Our schools that support our military communities are not only institutions of learning, but also serve as a support system for many of our military families. That’s why I was proud to support the legislation in which this funding was included."

 “This is a great day for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Clover Park School District. More than 1500 South Sound students in military families from the district I have the honor to represent will have improved educational opportunities thanks to these projects. I can’t wait to see what Greenwood, Clarkmoor and Beachwood look like once the improvements are completed," Congressman Denny Heck said.

"Securing this grant would not have been possible without the hard work of Congressman Adam Smith as well as retired Congressman Norm Dicks. I am extremely appreciative of their tireless advocacy on this issue.
“This funding is the result of hard work by the Clover Park School District and many in the Washington State Congressional Delegation.  These funds are critical in making much needed rebuilding efforts for Greenwood, Clarkmoor, and Beachwood Elementary Schools.  All students in the Puget Sound region deserve access to high quality education in well maintained facilities, and I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Denny Heck to ensure that they do,” Congressman Adam Smith said.

“Today’s announcement regarding the approval of the school construction grant will allow Clover Park School District to continue retooling the schools on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The replacement of these three elementary schools will enable our students to receive a quality education in buildings that provide for today’s educational needs and reflect our nation’s commitment to our armed services. Throughout this process, Clover Park School District has received tremendous support from our elected officials, as well as the Department of Defense.  On behalf of our students, we offer our sincere thanks,”  said Debbie LeBeau, Superintendent of the Clover Park School District.

The condition of the three schools was determined by the July 2011 Deputy Secretary of Defense “Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List” (Priority List). Funding for these awards is provided through the DoD’s Public Schools on Military Installations Program.

OEA, in making these funds available, gave priority consideration to those military installations with schools having the most serious capacity or facility condition deficiencies, as determined by the Priority List. A multi-disciplined Federal Evaluation Team, with membership from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the Military Services, U.S. Department of Education, and OEA reviewed the school projects to ensure the awards appropriately address the noted capacity and facility condition deficiencies.

Vet Start-Ups Have Financial Resource

Vets who want to start their own business have a unique financing option: the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Patriot Express loan program.

 

Patriot loans feature lower interest rates than other SBA programs, depending on the size and maturity of the loan.  There is a maximum loan amount of $500,000 under this program; there is no minimum.  The SBA will guaranty up to 85% of the total loan amount.

 

Jeff Ivey, VP-SBA/Business Lending says, “Harborstone is committed to this program and we are actively seeking veteran-owned businesses in need of financing.  This really is a great program and very easy to use for both the business and for the lender.”

 

Eligible businesses apply directly to local financial institutions (banks, credit unions), and not to the SBA.  Once all of the information is collected and the loan is approved by the lender, SBA approval typically occurs the same day.  Businesses that qualify must be owned by an eligible military community member, which includes:

• Veterans
• Service-disabled veterans
• Active-duty service members eligible for the military’s Transition Assistance Program
• Reservists and National Guard members
• Current spouses of any of the above
• The widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service or of a service-connected disability

Loan proceeds can be used to finance the following:

• Start-up costs for a new business
• Equipment purchases
• Business-occupied real-estate purchases
• Inventory and working capital
• Preparing your business for the possibility of your deployment
• Establishment of more reasonable repayment terms on existing business debt

On-Base Schools Lined Up for Money

As parents and school children know, the on-base elementary schools are heavily overcrowded and functionally obsolete.

That was proven in a recent DoD study which ranked Joint Base Lewis-McChord elementary schools in bands 1-2-4 and 6.  More information on the rankings and their placement on the scale is available here.

Debbie LeBeau, Superintendent, Clover Park School District, which operates but does not own the schools on JBLM, briefed attendees at this month’s Military Affairs Forum just after returning from Washington, D.C. where she conferenced with the Office of Economic Adjustment, a DoD agenda administering a $250 million fund for fixing the problem.

Clover Park S.D. expects to receive funds for replacing Hillside elemen- tary with a new 650 student facility and consolidating Carter Lake and Heartwood elementarys into one new 500 student school, because of their very high priority rankings in the study. The grant is a reimbursable program, but LeBeau consider Clover Park S.D. to have the financial flexibility to take advantage of the opportunity. 

If money continues to be available this year (unlikely), or if Congress continues to fund the program (hopefully), the next project for JBLM schools would be to consolidate Greenwood and Clarkmoor into one new 650 student school.

Hopes for Improved I-5 Access to Madigan

Hopes are high for improving access to Madigan Health- care Systems thanks to a recent grant opportunity that addresses improving access to medical facilities impacted by BRAC.

Attendees at this month's Military Affairs Forum heard a recap of a grant application designed to make significant improvements to those seeking service at Madigan, said Dan Penrose, Project Manager, SSMCP. 

Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), home of Madigan Health- care Systems and the Western Regional Medical Command, has been impacted by BRAC and several other Army initiatives, resulting in a doubling of personnel stationed there.  Now, there are 152,000 daily trips into-out of JBLM.  Over $1 billion is needed to accommodate today’s I-5 traffic (including its service for workforce commutation and commercial mobility).

Appli- cations from four defense commun- ities exceeded the $300 million fund cap.  Fairfax County, VA submitted the largest request, asking for $185 million; Montgomery County and Maryland asked for about $90 million, San Antonio, TX asked for $125 million and City of Lakewood [representing the South Sound Military and Community Partnership (SSMCP)] asked for less than $6 million.

The local application centers on the Berkeley Street/Union Ave./Freedom Bridge interchange on I-5.  Its particulars:

• a third lane to Madigan
• a second left turn land to I-5 South
• better signals on the ramps and Union Ave.
• a second receiving land for the Freedom Bridge overpass
• improved land configurations for Berkeley and Union
• added pedestrian safety improvements

The results – an astonishing 95% improvements in vehicle flow measured against the mid-day peak.  What’s now delays of more than 10 minutes per vehicle will drop to 35 seconds per vehicle after the improvements are made.

The decision is due November 7.  All here are hoping Lakewood’s proposal is “budget dust” that will be swept into local coffers.

Dollars for New Jobs

The U.S. Department of Labor just awarded $4.8 million to WorkForce Central and its partnership which includes Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, Thurston County Economic Development Council, WA State Employment Security Department, and the City of Lakewood to help those relocated to Joint Base Lewis-McChord from closed military bases find new employment.

Of this awarded amount, $2.2 million is Pierce County’s share!

The first activity under this award is an impact study to identify existing skills needs and skill gaps within our region’s major industries so that we can utilize training dollars effectively by training individuals for available jobs now and in the near future.  This impact study will be led by the Thurston County EDC.

WorkForce Central and Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council will administer these funds in their respective counties to assist 825 military spouses and civilian defense workers impacted by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure action that closed military bases nationwide and resulted in the creation of JBLM in 2010. The majority of those affected are spouses who have left jobs to follow military members assigned to JBLM.

Services provided will include career coaching, case management, job training, supportive services and employment linkage. In addition, the grant will assist in identifying skill gaps in new and emerging industries critical to the economic growth of Pierce and Thurston Counties.

Federal Contracting Course Offered

Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber members are offered a discounted rate of $150 for the day.

Military Big Spenders for Retailers

The Washington Retail Association, in today's online edition of Washington Information Network, reports the state is swelling with military personnel who offer retailers a significant customer base.

With 18,000 Army troops returning home this year, the military population at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has grown 45% in the past five years, from 31,000 to 45,000, the Retail Association attributed to Ken Swarner, publisher of The Fort Lewis Ranger newspaper and other publications.

They say Swarner points to Washington's Office of Financial Management statistics to show why retailers should consider military customers in their marketing plans:

• Military payroll in the South Sound region is $1.8 billion a year. Those funds go to military bank accounts eligible for spending with retailers.
• Pierce County has the nation's second largest concentration of military retirees, many working second jobs, who collect about $525 million a year in annual pension checks.
• Military personnel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord account for 20% of Pierce County payrolls.
• Lewis-McChord accounts for 14% of Pierce County's employment. In smaller counties, it accounts for far more: 68%in Island County, home of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station and 36% of Kitsap County, home to the Bremerton Naval Station and Bangor Sub Base.
• Of the 75% of Lewis-McChord families who live off base, 40% reside in Thurston County.

The Retail Associations says Swarner offers a simple message to retailers struggling to survive the recession; remember the presence of military members in your midst and the difference they can make in improving business.

Reaching out to this market takes using all available means to tell active and Reserve military, veterans and retirees that you appreciate them, he said. You'd be amazed at how a poster in your window or a message on your reader board stating that you support the military can increase your connection with this important group of potential customers. Offer discounts, connect on Facebook, do whatever it takes.

It’s Your Money; Come and Get It

Don’t leave anything on the table!

The Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay deadline for eligible military personnel to submit their claims for this special pay is Oct. 21, 2010. The average benefit is $3,800, and there are over 145,000 eligible service members and veterans. (Only 58,000 claims have been paid.)

DoD and the Services are working hard to remind folks to submit claims!  It’s not a scam. And it’s not a joke. It’s YOUR money, so go get it.

Just in case you had forgotten, the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act authorized retroactive stop loss special pay of $500 for every month/partial month served in stop loss status. Servicemembers, veterans, and beneficiaries of servicemembers who were involuntarily extended under stop loss between 9/11 and September 30th 2009 are eligible.

The Congress set aside $534.4 million to pay out those funds, but as of the end of last month only $219 million in claims have been paid. Qualifying individuals have served — or are still serving — their country nobly and deserve to be paid the money they’ve earned.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , says: The application process is simple and straightforward. No strings attached. But once the deadline passes, by law it cannot be extended. So jump online and check it out here. at: http://www.defense.gov/stoploss.