by Steve Pivnick, 81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.  -- A familiar face around the 81st Medical Group is honored today during a retirement ceremony in the hospital's Don Wylie auditorium.

Mary Quinn, secretary to the 81st MDG's chief of medical staff; chief nurse and hospital administrator for the past 13½ years, officially retires July 1 with almost 35 years of federal service.

Mrs. Quinn served as a member of the Air Force from 1974-83.

"I was an electronic technician on F-4s, becoming the first female to work on the Luke (AFB, Ariz.) flight line (in 1975)," she said. "When I enlisted, there were still (Women in the Air Force) squadrons."

After marrying husband Jim -- also an Air Force member -- in 1976, Mrs. Quinn retrained into the administrative career field where she remained until leaving the Air Force.

She entered civil service in 1985 at Altus AFB, Okla., working as a secretary in the base education office. Later she became the civil engineer squadron commander's secretary.

During her husband's assignment to Bitburg Air Base, Germany, from 1990-93, Mrs. Quinn was the secretary for the hospital's chief of medical staff. Moving to Keesler in 1993, she worked as the secretary for the 403rd Wing's recruiters before moving to the 81st MDG in 1996.
 

by Steve Pivnick, 81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.  -- The 2010 "Airmen Teddy Bear Run" is 8 a.m. July 17 on the Biloxi side of the Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge.

The event will benefit the 81st Medical Group Hospital's pediatric patients.

According to Tech. Sgt. Julie Hammond, 81st Training Support Squadron and one of the run's organizers, "Runners will stage at the base of the bridge on the Biloxi side, run across the bridge, pick-up a stuffed animal on the Ocean Spring's side and return to deposit it in collection spot. Teddy Bears will be delivered to Keesler Hospital to brighten a child's day."

Sergeant Hammond said that her supervisor, Master Sgt. Anthony Fisher, 81st TRSS military training superintendent, originated the idea earlier this year.

"He threw it out there to us in the office to see how it sounded," she said. "I told him I would take it on and start making some phone calls to see if we could make it happen. I contacted the (81st Medical Operations Squadron) pediatric clinic officer-in-charge, Maj. Mickaelle Germaine, to see if they could accept the bears and she said she could."

Then things just fell into place.

The first run on Feb. 27 resulted in 130 bears donated to the pediatric clinic.

"They appreciated it and our Airmen loved helping them out," Sergeant Hammond recalled. "Our purpose was to make some children happy by giving them a bear when they are scared or frightened about going to the doctor.

By Bill Snethen, MC4 Public Affairs

At two camps and 30 remote sites dispersed along the eastern side of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, more than 2,250 people help monitor the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

Established in 1982, the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an independent international peacekeeping force. Service members from 12 countries and civilians from seven nations, including the U.S., remain dedicated to that task. There, a team of culturally diverse medical professionals support the MFO mission.

In the midst of such diversity lies a common goal of good health with one technology as the information sharer—Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4). While the U.S. military globally deploys systems to capture electronic medical records (EMRs), including 200 Army medical treatment facilities throughout Southwest Asia (SWA), the MFO mission provides a sample of how a diverse group of military providers can utilize one system to achieve EMRs.

From April 2008 through May, clinical teams on the peninsula digitally charted 11,800 patient records. While that workload pales by comparison to a typical combat support hospital in Afghanistan, the technology has helped to unify the transnational team trying to share medical data.

“Having providers on staff from the various nations extends the medical capabilities of the clinic,” said CPT Randolph Taylor, physician with the 1st U.S. Army Support Battalion and officer in charge of the North Camp clinic. “The EMR systems allow for the continuity of medical care throughout the force.”

By: Lorin T. Smith, Madigan Healthcare System Strategic Communication Office

Madigan Healthcare System wants to let the thousands of spouses and children of deployed service members know that they have not been forgotten, and behavioral health help is here for them thanks to the Child and Family Assistance Center.

Better known as CAFAC, the new Madigan pilot program’s goal is to incorporate three existing Family-based behavioral health departments — Family Assistance for Maintaining Excellence, the Child Guidance Clinic and the School-based Behavioral Health Program — and have them be a fully-functioning one-stop shop under one head and have one phone number that gives providers, Families and patients the care they need.

“Soldiers can use Soldier Readiness Service and Soldier Evaluation for Life Service, but what about Family members? They are our main focus at CAFAC,” said Director Dr. Lindsay Paden.

CAFAC came about due to the difficulty experienced by Families’ inability to find care within the base’s myriad behavioral health care services, Paden said.

That’s why CAFAC leadership has decided to redesign the services under three sections: Adult Services, Child and Adolescent Services and School Behavioral Health Program Services.

By: Suzanne Ovel, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Warrior Transition Battalion

TACOMA, Wash. – Soldiers picked up hammers and paintbrushes to help build five homes for Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity Families in east Tacoma June 23 to 25. 

About 30 Soldiers and staff volunteered for the Warrior Transition Battalion’s second annual build to contribute to affordable housing for local Families in need.

“I volunteered to help the community; it’s all about karma,” said Sgt. Bryan Stavis, a Warrior with Bravo Company.

Sgr. Ed Brock helps finish a ceiling on the front porch of one of the homes. Brock, along with other Wounded Warriors, volunteered their time to build houses for the Tacoma community with Habitat for Humanity.

“I think everyone should do their part to help the community out in one way or another.”

Stavis, who’s volunteered with Habitat twice before, worked all three days to help the local chapter make their goal of building up to 20 homes this year. 

The houses are sold to families in need at no profit and with zero interest charged.

The WTB crew pushed progress along in the 10-home community by working on foundation, painting, roofing and other projects; many discovered new skills.

Sgt. Ed Brock, a Warrior with B Co., learned to put up siding for the first time.        

Although Brock has knee and back injuries, he nonetheless volunteered to help out others.

“I still can do things. It gets me up and moving around, not sitting and dwelling on the injuries I have,” said Brock, who noted he also volunteered to “just to try to help out people who are less fortunate.”

As is Habitat for Humanity tradition, those Brock was helping out were also helping themselves.

Deneen Price, a single parent raising four younger children, worked with the crew to put up siding on her home, while Joseph Tran helped roof a future neighbor’s home while also working on his own foundation. 

Spc. Michael Ballard and Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Broadway measure and cut a piece of siding to fit around a window frame.

Tran is also working two part-time jobs and, with his wife, is caring for five sons.

Literally building a community together is at the core of the organization, and is one of the key reasons the WTB got involved with the build.