February 2005 Frontline - Commissioned Officers Association

PHS Officer Supports Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan; Awarded Joint Service Achievement Medal
The sound of morning prayers from
the central Mosque in Kabul is the
wake up call for LT Martin Ruiz-
Beltran. It occurs around 4:30 a.m.
It is still dark and a bit chilly as LT
Ruiz-Beltran is getting ready to start
his daily routine.
LT Ruiz-Beltran, a PHS Health
Services Officer, and health services
systems expert working with the
Division of Immigration Health
Services (DIHS) in Washington, DC
under CAPT Gene Migliaccio is
temporarily deployed in Kabul with
the Office of Military Cooperation-
Afghanistan (OMC-A). He is among
the many other uniformed service
personnel working in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom to assist
the Afghan people.
The Office of the Surgeon General
notes that LT Ruiz-Beltran received
support for this TDY from the Health
Resources Services Administration
Bureau of Primary Health Care and
from the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office
of Detention and Removal Operations.
While deployed in Afghanistan,
LT Ruiz-Beltran has worked with the
Afghan Ministry of Public Health.
His focus is on a national public
health administrative system for
medical equipment and supplies.
During his deployment, he is also
assisting the Afghanistan National
Army (ANA), Office of the Surgeon
General by conducting an assessment
of their National Hospital’s nursing
services and helping to establish their
first-ever nursing department.
In addition to his professional
posting LT Ruiz-Beltran is pursuing
a Doctor of Public Health Degree in
the Department of Global Health at
the School of Public Health at
George Washington University. In
Afghanistan, he works under the direction
of Army Medical Service Corps
Officer, LTC Jose Betancourt who
completed his Doctor of Public Health
Degree at George Washington
Major General Craig P. Weston, U.S.
Air Force, Commander of the Office of
Military Cooperation – Afghanistan,
pinning the Joint Services Achievement
Medal on LT Martin Ruiz-Beltran
for exceptional meritorious service
while serving as a PHS Officer for the
Office of Military Cooperation in
support of Operation Enduring
Freedom.
University early last year.
Thus far, LT Ruiz-Beltran has
assessed the installations of the 35
Afghan National Army National
Volunteer Centers and developed
health and sanitation guidelines for
each of them as well as for the seven
battalion headquarters across the
country. LT Ruiz-Beltran’s efforts
directly impact the health and welfare
of not only the ANA soldiers, but also
the entire country by helping to
ensure that recruits are protected
from and do not spread infectious
diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis, and
tuberculosis.
In early January, LT Ruiz-Beltran
was recognized with a Joint Service
Achievement Medal. The award was
presented to him by the Commander,
Office of Military Cooperation -
Afghanistan, Major General Craig
Weston.
In presenting LT Ruiz-Beltran
with the medal, General Weston noted
the Corps officer’s professionalism and
accomplishments during his temporary
assignment. “Everyone he came
into contact with,” according to
Weston, “including all DOD services,
International Coalition Forces, and
the Afghan Nationals learned about,
and were left with a very positive
impression of the U.S. Public Health
Service.”
General Weston also mentioned
that “this was the first time a PHS
officer had been deployed to the
OMC-A, and that the PHS’s involvement
brought together a true multiservice
unit.” General Weston went
on to note that “the duties performed
by LT Ruiz-Beltran were crucial to
the accomplishment of the mission
and that his work in Afghanistan had
brought incalculable benefits to the
people of Afghanistan.” Specifically,
LT Ruiz-Beltran’s citation notes that
he was responsible for working with
the Ministry of Public Health to
develop a national equipment and
supplies system in support of the
Department of Health and Human
Services commitment to reduce
maternal and child mortality.
LT Ruiz-Beltran’s deployment to
Kabul is yet another example of how
PHS officers are contributing to the
Department’s dedication to help meet
the President’s commitment to help
sustain peace and promote democracy
in Afghanistan.
8 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION