Tri-Service Exercise Pacific Caduceus MERCEX RC 20-01 NMRTC San Diego - NC News Oct/Nov 2021 —NC News Jan/Feb 2021 Critical Care Transport Team NMRTC Guam —NC News Jun/Jul 2021 Christening of USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) - NC News Mar/Apr 2021 Happy 113th Birthday Nurse Corps! NMTSC San Antonio—NC News May 2021 Global Health Engagement Bahrain —NC News Aug/Sep 2021 FEATURED Director’s Message Deputy Director Reserve Corps Remarks Reserve Affairs Officer Reflection Regional Highlights Selections & Awards Nurse Corps News Staff Design/Layout: LT Randi Acheson, LT Nube Macancela & LT Barbara Kent Reserve Corps Editor: LT Ronald Rollon (RC) Editor in Chief: LCDR William Westbrook Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Director’s Message Use the QR code below to access RDML Kuehner’s New Year Message! Cynthia Kuehner, RDML, NC Director, Navy Nurse Corps Contents Director’s Message Page 2 Deputy Director’s Message Page 3 Reserve Affairs Officer Pages 4 Career Planner Page 5 Personnel Planner Page 6 Regional SNE Pages 7-8 Nurse Corps Assignments Page 9 Operational Nursing Page 10—12 Specialty Leader Updates Pages 13-14 Hail & Farewell Pages 15-16 In Memoriam Page 17 Selections & Awards Pages 18-19 Bravo Zulu Pages 20-21 Page 2 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Reserve Component Deputy Director Wow! Another year has come to an end—what a year. Once again, Navy Reserve nursing has shown true resilience and readiness. I am so proud to lead and represent such a skilled group. Not only have you answered the call at your local hospitals, clinics, and communities, you have remained professional naval officers in Na- vy Reserve medicine. You have maintained your readiness and led from the front, and most important of all, you have mentored and taken care of each other. A true team! This year, many changes took place from units, billets, deployments, and virtual and in- person drilling. I am proud to know that all have continued to lead through these changes while maintaining the most critical mission, your readiness, and our war fighters' medical readiness. It is essen- tial to answer the call, should it come, to defend our nation and take care of our warfighters, and there is no higher professional calling than caring for them. Eric Peterson, RDML, NC Deputy Director Our nation will continue to experience world changes and threats. Reserve Component These challenges will demand Navy Medicine and Navy Reserve medicine to adapt to our COCOM Commander's need as we sup- port them. Remember, any policy changes we make will reflect the flexibility needed to support our warfight- ers as they adjust their plans to meet our world's threats. 2021 has been a tremendous year for the Navy Reserve Nurse Corps. I hope you all took time to enjoy family, loved ones, friends, and each other this past holiday season. Congratulations! Enjoy your accomplishments. We will continue to push and lead as we continue in the new year. We will work to support each other and care for our war fighters' readiness and our fellow citizens along with maintaining individual readiness. Know that I think of each of you every day, and I am grateful when I do. ~ Page 3 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Reserve Affairs Officer humanity. As Nurse Corps officers, resil- Connection -although we maintain a high ience and toughness are a prerequisite. In level of readiness and can endure uncer- and out of pandemics, NC officers un- tainty, we can enhance our ability to ac- dergo frequent transitions, deployments cept adversity by nourishing our spirit, and juggle multiple roles. We are pushed whether it be exercise, mindfulness, re- to grow faster than we thought we were flection, or connecting with others. capable of and endure change to long- Toughness -As Navy officers, we are standing processes that we were sure taught to endure hardship, and from this, were the only way to conduct business. we discover we can do hard things. Alt- hough unsettling at times, we come The requirement to continuously expand through wiser, tougher, and with new skill sets, be the learner, and chart paths grounded confidence that serves us well in ambiguous situations have taught us in our next endeavor. Letting go-we need how to function in uncertainty. to let go of what we can’t control and be open to what is next even if it’s hard. We We have been navigating uncertainty are tough and have the resources to do since we started in the military. Although hard things. it seems uncertainty and change have been more prevalent in the past two As we move forward, we can be sure that Kelley Fox, CAPT, NC years, we can call on the resources and there will be more change and uncertainty tools that have safely guided us through ahead. My hope is for us to skillfully nav- Reserve Affairs Officer our naval careers to help us. I reflect on a igate these challenges using the new few things that provide me hope when skills we have acquired to accomplish the As I look back at 2021, it has reinforced faced with uncertainty. People -we are mission and that when called upon, we the importance of enduring periods of surrounded by amazing people who are can approach these challenges with uncertainty and navigating change. wise, generous, and understanding. Our grounded confidence because we know Navy Medicine leaders want what is what it takes. We’ve got this!~ As nurses, we are resilient at baseline; best, and they care deeply. When you we witness the most challenging parts of speak up, they hear you. Self-Care and Reserve Component By The Numbers The Reserve Component Nurse Corps has a total of 1176 officers with the ranks as follows: - 2 Flag, 70 Captains, 176 Commanders, 332 Lieutenant Commanders, 472 Lieutenants, 118 Lieutenant Junior Grades, and 7 Ensigns. RC gains were through the following accession programs: - 19 Direct Commission, 5 Career transition, 4 NAVET. There were 9 indefinite recalls. There were 20 retirements from the community. The FY22 boards selected 8 to the rank of Captain, 15 to Commander, and 51 to Lieutenant. There were 9 RC Nurse Corps officers serving as Commanding Officers and 4 serving as Executive Officers.~ Page 4 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Career Planner BUMED NOTICE 1110 FY22 Nurse Corps Health Professions Loan Repayment Program! Please read the BUMEDNOTE in its entirety as it contains im- portant information related to eligibility and application process. Julie Darling, CAPT, NC Career Planner BUMED Highlights contained in BUMEDNOTE 1110  Due date for Letter of Intent: NLT 2359 EST on 14 Mar 2022. You will receive a reply from me that I am tracking your letter. If you do not receive a reply, please resubmit.  Due date for completed application including supporting documentation: NLT 2359 EST 01 April 2022.  Submit completed application encrypted to [email protected] in a single scanned PDF docu- ment.  Incorrect or incomplete submissions will be sent back to the originator for correction.  Late submissions will not be accepted. Good luck and stay well! Page 5 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Personnel Planner Melissa Burke, CDR, NC Personnel Planner BUMED The Active Duty Nurse Corps ended the year 92.6 percent manned with officers of each rank as follows: - 1 Flag, 124 Captains, 287 Commanders, 586 Lieutenant Commanders, 1112 Lieutenants, 391 Lieutenant Junior Grades, and 241 Ensigns. There were 178 gains to the community and 240 losses. Active Duty Nurse Corps officers were gained through the following accession programs: - 49 Direct accessions, 10 ROTC, 75 Nurse Candidate Program, 39 Medical Enlisted Commissioning Pro- gram, and 5 recall. Losses from the community were categorized as follows: - 132 retirements, 100 resignations, 7 administrative discharges, 1 “other”. The FY22 boards selected 23 Nurse Corps officers to the rank of Captain, 41 to Commander, and 99 to Lieutenant Commander. There were 9 Nurse Corps officers serving as Commanding Officers, 13 serving as Executive Officers, and 37 serving as Directors of Nursing/Chief Nursing Officers.~ Page 6 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Navy Medical Forces Atlantic Elisabet Crumpler, CAPT, NC Regional SNE Page 7 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Navy Medical Forces Pacific READY team efforts for Pacific Partner- We have been creative, out of ne- ship 2022. cessity, with training over the past two years. Thankfully, with an RESILLIENCE increase COVID-19 vaccinations Despite the many challenges and to our force and some easing in increase in operational tempo, our health protection measures, many nurses have shown incredible re- of our commands have re- silience through flexing staff and established in-person training ef- skillsets to ensure all patient care forts. Navy Medicine Readiness needs across all specialties were and Training Command met. (NMRTC) San Diego successfully re-launched its command nursing As we embark on a new year, I orientation incorporating didactic wish you all a happy, productive and hands-on skills training and and prosperous 2022.~ coordinated instruction from clini- cal experts and bedside nurses. Many of our NMRTCs have re- John Volk, CAPT, NC established nursing and Corpsman Regional SNE skills fairs. Additionally, we have had some success with inter- facility agreements, military and civilian, to obtain Knowledge, Happy new year from the Naval Skills and Abilities sustainment Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) opportunities for maintenance of Nursing team, may the coming critical wartime nursing skills. year be safe, productive and re- warding for Navy nursing! While RELEVANT we ring in the new year I can re- As the medical mission flexes to flect on 2021, which seemed at meet the needs of sustained and times to be a continuation of 2020 emerging requirements, our nurs- and yet different. es have answered the call. In ad- dition to our legacy missions, gray The new year brought prom- -hull billets and medical battal- ise with the introduction of a vac- ions, we were engaged with Medi- cine to combat the spread of cal Response Teams supporting coronavirus, which promoted a Defense in Support of Civil Au- sense of hope that we may soon thorities requests to areas around see an end to the challenges of the country to include Texas, Ala- 2020. Instead we were presented bama, and Washington State. with new hurdles as new strains of the coronavirus emerged, ush- Mission support of Operation Al- ering in feelings of uncertainty as lies Welcome in Indiana, New the thoughts of returning to nor- Jersey and Sigonella, Italy malcy once again became a dis- tant ambition. Through it all, the Augmenting the USS Hershel NMFP nursing team has met the “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) in challenge and continues to be a support of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, Ready, Relevant and Resilient forward deployed to Souda Bay, force. Greece, and advanced planning Page 8 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review PERS - Nurse Corps Assignments Detailing & The Navy Nurse Corps Professional Practice Model (How we support it here at PERS!) lets that cultivate and enhance ing shop embraces transforma- their professional development tional leadership by inspiring and through billet diversity, operation- developing our constituents al billet exposure, and subspecial- through mentoring and record re- ty billet support. Billet diversity views. We hope to motivate per- is achieved by taking assignments sonnel to take on assignments that across a spectrum of environ- can be leveraged for future leader- ments in any theater to meet the ship opportunities, providing them warfighter's needs. We detail with assignments that challenge members to training billets be- them on finding methods to im- cause our Nurse Corps officers prove our Corps to become are expected to be lifelong learn- READY, RELEVANT, and RE- Frances Barendse, CAPT, NC ers to promote High Reliability SILIENT! We appreciate and are Organizations and be at the fore- honored to work with all our con- Nurse Corps Assignments front of leading a culture of safety stituents to prepare them for their at the Medical Treatment Facili- next job assignment.~ Nurse Corps detailing supports ties. We do this to ensure they can the Professional Practice Model adapt, function, and succeed through assigning members to bil- across the enterprise. The detail- Clinical Nurse Specialist Advisory Board 2021 Year In Review Page 9 Nurse Corps News Year-In-Review Operational Nursing: Around the Fleet (Left) PACIFIC OCEAN (March 26, 2021) U.S. Navy Lt. Philomena Kahler, an emergency trauma nurse with Com- bat Logistics Battalion 11, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, poses for a photo aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). U.S. Navy and Marine Corps integration training provides the Essex Amphibious Ready Group/11th MEU its first opportunity to plan, brief, and execute multiple mission packages. Essex is underway conducting routine operations in U.S. Third Fleet. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Seth Rosenberg). (Left) BOSTON, MA, (05.05.2021) U.S. Navy Ensign Michele Miner, left, a nurse from Jacksonville, Florida, and U.S. Navy Lt. Jill Thompson, right, a perioperative nurse from Virginia Beach, Virginia, receive coins in recognition of their work at the Community Vaccination Center at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, from U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. Robert Suter, Joint Forces Land Component Command all -hazards surgeon, May 5, 2021. U.S. service members from across the country are de- ployed in support of the Department of Defense federal vaccine response opera- PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES (05.11.2021): tions. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Navy Nurses assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 22 (CLB-22) U.S. Army North, remains committed to discuss the operational impact of the Navy Nurse Corps at the state-run, providing continued, flexible Department of federally-supported Community Vaccination Center at the Pennsylvania Defense support to the Federal Emergency Convention Center in Philadelphia, May 11, 2021. U.S. Marines and Management Agency as part of the whole-of U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to CLB-22, from Camp Lejeune, North -government response to COVID-19. (U.S. Carolina, are deployed in support of the federal vaccine response. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kerri Wash- Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to ington). providing continued, flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of- government response to COVID-19. (National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Ross Alexander Whitley / 111th Attack Wing). BILLINGS, Mont. (12.06.2021) U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Suth- erland, a critical care nurse assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, New England, Rhode Island, adjusts intravenous medications for a patient in the intensive care unit at Billings Clinic Hospital in Billings, Montana, Dec. 6, 2021. Sailors assigned to Naval Medical Forces Atlantic are deployed in support of the continued De- partment of Defense COVID response operations to help communities CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait (Nov. 29, 2021) Navy Lt. Philomena in need. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains Kahler, left, an emergency medicine nurse assigned to the 11th Marine committed to providing flexible Department of Defense support to the Expeditionary Unit (MEU), treats a simulated casualty in an Army UH- whole-of-government COVID response. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 60 Black Hawk attached to Task Force Raptor during a casualty evacua- Andre Taylor) tion exercise at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 29. The 11th MEU and Essex Amphibious Ready Group are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability Photos and captions taken from DVIDS online. Additional and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke photos and stories of Operational Nursing Around the Fleet points. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jennessa Davey/Released) can be found at DVIDS. Click on Photo to access full story. Page 10