Photo By Douglas Stutz | Tis the season… Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Rose Ann Lumoljo, NHB Primary Care...... read more read more
During this holiday season, a number of Naval Hospital Bremerton staff members reminisced on years past, whether forward deployed, pulling a clinical rotation for another, or doing their duty best to put service before self for those in need.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Rose Ann Lumoljo, NHB Primary Care leading petty officer, was stationed on the amphibious dock landing ship, USS Ashland (LSD 48), forward deployed to Japan from May 2021 to June 2023.
“It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life,” exclaimed Lumoljo. “It was an unaccompanied tour and my first time being away from my family, especially my son.”
“Reflecting on the holidays I missed, I remember the heartache of knowing my 5-year-old son celebrated two seasons of holidays without me,” continued Lumoljo. “While it was difficult to be apart, I take pride in serving my country and honoring the commitment I made when I chose this path. This sacrifice has reinforced my resilience and deepened my appreciation for both my family and the mission I serve.”
For Amy Salzsieder, occupational health registered nurse and retired Navy [Reserve] Nurse Corps commander, her two deployments downrange in 2009 and then back again in 2014 at the NATO Role III Multinational Medical Unit, Kandahar, Afghanistan, both invoked memories.
In 2009 there were over 30 NATO and coalition countries supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Salzsieder noted how memorable it was witnessing all the different countries coming together to remember the holidays with traditions from their home country.
“You could walk around the base and see all the different decorations from different countries. The Lt. Dan band [Gary Sinise] was there putting on a concert around Christmas time,” recollected Salzsieder, also adding an evocative memory from that holiday time. Yet all was far from just tinsel and ornaments.
“We had a local Afghanistan child, a girl, about nine years old that we cared for four months trying to save her one good leg. Which we did. The other had to be amputated,” somberly shared Salzsieder. “We all pooled our money to get her an artificial leg so she could be sent back to her village. With the type of clothes women wear she could conceal her artificial leg and not be killed by the Taliban. At that time if the locals accepted help from us, they were usually [targeted and] killed by the local Taliban to discourage the locals coming to us.”
During her second tenure in 2014, Salzsieder was department head for the post anesthesia care unit, ICU and patient movement evacuation which by then was under U.S. Navy command. When asked if she was on call for Christmas eve or day, she replied, “It’s deployment. You work every day.”
As the premier trauma and casualty receiving center in Afghanistan, the Role III was constantly busy with an influx of patients. Salzsieder remembers a young U.S. Air Force radioman with a foot injury.
“He had to come to the hospital to have his wound washed out. He came almost every day in December and was like part of the ICU family. He was from Montana and his mom sent us all sorts of Christmas goodies. We all called his mom on Christmas to let her know he was well taken care of, and we all wanted her Christmas cookie recipes,” recollected Salzsieder.
Timothy D. Stewart, NHB command evaluator and Medical Inspector General hotline coordinator provided perspective on a member of his extended Navy Medicine family.
“I have known Steve Jackson since 2003 and came to realize that every holiday Steve had duty. He’s single and he gave back when he was active duty like no other,” shared Stewart, a retired senior chief hospital corpsman. “When I asked Steve why, he said, “what am I going to do, stay home with the cat?” As far as I can remember, Steve stood duty every Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Since he has been civil service and no duty for him to stand, he has come to my house. With some arm twisting. But we have accepted him as family.”
America Morgan stood the watch at home when her spouse, recently promoted Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Eric Morgan, would be on occasion haze gray underway over the holidays. Family and friends would extend invites to her and their children. They also did their best – and then some – to stay in touch with their deployer.
“We would always make care packages to send. It was fun for us. It was a way to stay connected,” America said.
Retired Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Terry Lerma found himself on duty Christmas Eve 1984 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California.
“I was the duty x-ray tech and worked in the Urgent Care Clinic when not performing x-ray exams. The entire base had shut down except for the commissary and galley for holiday stand down. That day, we had 60 patients come into the UCC. However, only six were admitted and treated. The other 54 were families that came to the clinic to bring cakes, pies, cookies, and more. By 8 p.m., two full exam gurneys were piled high with all the delicacies,” said Lerma.
At 10 p.m. when the night crew came on, Lerma and others adjourned into the x-ray duty room to enjoy the dropped-off desserts and exchange stories about Christmas.
“While it could have been a sad moment, one corpsman then declared, “The perfect Christmas normally is about being home with your family. But someone has to stand the watch today so others can be with their families. If we can’t be with our families, let’s surround ourselves with each other and be our family today. Merry Christmas everyone!” Her Christmas Eve comment has stuck in my memory to this day,” said retired Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Terry Lerma.
The annual tree lighting ceremony at NHB over the years has symbolically sent a beacon of light to those staff members deployed over the holidays that they are not forgotten.
The same holds true this season for those doctors, nurses, hospital corpsmen and support staff forward deployed far from home. They are recognized and remembered.
“Just sharing is remembering,” echoed Lumoljo.
| Date Taken: | 12.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2024 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 487818 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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