Alliance of Air National Guard Flight Surgeons Newsletter
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Page AANGFS Newsletter Fall 2001 Alliance of Air National Guard Flight Surgeons Newsletter  Volume 13, Number 2 Published by the AANGFS and on website: www.sharmon.com/aangfs Fall 2001 In this Issue… President’s Desk (LtCol Lloyd) -----------1 Database Information------------------1 Alliance Officers----------------------2 Diversity in the ANG (BGen Harmon)------3 Operation Deep Freeze (LtCol Dodson)-----4 Message from USAF/SG (LtGen Carlton)---4 Biohazard Book Review (LtCol Pond)-------5 Website News (LtCol Muller)-------------5 Suicide & Violence Awareness (Col Karp)----6 SPEARR & EMEDS (BGen Harmon)---------7 Attack on America (MGen Higdon)---------7 Alliance Annual Dinner (LtCol Lloyd)-------8 Future Meetings-----------------------8 \ FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK Recent events on the East Coast have forever changed the atmosphere and appearance of our society and culture. Our previous discussions on homeland defense have taken a more serious turn and I encourage all of you who are on training or disaster planning committees to engage your units in active training with state and local agencies. There will be many changes ahead in how the Air National Guard interacts at home and abroad. I have received several e-mails from Guardsmen who are already on active duty and from some of our program speakers who are being diverted to new locations on active duty. I hope to see some of you at AMSUS. (continued on page 2) inside fold inside fold inside fold (continued from page 1) The Alliance of ANG Flight Surgeons is also in a time of change. The Board of Governors met at the Aerospace Medical Association Meeting in Reno, Nevada, in May of this year. A motion was passed to change the direction of the Alliance of ANG Flight Surgeons to coordinate primarily with ASMA as our main meeting function each year. This change in direction will align the Alliance more closely with the ANGRC Health Services Management Conference and our educational session can be a part of HSM/ASMA. It also aligns the Alliance with an organization that is specifically interested in Aerospace Medicine and our duties as flight surgeons. AMSUS will continue to be important for our enlisted and clinic staff and subject-specific training from the Bureau will be instituted at this AMSUS. This subject will be open for further discussion at the business meeting on Sunday afternoon at AMSUS this year. Please start the planning for man-days and funds to send your junior flight surgeons to ASMA in Montreal, Canada, May 2002. T  he next few weeks will be full of potential changes and events. Truly, “Interesting times”. I can rely on the ANG core value of “Excellence in Service” to know that all of you will provide the best that this country has to offer in defending our homeland.
Sincerely, Clee Lloyd, LtCol, MCOregon ANG Alliance Officers President: Lt Col Clee Lloyd, OR ANG 24220 Skylane Drive Canby OR 97013-8746 Email: clloyd@teleport.com Vice-President: Col Harry Robinson, Jr. 630 Shawnee Woods Drive Medina MN 55340 Email: h.robinson5@aol.com Treasurer: BGen Annette Sobel, NM ANG P. O. Box 1507 Tijeras NM 87059-1507 Email: alsobel@sandia.gov Secretary: Col John McGoff, IN ANG 6431 Creekside Lane Indianapolis IN 46220-4308 Email: sas181@.aol.com Newsletter Editor: LtCol William Pond, INANG 4414 Trierwood Park Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46815 Email: wwpond@aol.com Program Committee: LtCol Kirk Martin Education Committee: LtCol Ralph Warren Historian: LtCol Brett Wyrick Web site: Col Bob Janco Nominating Committee: Col Phil Steeves L Please Affix
Stamp Here
4414 Trierwood Park Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46815 BGen Annette Sobel, NM ANG P. O. Box 1507  Tijeras NM 87059-1507
Guardsman Jerry Fenwick And friends at South Pole South Carolinians make friends easily. DIVERSITY IN THE ANG In 1999, I spent a week at the ANG Surgeon’s Office working a number of issues for the staff as a State Air Surgeon. One important topic I reviewed was the issue of Diversity within the Air National Guard and particularly within the ANG Medical Service. I found it intriguing—and an issue of pride—that the ANG Medical Service exhibited much more diversity among officers than the ANG officer corps at large. For instance, 91 per cent of ANG officers were male (and 83 percent white male) while 63 per cent of ANG medics were male (and 57 per cent white male). Those numbers are not that surprising, given the large percentage of females in medical career fields relative to other military jobs. Nonetheless, the numbers for me reinforced the concept of fairness and diversity for the ANG Medical Service. During a recent Senior Leaders Orientation Course held this summer in Washington, we spent almost two whole days on the topic of Diversity among the Air Force. I must confess that on first glance my eyes glazed over and my head began to assume a nodding position, and I entertained thoughts of “here we go again” with regard to more Equal Opportunity Training, etc. I had always felt that we had beaten this Equal Opportunity horse almost to death the past few years. After all, it has been my experience—readily voiced to others—that the military has always represented the most level playing field in life. I truly believe that the U.S. military is overwhelmingly fair in promotion standards and recognition and achievement opportunities for its members, much more so than comparable civilian organizations and career fields. You will find no greater champion of Equal Opportunity than Air Force and ANG commanders and senior leaders—myself included—as we recognize that asking people to risk their lives for their nation and their colleagues requires the utmost in fairness, respect, and recognition. However, one thing that I realized in this latest Diversity exposure is the absolute requirement of our Armed Forces—all of them—to truly represent the diversity that is the strength of our nation. The folks who pass the budget (the Congress of the U.S.) and the voting population of America have less and less direct military exposure and experience. The latest statistic I remember is that less than 10 per cent of Congress and even less of the general populace have ANY direct military experience. Furthermore, the American population is more diverse than ever. If we as a country are to survive with a strong military (and I believe we must have a strong military to survive) then our military MUST relate to Congress and to the population as a whole. This mandates attention to diversity at every level. It behooves all of us to “walk this walk” and not to simply “talk the talk” when we lead, mentor, and recruit. We are in the Armed Forces for the benefit of our nation—all the people of our nation—and I am exceedingly proud of our diversity and our strength. Gerald E. Harmon, Brig Gen, SC ANG ANG Asst, ACC/SG I  ce3 Flight Surgeons: Operation Deep Freeze, Antarctica 2001-2002
Lt Colonel Buck Dodson, MD Chief, Professional And Aeromedical Services Air National Guard The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the lead agent for the entire United States Antarctica Program (USAP). Although they have been pleased overall with our manning of McMurdo Station in support of Operation Deep Freeze (ODF) in the past, they continue to fine-tune requirements. This season, we will again supply Flight Surgeons (FSs) to support the flying operations of the New York 109th Wing's LC(Ski)-130s. (We are known as the "Ice3" FSs since that is the name of the 40 hr self-directed CME course that can be completed while there "on the ice".) This season, there is still the desire that the first rotation be staffed by an FS with ODF experience as well as desire to staff at least one rotation with a FS from the active duty Air Force. Unlike past years, there is no longer support for one of the rotations to be double-manned by FSs. The NSF currently desires FSs in an active flying position who have completed a residency. In addition, it was desired by the whole organization that FSs chosen have recent and ongoing primary care skills regardless of their specialty. This year, a formal selection board met to rank the "Ice3 FS" candidates. Those FSs with the highest composite scores were assigned to the rotations (this season, 9 rotations). Other applicants were put on our "Back-Up" list or were "non-selects" (in which case, they were told how to make their application stronger and encouraged to re-apply for future seasons). More pertinent information can be found at the Ice3 website (which includes the article "USAP" authored by B. Dodson from the Spring 2000 issue of the "Alliance of ANG FSs" newsletter). Congrats to the selectees: Lt Colonel John Lewis: Emergency Medicine BC; Ice3 Veteran "00-"01; 162nd Medical Sqdn; Tucson, AZ Colonel Douglas Cromack: Plastic Surgery BC and q/wk shifts as an ER physician; 149th Medical Sqdn; San Antonio, TX Lt Colonel John Mulvey: Family Practice BC including current ER coverage; 166th Medical Sqdn; New Castle, DE Lt Colonel Robert Desko: General Surgery BC and GP experience from recent Humanitarian Missions; 150th Medical Sqdn; Albuquerque, NM Lt Colonel Kenneth Kaylor: Ortho Surgery BC and ongoing GP experience as Physician - U Wisconsin Teams; 148th Medical Sqdn; Duluth, MN Lt Colonel George Martin: Emergency Medicine BC; Active Duty at Kadena AFB/Okinawa, Japan Major Charles Shurlow: Emergency Medicine BC; 192nd Medical Sqdn; Richmond, VA Lt Colonel Paul Turnquist: FAMILY PRACTICE BC but primary practice is ER physician; 171st Medical Sqdn; Pittsburgh, PA Lt Colonel Richard Clark: Family Practice BC with 13 yrs ER practice; currently in hospital clinical rotations as a RAM; Brooks AFB/San Antonio, TX Message to the Air Force Medical Service from our Air Force Surgeon General It has been one week since the tragic events of 11 September 2001. Like many of you, I watched in horror as terrorists attacked our homeland. The minutes following the attack seemed like hours, the attack scenes repeating themselves over and over in our minds. Those initial minutes quickly accelerated into a rapid succession of events that make me proud to be your Surgeon General. Within minutes of the attack the fine medics of the Air Force Medical Service were stepping up to meet the many challenges of the day. In just over 24 hours, we had over 500 deployed medics on the ground at McGuire and Andrews Air Force Bases. With three EMEDS+25s, one EMEDS basic, a 250-bed ASF, bioenvironmental engineers, mental health crisis intervention teams and more, we had enormous capability to assist in any way necessary. In addition, the collection and shipment of over 2000 units of blood to New York City was vital to their survival efforts. Our presence was impressive! Most of our medics have now redeployed to their home bases, however a small contingent of public heath, mental health, dental, and radiology experts remain at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, in support of ongoing operations. I applaud you for your professionalism and willingness to serve. At the same time, I exhort you to prepare for the long road ahead. It will be filled with challenges that will call on our very best efforts at all levels: from our newest airman to our most experienced general officers. As maintainers of the “human weapon system”, we must continue to ensure our troops are fit to fight, and be ready to deploy with our forces as we execute the Air Force mission. Put your house in order, so when duty calls you are prepared to serve. Remember, the American people are counting on us to restore security and seek out those who are responsible. I am proud to serve as your Surgeon General and lead the best-trained, best-equipped, and best-prepared warrior-medics in history. God Bless America and the Air Force which keeps her strong! Signed, Paul K. Carlton, Jr. Biohazard By Ken Alibek $12.95 from Dell Publishing A book from Col Falk’s “must read” list, Biohazard is “The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World—Told from the Inside by the Man Who Ran It.” Kanatjin Alibekov began his bioweapons career in 1973, one year after the Soviets signed the Biological Weapons Convention Treaty prohibiting the development and use of biological weapons. He rose to the rank of director of the Soviet Biopreparat Laboratory, so he is well prepared to chronicle and document the sobering facts of the Soviet Bioweapons program and the violations of numerous treaties. Alibek also makes a compelling argument that the Russians had developed tularemia as a weapon in Kirov in 1941 and then used it on the Germans in 1943. Even after the 1972 treaty, he observes, “Although we officially had a small amount of the virus (smallpox) in the Ivanovsky Institute of Virology in Moscow—matching the world’s only other legal repository of the strain in the United States—we cultivated tons of smallpox in our secret lab in Zagorsk,” and “In the city of Kirov, we maintained a quota of twenty tons of plague in our arsenals every year.” At Obolensk he notes projects to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of tularemia, plague, brucellosis, glanders, melioidosis, and anthrax and to pass the work off as biodefense. At the Novosibisk lab the upper levels were floors dedicated “to work on smallpox, Ebola, Machupo, Marburg, Junin, and other hemorrhagic fevers, as well as VEE, Russian spring and summer encephalitis and a number of other deadly viruses.” The author very completely explains the accidental anthrax release that occurred on the last Friday of March 1979 in Sverdlovsk at Compound 19, the Fifteenth Directorate’s busiest production plant. The pulverizer filters clogged, so they were removed. Unfortunately the next shift restarted the process without air filters; anthrax was released, and hundreds downwind died. Sverdlovsk Communist Party Chairman, Boris Yeltsin, arranged the cover-up to blame the deaths on tainted meat sold on the black market. Several black marketers were subsequently publicly tried and convicted. Case closed! Because Americans had charged (correctly) that the Soviets were violating the Biological Weapons Convention, in 1988 Gorbachev signed a decree “ordering development of mobile production equipment to keep our weapons assembly lines one step ahead of inspectors.” As late as 1990, “The total figure spent that year on biological weapons development was close to a billion dollars.” The book magnificently weaves bioweapons factual data with the author’s personal life story. In September of 1992, Col Alibekov defected to the United States and spent several subsequent years being debriefed. The question in my mind—Where have the other former biological weapons scientists and germ cultures gone?
Month", and an ANG 101 slide presentation. The Case of the Month will present a typical medical presentation in a flyer, with questions regarding the Aeromedical disposition. You will have an opportunity to respond to the questions, and feedback and discussion will be presented the following month. And if you have any interesting cases you would like to submit drop me a line at reidmuller@sprintmail.com I’d also love to hear suggestions for new and different content/features. Also, look for the new and improved AANGFS Flight Surgeon's Guide CD-ROM at AMSUS. The disc will include a number of new features and documents, as well as updates to prior ones. Reid Muller, LtCol, MC, SFS Alliance of ANG Flight Surgeons Newsletter This newsletter is published two or three times annually by the Alliance of Air National Guard Flight Surgeons. Articles for inclusion are solicited from members and guest authors. Material for publication can be sent to: LtCol William W. Pond 4414 Trierwood Park Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46815 Email: wwpond@aol.com Viewpoints expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent official positions of the Alliance, the Air National Guard, the United States Air Force, or the Department of Defense. Letters may be edited for grammar, spelling or length, but not content. William W. Pond Editor and Publisher
Thanks to Camille Pond and Jennifer Aiken for substantial publication assistance, WWP, editor. Thank you, Merck At the AANGFS Meeting in November, the membership elected to pursue sponsorship for the AANGFS Newsletter, but no advertising would be allowed. Gerry Harmon solicited such support from Merck & Company. Their donation defrays the publication and mailing costs. They have been very professional and non-directing in their support. So next time you see your Merck Representatives, please take a moment to talk to them and thank them for their support.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SUICIDE—Col Robert Karp, MDSuicide and violence awareness education programs are now required, annually, by AFI. All MDS or Med Group/Hospital Commanders are responsible for this program. The program of materials found at this web site includes: a complete Suicide and Violence Awareness Education Program (discusses suicide and violence risk factors and suggests interventions), a suicide prevention leaflet, a checklist of actions for personnel evaluating an individual at risk of suicide or assault, and a PowerPoint presentation, for supervising OICs, NCOICs, and Commanders, summarizing the main points of the program. These documents may be readily adapted to your unit or organization (they are Word or PowerPoint based). Robert Karp MD, Board Certified in Psychiatry (ABPN), Col. MC FS, SG 122nd MDS, USAF IN ANG. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It is the second leading cause of death in the USAF. The typical USAF member who commits suicide is a white enlisted male, E-3 to E-5, in his late 20’s. Risk factors for suicide include… Serious relationship problems, especially with a spouse or significant other. Work related difficulties. Previous suicide attempt. Victim of domestic violence, child abuse, rape, or other assault. Friend or family member completed suicide. Use of alcohol or drugs. Significant loss or anniversary of loss. Unrealistic personal/spousal/parental expectations. Extreme perfectionist. Disintegrating family relationships. Financial and/or legal problems. Mental health problems, especially if untreated. Combinations of these risk factors.
Warning signs of suicide include… Verbal threats such as “I wish I were dead,” or “You’d be better off without me.” Loss of interest in work, school Marginal performance on the job. Daredevil, self-abusive, or destructive behaviors. Withdrawal from family, friends, or co-workers. Development of a suicide plan. Loss of interest in usual activities. Themes of death: leaving poems, diaries, drawings or letters where they can be found. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, or confusion. Negative/pessimistic thinking. Giving away prized possessions. Significant changes in eating, sleeping, or grooming. Saying “good-bye” via phone calls, settling debts, changing life insurance. Expressed desire to die (notes, comments). What you can do… Know the suicide risk factors and signs. Take all threats seriously. Be direct about what’s really bothering the person. Let the person know you care. Help the person identify reasons to live, such as family, children, friends, his/her contributions. Don’t be judgmental; help by validating the person’s feelings and the need for help in resolving problems. Ask the person how he/she is feeling and if he/she has a suicide plan. Are you thinking of killing yourself? How will you do it? Do you have the means to do it? When are you planning to do it? Have you thought this through? Remove easily accessible means of suicide, such as weapons, pills, and razor blades. If he/she has a weapon and makes any threats of violence, first get yourself to a place of safety, then, on base, call Security Police IMMEDIATELY; if you are off base, call 911. If an immediate threat of suicide exists or you are in doubt, escort the person to the nearest Emergency Room with psychiatric facilities (e.g., in the Ft. Wayne area, St. Joseph Hospital, Parkview Hospital; in Ohio call 911 and ask for the nearest Crisis Intervention Unit/or Telephone Hotline). If there is no immediate threat, strongly encourage the person to seek help through the 122 MDS physicians or health technicians, or other area mental health treatment facility. Follow-up to ensure the support was sought and provided. If you are uncertain about what to do: During a UTA, contact one of the MDS physicians, Military Equal Opportunity Office (Social Actions), or Chaplain. Off drill, contact a MDS health technician, or you may email Robert Karp MD, Col., MC FS at rkarp@defnet.com A supervisors role in suicide prevention… Emphasize a positive, caring work environment. Know your personnel, and their ”limits.” Identify those who may be “at risk.” Be actively concerned and involved. Know available helping resources. Be available and supportive. Help the person face and solve his/her problems in a positive way that will minimize embarrassment and enhance self-esteem.
SPEARR (Small Portable Expeditionary Aeromedical Rapid Response)
EMEDS Basic(Expeditionary Medical Support)
EMEDS + 10
EMEDS + 25
Gerald E. Harmon,Brig Gen, SC ANGANG Asst, ACC/SG 19 Sep 2001 
Attack on America By Major General Dennis Higdon It has been ten days since the Attack on America. I’m sure you have shared the first feelings I had of shock, disbelief and anger at such a diabolical act. After the initial shock I wanted to know what role the Air National Guard and I could fulfill to aid in the transport and treatment of the injured. The tragic reality is that there were few survivors; more than 6,000 people are missing and presumed dead. My thoughts and prayers are with those victims and their families in New York City, the Pentagon and the heroes of the flight that went down in Pennsylvania. Last night our President addressed the nation describing us as a nation awakened to danger and now called to defend freedom. His words helped me to move away from my grief and dismay to firm resolution. We will respond to this atrocity as a nation and we will do it appropriately and decisively with our superb leadership. Tomorrow I will join General Carlton in Washington. I do this with great confidence and pride in the Air National Guard I represent. I know that you will personally be ready to serve in any capacity to aid the country in this effort. Air National Guard flight medicine is filled with talented physicians, many of whom are leaders in their various specialties and in their communities. You will all be a remarkable addition to any future conflict if called on to play a part. But, what I am most thankful for is that you have assured the ability of the Air National Guard war fighter to enter this conflict. You have done it by your dedication to unit support, the “blue suit” medicine piece of our job. The weapon system you have at your unit will ultimately perform its mission because it has been cared for and well maintained. You are the maintainer of the most important piece of that system, the war fighter in the cockpit. I am confident you have done your job well.  LtCol William W. Pond, SFS, INANG 4414 Trierwood Park Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46815
Year AsMA AMSUS 2002 5-9 May, Montreal, Quebec 10-15 Nov, Louisville, KY 2003 16-21 Nov, San Antonio, TX 2004 14-19 Nov, Denver, CO 2005 30 Oct – 4 Nov, Nashville, TN 
ALLIANCE ANNUAL DINNER Please plan to set aside Tuesday evening November 6 for an evening with your Alliance friends and family at the Casa Rio Restaurant in San Antonio, TX. The restaurant is on the River Walk in downtown San Antonio, an easy walk from most hotels for AMSUS. Social Hour starts at 6:30 pm and dinner at 7:30pm. Tickets will be available for $30 at the AMSUS meeting or ahead of time from LtCol Clee Lloyd (clloyd@teleport.com). AsMA AMSUS 2002 5-9 May, Montreal, Quebec 10-15 Nov, Louisville, KY 2003 16-21 Nov, San Antonio, TX 2004 14-19 Nov, Denver, CO 2005 30 Oct – 4 Nov, Nashville, TN |
