Photo By Julius Evans | Naval Ophthalmic Support and Training Activity (NOSTRA) hosted U.S. Navy surgeon...... read more read more
Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, U.S. Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) visited two commands at the forefront of Navy Medicine logistics readiness on Mar. 20 and 21.
Navy Expeditionary Medical Support Command (NEMSCOM), is located on Cheatham Annex, Williamsburg, VA. Naval Ophthalmic Support and Training Activity (NOSTRA), is located on Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, VA. Nestled on the Virginia Peninsula, both are subordinate to Naval Medical Logistics Command, which is located on Fort Detrick, in Frederick, MD, and is headed by Capt. Tim Richardson.
The visit was very timely, as both operations are leaders in managing the resources and facilitating the achievement of the surgeon general’s strategic priorities of readiness, health and partnerships.
NEMSCOM, led by Capt. Michael Kemper, provides capabilities-based, technically advanced deployable medical systems to support U.S. and allied forces in the event of contingency operations anywhere in the world. NEMSCOM is responsible for designing, procuring, assembling and pre-positioning Expeditionary Medical Facilities. This allows NEMSCOM to support medical readiness requirements for combatant commanders with the right medical resources through configured expeditionary medical logistics tailored to meet clinical missions.
The Fleet Hospital Support Office, which NEMSCOM was known by earlier in its establishment, was responsible for the first successful deployment of three 500-bed wartime-ready Navy Fleet Hospitals in the early 1990s in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. It also deployed a fleet hospital in support of Operation New Horizon/Uphold Democracy in Haiti. During the operation, more than 350 military personnel from Fleet Hospital Jacksonville, FL, staffed the fleet hospital, providing medical assistance to 20,000 U.S. troops as well as thousands of Haitian refugees during various humanitarian missions.
The Fleet Hospital Support Office responded during Operation Enduring Freedom by deploying a one of a kind 36-bed Expeditionary Medical Facility to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Still employed today, the Expeditionary Medical Facility provides medical care to detainees.
Earlier this year, NEMSCOM supported the Humanitarian mission Continuing Promise 2018 to Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Honduras, which provided medical care to local populations that might otherwise not have received it.
NOSTRA, headed by Capt. Richard Zeber, is also at the forefront of the Navy Medicine strategic priorities in its role as the lead service agent for the Optical Fabrication Enterprise (OFE). It provides optical fabrication services in support of all operational, contingency and humanitarian missions worldwide, in peacetime and during wars. In conducting its mission, NOSTRA provides optical fabrication support by fabricating military eyewear, prescription gas mask inserts and combat protective eyewear inserts. It also operates the Tri-Services Optician School, also known as TOPS, the Department of Defense’s only training program for Opticians and Optical Fabrication Specialists.
NOSTRA is the leading producer of prescription eyewear and the only command unit among nine Army and 15 Navy optical labs within the Department of Defense OFE. NOSTRA annually produces 33% of the workload for the entire enterprise. In addition, NOSTRA maintains command and control of operations, funding, workload distribution, personnel and materiel management of the labs located in Navy Medicine facilities at Quantico, VA, Camp Lejeune, NC, and Mayport and Pensacola, FL.
The command has had up to six detachments in the past. All locations are sustained with support Memorandums of Understanding between NOSTRA and host MTFs. NOSTRA and its detachments are staffed by 165 military and civilian personnel.
During his visits, Faison relayed important messages to the staff at NEMSCOM and NOSTRA about their role in providing patient care to warfighters around the world. “Our ability to save lives on day one of a conflict and throughout the conflict, depends on what you do. You also ensure that when a disaster occurs, we can rapidly respond with our strategic partners to provide the medical care necessary,” he stressed.
Faison had lunch with the enlisted members at both commands and held All-Hands Calls where he shared information about the pending changes that are set to take place in October 2018 as it relates to the National Defense Authorization Act and the changes within the Defense Health Agency.
During the All-Hands Calls, he held question and answer sessions that were well-received by those in attendance. Carolyn Thomas, a prescription eyeglass maker supervisor/specials, explained the impression the surgeon general made upon her when she was asked about the visit.
“I appreciated that he expressed himself in layman’s terms to ensure everyone in his audience understood what he was trying to convey. {And while walking throughout the production floor}, he said hello to practically everyone and for me, that was important,” Thomas said. “His speech held my attention the entire time. I learned some new things and I have a greater appreciation for the job I hold. So I must say Bravo Zulu to Vice Adm. Faison.”
Additionally, the surgeon general discussed the future of the Navy and certifications for Hospital Corpsmen. He mentioned that lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom highlighted that, amongst service members who left active duty, the group that had the highest unemployment rates were those who specialized in the medical field; combat medics and Navy corpsmen. The reason for that reality was upon leaving the military, these service members did not have certifications.
To address this shortfall, the surgeon general said the Navy started a new program that will compensate personnel who successfully complete a ‘C’ Class school that has an equivalent certification. In addition, once a person attains that certification, the Navy will pay to help keep it current. This will allow Sailors to turn their military training into civilian employment once they leave the service.
“This will also allow me to look into the eyes of American moms and dads and tell them that everyone involved in your son’s or daughter’s care has received the same or better certification as anyone in the civilian sector,” Faison said.
The surgeon general left both commands with the three expectations that he wanted everyone to take with them.
“Be worthy of the trust that’s been placed in your hands and the privilege of caring for America’s sons and daughters. Be worthy of the uniform you wear and be worthy of the privilege of leadership. And if you do these three things for me, we can with confidence look into the eyes of American moms and dads and say we will take care of your son or daughter and do all within our power to return them home safely to you.”
Considering the changes that are forthcoming, NEMSCOM and NOSTRA have already proven they both are leading the way to meet any expectation that lays ahead.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2018 21:51 |
| Story ID: | 272577 |
| Location: | YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 639 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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