April 2021 Newsletter

News from MHCE 

APRIL 2021 EDITION 

Monthly Newsletter 

WWW.MHCE.US 

have designed and positioned this 

platform as the next generation 

vaccine, one that paves the way 

for a universal vaccine to protect 

against not only the current virus, 

but also counter future variants, 

stopping them in their tracks before 

they can cause another pandemic." 

The vaccine was developed with 

support from the Henry M. Jackson 

Foundation for the Advancement 

of Military Medicine. 

Army Begins Clinical Trials on 

Vaccine That May Be Effective 

Against All Coronaviruses 

Fifteen months after launching an 

effort to develop a vaccine against 

COVID-19, the Walter Reed Army 

Institute of Research is preparing 

for a clinical trial, seeking 

volunteers for a small safety study. 

The Army's vaccine candidate 

uses a new technology involving 

a Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle, or 

SpFN, that researchers hope can 

be adapted to protect against any 

coronavirus, including those that 

cause the common cold or deadly 

diseases such as COVID-19, 

Severe Acute Respiratory 

Syndrome, or SARS, and Middle 

East Respiratory Syndrome, 

MERS. 

The WRAIR vaccine candidate 

has been tested in mice and 

monkeys and is now ready for 

human safety trials, according to 

officials at the institute, which falls 

under Army Medical Research and 

Development Command. 

"Even before recent COVID-19 

variants were identified, our 

team was concerned about the 

emergence of new coronaviruses 

in human populations, a threat that 

has been accelerating in recent 

years," Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, 

director of the Emerging Infectious 

Diseases Branch at WRAIR, said 

in a released statement. "That's 

why we need a vaccine like this: 

one that has potential to protect 

broadly and proactively against 

multiple coronavirus species and 

strains." 

The study is being conducted at 

WRAIR's Clinical Trials Center 

and will enroll 72 healthy adult 

volunteers ages 18 to 55 who will 

be randomly placed in placebo or 

experimental groups. 

WRAIR began its work on a 

coronavirus vaccine Jan. 11, 2020 

-- the day after Chinese researchers 

published the coronavirus' genetic 

sequence, enabling scientists to 

more fully understand the lethal 

pathogen. 

With that genetic makeup in mind 

and building on research on the 

coronavirus that causes Middle 

East Respiratory Syndrome, 

or MERS, WRAIR scientists 

developed SpFN as a protein 

base that can carry one or more 

spike proteins engineered to block 

infection and elicit an immune 

response, according to Modjarrad. 

While commercial manufacturers 

have produced four distinct 

vaccines against COVID-19, 

three of which are currently being 

distributed under emergency-use 

authorization in the U.S., WRAIR 

is playing the long game when it 

comes to developing a coronavirus 

vaccine for the future. 

"We are in this for the long haul," 

Modjarrad said in a release. "We 

More than 176,000 U.S. service 

members have tested positive for 

COVID-19 since the beginning 

of the pandemic and 24 have 

died. Another 307 civilian DoD 

employees, contractors and family 

members also have died. 

Worldwide, 132.1 million people 

have been infected with the 

coronavirus, and 2.8 million have 

died. There have been nearly 

30.8 million cases in the U.S. 

and 556,307 American deaths as 

of April 4, according to Johns 

Hopkins University. 

Across the Defense Department, 

2.1 million doses of the COVID-19 

vaccine -- made by Moderna, Pfizer 

or Johnson & Johnson -- have been 

administered to U.S. troops, family 

members, civilian employees and 

other essential workers, according 

to the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention. 

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden 

implored Americans to get their 

vaccines, especially with cases 

on the rise in some areas and the 

spread of variants. 

"We’re getting more and more data 

on just how effective these vaccines 

are," Biden said. "We’re making a 

lot of good progress … but we’re 

not even halfway to vaccinating 

300 million Americans. We are 

still in a life and death race against 

this virus."

2 | MHCE - News www.mhce.us APRIL 2021 EDITION 

COVID-19 Vaccine 

Effort Continues 

at Central Virginia 

Veterans Clinics - 

CVHCS Totals More 

Than 24,600 Doses 

The Army's 18th Airborne Corps 

wants to hear soldiers' ideas for 

decreasing military suicide, using 

a format previously employed 

to address issues such as sexual 

assault in the ranks and range 

management. 

Five soldiers will be chosen May 

6 to present their ideas to military 

leaders and subject matter experts 

at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as 

part of the unit's "Dragon's Lair" 

program -- a pitch-fest based on 

the format of ABC's "Shark Tank" 

show. 

The troops have until midnight 

May 1 to submit their ideas can 

do so through the unit's Dragon 

Innovation Program website. 

"For us, this is about using our 

most-recognized program to save 

our teammates," said Col. Joe 

Buccino, XVIII Airborne Corps 

innovation officer. "This is about 

using the Dragon's Lair platform 

to raise awareness and give our 

soldiers a voice." 

According to preliminary 

data published by the Defense 

Department, suicides increased 

by 8% in 2020 among activeduty 

personnel, and by 25% and 

31% for the Reserve and National 

Guard components, respectively. 

Based on the raw numbers and 

population of the services -- 

which the DoD says may change 

once all reports are analyzed and 

completed -- the Army's suicide 

rate in 2020 among active-duty 

personnel was an estimated 36 

deaths per 100,000 soldiers. The 

Marine Corps' rate was 33 per 

100,000, followed by the Air 

Force, at 24 per 100,000, and the 

Navy, at 18 per 100,000. 

In 2019, the active-duty suicide 

rates were 

• 29.8 per 100,000 for the Army 

• 25.3 per 100,000 in the 

Marine Corps 

• 21.5 per 100,000 for the Navy 

• 25.1 per 100,000 for the Air 

Force. 

Speaking to reporters March 31, 

Pentagon Press Secretary John 

Kirby cautioned against drawing 

conclusions from year to year 

until all deaths are investigated. 

"At this time, it's too early to 

determine whether suicide rates 

are going to show an increase or a 

decrease for calendar year 2020," 

Kirby said. "Bottom line is, of 

course, that the health, safety 

and well-being of our military 

community is paramount to the 

readiness of our force. Every 

death by suicide is a tragedy, and 

every one results in a grieving 

family for which we share that … 

grief." 

The Pentagon's official statistics 

for the year will be released in 

its annual suicide report, which

WWW.MHCE.US Monthly Newsletter | 3 

typically comes out around the 

beginning of October. 

The new Dragon's Lair initiative 

is designed to learn from soldiers 

who "live in the barracks, are in 

our orderly rooms, in our motor 

pools, across our formations," 

Buccino said. 

The unit plans to announce the 

names of those selected on May 

25. 

The 18th Airborne Corps 

launched the Dragon's Lair 

program last October to provide 

soldiers a platform for sharing 

ideas for addressing problems 

across the service. In February, 

seven service members presented 

their proposals for addressing 

sexual assault and harassment in 

the ranks. 

Staff Sgt. Shameka Dudley 

proposed that the service's Sexual 

Harassment/Assault Response 

and Prevention, or SHARP, 

training ditch PowerPoint 

presentations and replace them 

with virtual reality scenarios. 

Sgt. Taylor Kneuven called for 

a change to representation on 

Army administrative boards for 

separation to make outcomes 

more fair for soldiers. 

The program is open to soldiers 

in the 18th Airborne Corps. Those 

who want to submit their ideas can 

do so through the unit's Dragon 

Innovation Program website. 

Service members experiencing a 

crisis can call the Veterans Crisis 

Line 24/7 at 800-273-8255, press 

1. Chatting also is available 

online atwww.veteranscrisisline. 

net and by texting 838255.. 

TO ADVERTISE 

contact Kyle.Stephens@mhce.us


COVID-19, Civil Unrest: 

Have Too Many Homeland 

Missions Damaged Trust 

in the Military? 

More than a year after COVID-19 effectively shut down the U.S., the 

Defense Department still has 6,235 active-duty troops and 31,500 National 

Guard members across 54 states and U.S. territories administering vaccines, 

conducting testing, storing goods and more. 

The military is no stranger to homefront assistance: from hurricane and 

wildfire relief to food bank distribution, uniformed personnel have been 

called on for decades to provide domestic support during crises. 

But in a time when Americans seem more divided than ever, experts say the 

military is caught in a difficult balancing act: to lend civil support where 

needed without detracting from core strategic missions so it can remain ready 

for the next fight. Pandemic response and other domestic crises over the last 

year have made that task even more complicated. And changing American 

expectations regarding the military may heighten the tension. 

TO ADVERTISE 

contact Nathan.Stiles@mhce.us 

Even the Opportunities are Sunnier 

The region’s most comprehensive and preferred health system, located in one of the nation’s 

most sought-after destinations, is seeking physicians in the following specialties: 

OBGYN • Family and Internal Medicine • General Cardiology • Interventional Cardiology 

Inpatient Medical Oncology • Neuromuscular • Orthopedics • Geriatrics 

Ideal Place to Practice 

n 

n 

n 

n 

Structurally and financially strong 

organization 

Work-life balance 

High-caliber, physician-led teams 

Extensive support from the 

region’s largest and most 

comprehensive clinically 

integrated network 

World Class Quality of Life 

n Northeast Florida is alive with over 1,100 miles of beaches and 

waterways, 80,000 acres of parks and trails, a strong and prosperous 

economy, multiple professional sports teams, renowned golf courses 

and diverse cultural experiences 

n The area serves as home to some of the Sunshine State’s best cost of 

living and the nation’s most sought after quality of life 

n Jacksonville was recently ranked by Forbes Magazine 

as the second most desirable city for 

relocation in the United States 

n No state income tax 

Please contact us at 904.202.5124, or email your 

CV to PhysicianCareers@bmcjax.com 

BH 33518 Specialties Recruitment Practice Link Ad_v04.indd 1 

2/3/20 2:08 PM


Most sailors aboard the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer Chafee have 

been placed under quarantine in San Diego hotel rooms following a CO- 

VID-19 outbreak among the crew, according to Navy officials. 

An unspecified number of sailors assigned to the Hawaii-based ship have 

tested positive and have been isolating off the ship, according to Third Fleet 

spokesman Cmdr. Sean Robertson. Earlier, officials had said about a dozen 

personnel had tested positive. 

The rest of the crew received tests on Friday in response to the outbreak. 

"In order to ensure the health of the force and guarantee mission readiness, 

most of the crew members assigned to USS Chafee have been placed in a 

Restriction-of-Movement (ROM) status in hotels in the local San Diego 

area," Robertson said. "A caretaker crew will remain aboard in order to support 

the ship's operational and material readiness, and execute necessary support 

functions." 

The ship will also be cleaned, he said. 

None of the infected sailors have required hospitalization, Robertson said. 

The ship has been in San Diego for training exercises. 

START YOUR CIVILIAN CAREER WITH US: 

• Proud employer of US Veterans 

• 17 years providing superior care to our residents 

• 21 locations and growing 

• Post-acute care, skilled nursing, long-term 

care, & assisted living facilities 

• Excellent opportunities for growth 

• Competitive Pay 

• Comprehensive Benefits 

OPENINGS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 

• CNA, LPN, RN’s 

• Nursing Management 

• Therapy Professionals 

• Full Time, Part Time, and 

Per Diem positions available 

MISSOURI FACILITIES LOCATED IN 

Poplar Bluff 

ILLINOIS FACILITIES LOCATED IN 

Mt. Vernon • Taylorville • Aviston 

TO ADVERTISE contact Kyle.Stephens@mhce.us


The Army Infantry Doesn't Just Need More 

Women. It Needs More Qualified Women. 

Capt. Shaina N. Coss was among the first 10 women to graduate from 

Ranger School and became the first female infantry officer to serve in the 

75th Ranger Regiment in 2018. She is currently serving on active duty 

at the U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Va. 

Recent attention surrounding the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, 

produced a scornful public response shaming the Army into lowering 

physical standards to accommodate the more than 50% of women who 

failed to meet the minimum requirements during initial testing. 

Resulting backlash encouraged the service to suspend its stratified, colorcoded 

grading system, which had required the highest fitness standards 

for combat arms (black) and high standards for jobs like Military Police 

(gray). Both standards were replaced with a lower minimum (gold) for 

all soldiers regardless of military occupational specialty, or MOS, in the 

ACFT 3.0 version. 

While the Army has yet to announce whether it will reinstate tiered fitness 

standards, some continue to argue that the service must permanently 

allow substitutions for the leg tuck as they believe it discriminates against 

women, who lack the upper-body strength of men. 

Removing high standards and offering substitutions like the plank pose 

will increase pass rates among women, leading the Army to falsely 

conclude that it has achieved gender equality. However, this will not lead 

to the true advancement of women. While convenient for the current 

failures, this shortsighted reaction is ultimately degrading to all women, 

disproportionately harmful to the women in the infantry, and illogical. 

women, it is disgraceful that the Army would consider lowering standards 

to increase pass rates at the expense of diminishing the credibility of 

women to lead soldiers, particularly infantrymen. 

The six events of the ACFT were chosen because they correlate to 

commonly occurring physical skills from the Warrior Tasks and Battle 

Drills, or WTBD, and Common Soldier Tasks, or CST. By choosing 

exercises that correlate to success in the WTBD/CST, the Army can 

theoretically predict success in combat. When performed together, the 

events have a greater than 80% correlation to the WTBD or CST. The old 

Army Physical Fitness Test had just over a 40% correlation. 

Because the combat requirements of each MOS are not the same, tiered 

fitness standards allow for calibrated physical performance relative to 

occupational skills. ACFT results give leaders a better indication of a 

soldier's potential performance than a gender- and age-normed scale that 

can mask physical readiness. Removing the tiered black fitness standard 

may bolster pass rates in the short term, but it will likely jeopardize the 

future accomplishments of infantrymen in the crucible of ground combat 

and stymie the acceptance of women within the branch. 

Moreover, it simply does not follow that because women may initially 

lack upper body strength that they are incapable of successfully passing 

physical standards with sufficient training. I have personal experience in 

As the first and only female infantry officer to serve in the 75th Ranger 

Regiment to date, I know that equality will be achieved only when women 

are held to the same job-related standards. A meaningful way to do this is 

to immediately reinstate the black and gray tiered fitness standards. 

Permanently allowing soldiers who are not on a medical profile to 

complete an alternate event tacitly endorses the false notion that those 

soldiers (who are mostly women, in this case) are incapable of improving 

themselves. This is not only insulting, it is wrong. It sends the misguided 

message that women should not be held responsible for their actions, or 

rather their lack of physical preparation. Establishing this double standard 

contributes to the already pervasive sentiment that women are incapable 

and inferior. This will not only be detrimental to female advancement by 

undermining our authority to lead men who are held to a higher standard, 

but it also dishonors the Army. 

I recognize that high fitness standards are not the only way to earn 

credibility, but a leader who achieves low fitness standards inspires little 

confidence, especially in the Army's most physically demanding branch 

-- the infantry. For an organization that purportedly seeks to empower


this matter because I -- like numerous women -- failed my first diagnostic 

ACFT. I was humiliated and disappointed when I failed the standing 

power throw, but I was also determined to improve, much like Capt. 

Kristen Griest, who details her experience in her recent article "With 

Equal Opportunity Comes Equal Responsibility." 

In response, I added the standing power throw to the warm-up of all of 

my workouts by purchasing my own 10-pound medicine ball. I soon 

increased my score to over 8 meters, and I am confident that healthy 

women who face similar challenges with the leg tuck are equally capable 

of overcoming their weakness with adequate training. Meeting the same 

standard as the men I lead makes me eager to improve even more. I 

recognize that hard work and grit are the only ways to truly diminish the 

gap between men and women. 

Further, it is irrational for the Army to expect that lower fitness standards 

will improve the equality of female soldiers because men and women 

are biologically very different and because effort is an individual choice. 

There are countless physiological handicaps that make physical success 

more difficult for women to achieve relative to their male counterparts. 

For example, when compared to a man of equal height, a woman will 

naturally have less muscle, more fat, less testosterone, less iron, smaller 

lungs and a smaller heart. These conditions yield a decreased natural 

aptitude for combat fitness. 

In order to achieve closer ACFT scores between the genders, women 

need to cultivate self-awareness to recognize their disadvantage and put 

in more effort than their male peers. The Army -- or for purposes of this 

argument, the ACFT -- is not sexist because of this fact. Alternatively, 

the ACFT is empowering as it has led (and will continue to lead) women 

to devote more effort, seek out more mentorship, and train harder than 

they would have otherwise. 

Finally, lowering standards is illogical because true equality comes from 

real achievement, not from the Army adjusting numbers to generate 

more favorable scores. Although equal pass rates across the service 

are desirable, discrepancies between the scores of men and women are 

inevitable. This does not mean that the standards for the combat-arms 

branches should be lowered. Conversely, high fitness requirements will 

improve the standing of women in combat arms because they demonstrate 

that they have earned the right to serve in the unit by achieving the same 

high standard as men. Instead of halting implementation, women simply 

need to train harder to pass this test. 

Before implementation, the Army was clear about its elevated fitness 

requirements for the infantry; it would be antithetical for it to renege on 

those standards. As one of the first 10 women who earned the privilege 

to wear the blue cord of the infantry and the coveted Ranger tab, I 

recognize the enduring need to work hard. All women, especially female 

infantrymen should adopt a similar mindset. 

Ultimately, this is not only a discussion around gender standards, but 

around the uncompromising standards of armed conflict. Anyone desiring 

to serve this country needs to meet the standard, rather than lobbying 

for exceptions based on gender. Lowering physical requirements may 

ostensibly lead to the short-term "equality" of women; however, any 

advancement because of gender and not merit is corrupting to this vital 

organization. Rather than lowering the bar to accommodate the inability 

of a few, raise the bar and inspire leaders to achieve more. 

Join Our Team! 

Embark on a new career 

with Central New York 

Psychiatric Center! 

Our Team Promotes 

Hope, Resilience and Recovery! 

Central New York Psychiatric Center is seeking 

candidates to fill the following positions; 

Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, 

Psychologists, and Registered Nurses. 

These positions are available at our Inpatient 

Forensic Hospital in Marcy, New York, as 

well as our Corrections Based Satellite Units 

across the State. 

Benefits Include: 

• NYS Pension 

• Competitive Salaries 

• Comprehensive Health Insurance 

• Flexible Spending Accounts for 

Healthcare & Dependent Care 

• Generous Paid Time Off 

Contact Us: 

315-765-3375 or by e-mail 

CNpersonnel@omh.ny.gov 

We, the women of the infantry, want more qualified women to join our 

ranks. We do not simply want more women.


Alabama Senate Confirms 

Auburn University Trustee 

to Replace Secretary Austin 

The Alabama Senate on Thursday unanimously confirmed Tim 

Vines as an at-large member of the Auburn University Board 

of Trustees to fulfill the unexpired term of Lloyd Austin, who 

resigned in January after he was tapped as the nation’s Secretary 

of Defense. 

Vines is the president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield 

of Alabama, where he began working in 1994. He rose through 

the management ranks at Blue Cross until he was elected to his 

present position in 2018. The LaFayette native graduated from 

the Harbert College of Business in 1988 with a degree in finance. 

Vines was also a member of the Auburn baseball team. 

“In addition to his business and management credentials, the 

Trustee Selection Committee nominated Tim Vines for the 

position because of his dedication to Auburn University and its 

students,” said Wayne Smith, who serves as board president pro 

tem. 

Vines gives an annual scholarship to the Harbert College of 

Business. He is an Auburn Alumni Association lifetime member, 

a member of the James E. Foy Loyalty Society and the 1856 

Society. The Birmingham Auburn Club awarded Vines its 2019 

Distinguished Auburn Alumnus Award. He also served as the 

2018 Auburn University summer commencement speaker, where 

he encouraged graduates to “Serve well by serving others. In life 

or in your chosen profession, ask what you can do to help others 

… Whatever you do, make sure you do it with excellence.” 

The selection committee was composed of Auburn Trustees 

Wayne Smith and James Pratt and two members of the Auburn 

Alumni Association’s board of directors, Regenia Sanders and 

Van Henley, as well as Gov. Kay Ivey. 

Vines will complete the last three of Austin’s seven-year term, 

which will expire on Feb. 8, 2024.


When the practice of medicine 

becomes the business of medicine. 

You spent years studying medicine. 

But what about the business side of 

your practice? 

It’s easy to get started. 

Take the next step toward a 

Physicians Executive MBA 

and contact us: 

auburn-military.mba 

334-844-4060 

Auburn MBA


How Veterans Can Follow 

Up After a Job Interview in 

the Digital Age 

A lot of things changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but one 

of the things that never will is how to follow up on a job interview. 

Going back and reconnecting with the person who interviewed you is 

important for many reasons. It shows you care about getting the job, 

and it expresses gratitude for being considered. 

Job interviews held via Zoom or other video-conferencing software 

shouldn’t be treated with any less reverence than any other interview. 

There is still an open position at the company, and the person you 

spoke to wants to fill it with the best person for the job. 

The Thank You Note 

Even before the pandemic temporarily halted in-person meetings, the 

bare minimum expected of a job candidate was the thank you note. 

Some veterans might wonder why a person deserves a thank you note 

for basically doing their job. In this case, it’s best not to think of it as a 

thank you, but more of an opportunity to remind the interviewer about 

you. 

Did you get the job? 

If you’ve reached a job interview, then they consider you to be a viable 

candidate for the position so there’s nothing wrong with asking the 

interviewer when they might reach a decision. If they give you a time 

frame, drop them a line after it has passed, just to see where they stand. 

If you do send them a follow-up email asking about their decision, 

it’s important that you sound professional and don’t send an overly 

long or overly short email. If they choose not to hire you, there’s also 

nothing wrong with asking why they chose someone else. It only can 

help you in your next interview. Take the criticism with grace and do 

better next time. 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT MHCE.US 

Think of it from the interviewer’s point of view. While it may be 

their job to interview you, they likely had to sift through at least one 

hundred candidate résumés to single out who gets an interview. Then 

they likely interviewed 20% of those candidates, all perhaps on the 

same day. 

If you’ve ever gone to a party where you didn’t know anyone and 

immediately were introduced to dozens of people, you might have an 

idea of how difficult it can be to keep track of who’s who. The thank 

you note is a simple reminder of who you are and the conversation you 

had. It also gives you the chance to answer any questions about which 

you said you would get back to them during the interview. 

The digital age may allow for an email thank you to the interviewer, 

but if the job is really important to you, you might opt for a handwritten 

note on card stock. It stands out from all the other candidates who 

emailed and shows that you care about the details. 

The same goes for finding the job through networking. If you got the 

opportunity to interview thanks to some kind of in-person meeting, it’s 

important to show your gratitude, especially since you spend time in 

the same circles. Reputation matters. 

If you decided to send an email thank you and forgot, then you 

definitely should send a handwritten thank you.


needs 

you! 

View current jobs 

or apply online at 

JOBS.LA.GOV 

For more info 

contact Katie Gaulden at 

(225) 634-4303 or katheryn.gaulden@la.gov 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER | JOINT COMMISSION ACCREDITED


the event that lowering veteran suicide rates underscore the importance 

of the bill. 

“We have seen the magic of what a service dog can do for a disabled 

veteran who’s suffering from truly extreme PTSD. We are on the front 

line of fighting veteran suicide... and we are beating the odds. That’s 

why this act is so important and why it must be passed,” he said. 

Among the 660 veterans that K9s For Warriors has served, 72% 

of them have made a suicide attempt before they reach the group, 

Diamond said. 

Between 20 and 22 veterans die by suicide each day, Stivers said. 

The congressman, who introduced a similar bill this week, pointed to 

research from Kaiser Permanente that found veterans who work with 

service dogs show fewer symptoms of PTSD and depression, have a 

lower risk of substance abuse and improved overall mental health. 

Group of House Lawmakers 

Fights for Greater Access to 

Service Dogs for Veterans 

with PTSD 

WASHINGTON — A group of House lawmakers are reigniting calls 

to expand access to service dogs for veterans suffering from posttraumatic 

stress disorder amid a growing number of studies that show 

the treatment works. 

Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., on Wednesday reintroduced the Puppies 

Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act that would create a $10 

million grant program led by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 

bill proposes qualified nonprofit organizations receive a stipend worth 

$25,000 per veteran to pair that person with a service dog. 

Reps. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and Chris Pappas, 

D-N.H., joined Rutherford on Wednesday to voice support for the bill 

at an event to announce the legislation. 

Waltz, who is a former Green Beret and a member of the House Armed 

Services Committee, said he personally suffered from PTSD and 

traumatic brain injury and has seen the benefits of service dogs. 

“I’ve walked that walk and these dogs absolutely work. … We’re 

gonna get this bill passed,” he said. 

When Rutherford reintroduced the PAWS Act in 2019, it drew 

bipartisan support in the House, but further action on it failed. The 

legislation was first introduced in 2016. 

Rutherford said he’s hopeful that it will become law this time following 

the release of a draft study from the VA that has “proven scientifically, 

it works -- something that we have known all along.” 

The VA has not publicly released the draft study and did not immediately 

respond to a request Wednesday asking for a copy of the report. 

The department restarted a congressionally mandated study in 2015 on 

service dogs and PTSD. The study’s results were expected in summer 

2020, but were never released. 

The rate of suicide among veterans has steadily increased in recent 

years, according to a VA study released in 2020 that analyzed data 

from 2005-2018. Veterans accounted for 13.8% of all deaths by suicide 

in 2018, according to the report, despite increased public awareness of 

the issue. 

Rory Diamond, the CEO of K9s For Warriors, one of the largest 

nonprofit organizations connecting service dogs with veterans, said at 

Stivers said there are two different bills, but “we are one, working 

together. One for all and all for one on dog veteran therapy.” 

The VA has “finally released a draft study that recognizes what the 

science at Purdue and Kaiser Permanente and what K9s For Warriors 

recognizes every time they graduate a class: Service dogs make a 

huge difference for our veterans suffering from PTSD. They save their 

lives,” he said. 

Funding that would be provided under the PAWS Act would benefit 

nonprofits such as K9s For Warriors that often train and connect 

service dogs to veterans with a mental illness with no charge. 

Diamond said a service dog can play a variety of roles in a veteran’s 

life, more than basic needs such as constant companionship. 

In the midst of a panic attack or another mental health crisis, if 

the person can focus on their dog and continues to pet the animal, 

symptoms such as cloudy vision, sweating, heightened heart rate and 

anxiety can start to fade, Diamond explained. 

“If they do that enough times when those things happen, it stops 

happening… and that’s the genius. It’s just like an amazing bridge 

back out into the world,” he said. 

The VA does not fully fund service dog programs now, according to 

K9s For Warriors. The VA also pushed back on efforts like the PAWS 

Act, citing a lack of research on the benefits of the treatment, according 

to a 2019 New York Times report.


TO ADVERTISE 

contact Susan.Keller@mhce.us


Sleep Disorders Are Skyrocketing Among US Military 

Personnel, Study Finds 

A new study has found that serious sleep disorders 

are on the rise in the U.S. military -- conditions 

that can affect readiness and cause short- and 

long-term physical and mental health problems 

for troops and veterans. 

According to research from the University of 

Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 

insomnia diagnoses increased 45-fold, and 

obstructive sleep apnea rose 30-fold, among U.S. 

service members from 2005 to 2019. 

The increases should concern military leaders 

and doctors as well as the Department of Veterans 

Affairs, which provides medical treatment for 

veterans with service-related conditions, said 

retired Army Col. (Dr.) Vincent Mysliwiec, a 

sleep expert and one of the study's authors. 

"A large percentage of military veterans have 

insomnia and sleep apnea. We're trying to develop 

a better understanding of the factors that go into 

sleep disturbances that can develop into sleep 

disorders in the military," he said. 

Rates for insomnia across the services rose 

consistently beginning in 2005 and peaking 

in 2015 before dropping slightly. Sleep apnea 

diagnoses peaked in 2016, but remained higher 

than they had been previously, according to the 

research. 

The highest rates for both disorders were found 

in the Army, with more cases diagnosed than 

expected; the Air Force, Navy and Marine 

Corpshad lower-than-expected rates. Yet all 

services saw increases. 

Those most likely to be diagnosed with either 

disorder were married, male, White, age 40 or 

older, and higher-ranking enlisted soldiers. 

"These findings are concerning because service 

members across the military branches are 

otherwise healthy and have similar physical 

requirements. Their sleep disorders developed 

and were diagnosed while they were in the 

military," Mysliwiec said. 

Female service members were diagnosed at much 

lower rates than men. That is not surprising for 

sleep apnea, which is diagnosed at lower rates 

in civilian women of military service age than it 

is in men, but was surprising for insomnia since 

women generally have a higher prevalence of 

that disorder, according to Mysliwiec. 

"Insomnia is increasingly diagnosed in women 

veterans, thus the lower rate of insomnia 

diagnoses found in our study suggests that female 

service members are potentially underdiagnosed 

for this sleep disorder," the researchers wrote. 

"This is a potentially alarming finding and one 

that warrants further study." 

For the study, the researchers searched the 

medical records of active-duty Army, Navy, Air 

Force and Marine personnel for the medical 

diagnostic codes for the two disorders. 

While sleep disorders in the military are always 

a subject of interest, many studies have focused


on a single service -- mainly the Army -- or were 

based on surveys. 

This was the first study to look at diagnoses across 

the branches, with the exception of the Space 

Force, which didn't exist at the time, and the 

Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of 

Homeland Security. 

The authors noted that many factors may have 

contributed to the larger number of Army 

personnel receiving diagnoses, including that 

the service has higher rates of personnel who are 

overweight -- a contributing factor to sleep apnea 

-- and soldiers may have better access to medical 

centers with sleep disorder clinics. 

The Army had the first servicewide education 

program regarding military-appropriate sleep 

practices, which may have made soldiers more 

aware of their sleeping habits and prompted them 

to seek medical care. 

Study co-author Alan Peterson said that while 

deployments were not evaluated in the research, 

"previous research has shown a strong correlation 

between deployments and sleep disorders, and 

deployments combined with other chronic health 

conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder 

and traumatic brain injury. 

"In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there were 

longer and more frequent deployments between 

2008 and 2012. The Army typically had the 

longest and most frequent deployments -- 21 

months -- compared to 12 to 16 months for the 

other services," Peterson said. 

The researchers said the findings "open the door" 

to learning about the causes of these disorders 

in military personnel and advised military 

medical leadership to give further consideration 

to interventions, as well as enhanced insomnia 

screenings for female service members and more 

widespread screening for sleep apnea among 

Black troops. 

Mysliwiec said he'd like to see more focus on 

healthy sleep habits and scheduling to ensure that 

service members don't suffer from disrupted sleep 

or run the risk of developing a sleep disorder. 

"There's this perception that military personnel, 

in some way, shape or form, cause their sleep 

disorders. That's just wrong," he said. "'Oh, they 

drink lots of caffeine. That causes their sleep 

disorders.' Well, they drink lots of caffeine because 

they have to work 12-, 14-, 16-hour days and 

need to stay awake. They have to have a coping 

mechanism. 

"How do we prevent people from needing to 

get these drinks to stay awake and perform their 

military duties? And if we do make them work 36 

hours, do we give them time to sleep and recover 

after?" he added.


National Guard 

Therapy Dog 

Dies Weeks After 

Earning Alaska 

Commendation 

Medal 

Sweetface "Nyx" Shelton, a well-loved 

brindle-furred American Mastiff who served 

with the Alaska National Guard for more 

than three years, died April 9 at age 4 -- just 

weeks after earning a prestigious state medal 

for her work. 

Her death came just over a week after her 

last day as the Alaska National Guard Sexual 

Assault Prevention and Response, or SAPR, 

program therapy dog. 

Nyx and Ashley Shelton, a sexual assault 

response coordinator for the Alaska National 

Guard and the dog's owner, were awarded the 

Alaska Commendation Medal on March 18 at 

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, according 

to a release. 

"Our beautiful therapy dog, Nyx, has been 

diagnosed with lymphoma which is not 

curable. Typically, dogs only survive 30-60 

days once diagnosed. Nyx is happiest at work 

with her friends so she will continue to work 

as long as possible in the Anchorage Armory. 

#akngsapr #saprdognyx," the Alaska National 

Guard's SAPR program. 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE 

AT MHCE.US


TO ADVERTISE 

contact Karen.Scott@mhce.us 

TO ADVERTISE contact Paul.Randall@mhce.us


INTERESTED IN EARNING A HEALTH 

ADMINISTRATION DEGREE? 

SIU Carbondale has three 

great opportunities 

With health care-related positions 

expected to continue to increase in 

the next decade, the School 

of Allied Health offers a 

flexible Bachelor of Science in 

Health Care Management (HCM degree), along 

with graduate degrees in Health Administration 

and Health Informatics. 

32 % 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 

its 2018 Occupational Outlook 

Handbook, projects a 32 percent increase in 

medical and health service managers through 

2026, compared with a 10 percent increase 

in administrative services management 

occupations and 9 percent rise in human 

resource managers over the same time. 

Discover how close you are to SIU 

Carbondale and the future you dream of. 

Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management 

• Core courses available online with exception of the 

internship. 

• Core coursework can be completed within two years. 

• Certified by the Association of University Programs 

in Health Administration (AUPHA). 

• Internships are completed in a health care facility with 

university approval. 

• Prepares students for graduate study in health care, 

business or other related fields, or for entry-level health 

care management positions. 

Master of Health Administration (MHA) 

• Prepares students for administrative roles within health 

care organizations. 

• For students seeking graduate degree within health 

care management or allied health professions. 

• Courses offered in accelerated format (eight-week blocks). 

Master of Health Informatics (MHI) 

• Prepares students for professional roles within 

health care organizations. 

• Designed for hospital managers, health information 

technicians, coding specialists, nurses and physicians. 

The master’s-level programs offer: 

• 45 credit hours. 

• GRE or GMAT not required. 

• Opportunity to earn the MHA/MHI degrees concurrently. 

• Most online courses are asynchronous for student 

convenience. 

• Some courses offered synchronously to provide 

opportunities for student-to-student interaction. 

For more information, visit: sah.siu.edu and 

choose undergraduate or graduate classes, 

or call 618/453-7211. 

TO ADVERTISE contact Nathan.Stiles@mhce.us


TO ADVERTISE 

contact Kyle.Stephens@mhce.us


However, the academy sent nearly 200 midshipmen, including 

98 midshipmen recovering from the disease, to local hotels in 

order to increase isolation and quarantine space available at 

Bancroft Hall. Midshipmen are no longer at the hotels, Garas 

said. 

There are also approximately 200 midshipmen living off-campus 

with friends, family and sponsors to allow the academy to have 

isolation and quarantine space in Bancroft. 

A decision about commissioning week, slated for the end of 

May, has not yet been announced. 

Nearly All Midshipmen 

Receive Vaccine as Naval 

Academy Continues to 

Lift Restrictions 

Nearly all midshipmen who wanted a vaccine for COVID-19 

have received their first dose. 

The remaining midshipmen — those who may have had 

COVID-19 — will be receiving the vaccine this week, Cmdr. 

Alana Garas, academy spokesperson, wrote in an email. 

The Naval Academy began vaccinating midshipmen in mid- 

March, with the first rounds of midshipmen receiving the 

Moderna vaccine, although the academy can distribute the Pfizer 

vaccine as well. 

Midshipmen received the vaccine on a voluntary basis, as the 

vaccines are distributed on emergency authorized use, which 

means midshipmen are not required to receive the vaccine. 

Midshipmen received the vaccine, in part, to allow them to do 

summer training, The Capital previously reported. Midshipmen 

who decline the vaccine will be handled on a case-by-case basis. 

The last of the midshipmen are receiving the vaccine as the 

academy continues to lift restrictions put in place following a 

COVID-19 outbreak that started in late February. 

Midshipmen started in-person classes Monday, Garas said. 

Midshipmen had been attending classes virtually while in the 

restriction of movement period. 

The yard remains closed to visitors, but midshipmen are allowed 

to access more resources, including 1845 Coffee at the Midstore, 

according to the Naval Academy coronavirus website. The 1845 

Coffee at the Gatehouse will open in a week. 

The Midshipman Store is open, as are the barbershop and cobbler 

shop. Nimitz Library Coffee and Drydock remain closed. The 

Alley Restaurant will open in a week. 

It is unclear how many midshipmen were sick with COVID-19. 

The Naval Academy cannot say the number of positive cases 

due to operational security. 

TO ADVERTISE 

contact Susan.Keller@mhce.us 

Creating a Culture 

of Caring 

Offering master’s 

and doctoral 

degrees for 

Registered Nurses 

Specialties Offered: 

Nurse-Midwife 

Family Nurse Practitioner 

Women’s Health Care NP 

Psychiatric-Mental Health NP 

Learn more at frontier.edu/military

WWW.MHCE.US Monthly Newsletter | 21


Nurse Practitioners to 

Treat Vets Without Doctor 

Supervision 

The Veterans Affairs Department beginning next month will allow 

certain nurse practitioners to treat veterans without the supervision of 

doctors across the agency for the first time. 

The move is designed in part to shorten wait times for patients who 

are seeking treatment in underserved areas with physician shortages, 

according to a rule published Wednesday in the Federal Register. 

The regulatory change permits three types of nurse practitioners -- 

certified nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), 

and certified nurse-midwife (CNM) -- "to practice to the full extent 

of their education, training and certification, without the clinical 

supervision or mandatory collaboration of physicians," it states 

While 21 states and the District of Columbia already grant nurse 

practitioners so-called "full practice authority," the rule marks the first 

time the VA established a nationwide framework for such specialists 

to provide direct care to vets throughout its system. 

More than 5,000 nurse practitioners already provide clinical 

assessments, order and interpret diagnostic tests, make diagnoses and 

provide other treatments at VA facilities, according to the American 

Association of Nurse Practitioners. 

near future, the VA will propose a plan to include Certified Registered 

Nurse Anesthetists in this provision." 

The new provision doesn't cover certified registered nurse anesthetists 

because the VA doesn't currently face a shortage of anesthesiologists, 

according to the rule. But the department is requesting comment "on 

whether there are access issues or other unconsidered circumstances 

that might warrant their inclusion in a future rulemaking," it states. 

The American Medical Association, the nation's largest association 

of physicians, opposed the amendment in its entirety, including the 

exclusion of certified registered nurse anesthetists. 

Dr. Andrew Gurman told Forbes on Tuesday the provision sets the 

clock back on physician-centric care. "We are disappointed by the 

VA's decision today to allow most advanced practice nurses within 

the VA to practice independently of a physician's clinical oversight, 

regardless of individual state law," he said, according to the article. 

The regulatory change will take effect after a month of public 

commenting. 

As it stands now, though, many states require NPs to work under a 

"collaborative agreement" with a physician, meaning nurses working 

at VA facilities without "full practice authority" don't enjoy direct 

access to patients. 

The rule, slated to take effect Jan. 13, "permits VA to use its health care 

resources more effectively and in a manner that is consistent with the 

role of APRNs in the non-VA health care sector, while maintaining the 

patient-centered, safe, high-quality health care that veterans receive 

from VA," it states. 

Organizations representing nurses and veterans welcomed the 

decision, while a group representing doctors opposed it. 

"This is a great day for veterans and an important step forward for 

VA health care," Mark A. Stevenson, chief operating officer of the Air 

Force Sergeants Association, told Military.com. "This rule will ensure 

veterans high quality access to the health care they need and deserve." 

Dr. Cindy Cooke, president of the American Association of Nurse 

Practitioners, and a proponent of the regulatory change, celebrated it 

as a win for both nurses and veterans. 

"We are pleased the VA will move forward with allowing veterans 

throughout the country to have direct access to nurse practitioner 

provided health care," Cooke said in a statement. "We trust that in the


Tricare Select is a new health insurance plan that replaced Tricare Standard 

& Extra. 

Who Is Covered By Tricare Select? 

Everyone eligible for Tricare with the exception of active-duty members 

may enroll in the Tricare Select plan. The program is available worldwide. 

Tricare Select Basics 

With Tricare Select you can get care from any Tricare-authorized provider, 

network or non-network. No referrals are required, but some care may 

require prior authorization. 

If you see a network provider you won't have to pay anything except your 

copay or file any claims. If you visit a non-network provider you may have 

to pay the full cost and file a claim with Tricare to be reimbursed. 

How To Enroll 

For information on how to enroll see the Tricare website at https://www. 

tricare.mil/ 

Or visit our Tricare Select coverage page for more information including 

coverage and costs at https://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/tricareselect/tricare-select-details.html.

24 | MHCE - News www.mhce.us MARCH 2021 EDITION 

American Nurses Credentialing 

Center developed the program 

to recognize healthcare 

organizations that provide the 

very best in nursing care. 

The Right Nursing Venue for You 

Just as patients evaluate different 

settings for their medical 

treatment, nurses should, too, to 

find the one that best fits their 

career goals and life situations. 

And there are many choices. 

In addition to hospitals -- acute 

care, teaching and rehab, to 

name a few -- nurses can work 

in prisons, schools, public 

health departments, clinics, 

nursing homes, home healthcare, 

physicians' offices, colleges and 

universities, workplaces and 

research facilities. 

With all these options, nurses 

must carefully examine their 

skill sets, professional goals and 

personality types to determine the 

best venue for their careers. 

Location, Pay and 

Schedules 

Unless you want to see the world 

as a traveling nurse, you will 

probably choose a facility close 

to home. Hospitals, public health 

departments, clinics, nursing 

homes and schools are found 

in communities of all sizes, but 

metropolitan hospitals and rural 

hospitals offer very different 

opportunities and pay rates. 

more intimate relationship with 

your patients," she says. 

Not surprisingly, metropolitan 

hospitals typically pay more than 

rural hospitals, and this may be a 

significant factor in your decision. 

But if a slower-paced environment 

with a more predictable schedule 

is more important than higher 

wages, then smaller hospitals 

are a good match, as are schools, 

prisons, community clinics and 

public health departments. 

As for other settings, home 

healthcare nurses have the 

satisfaction of being able to draw 

on their assessment and education 

skills to treat patients, but they 

must work solo. That can be 

stressful when it's midnight and 

you are trying to decide if your 

patient is having a heart attack, 

says Murphy. 

Psychiatric facilities offer good 

pay and challenges unique to 

other healthcare settings, but 

unless you possess considerable 

patience and empathy, you may be 

dissatisfied with not seeing much 

improvement in your patients. If 

you would find helping disabled 

patients regain functionality 

rewarding, consider rehabilitation 

hospitals. If you want to work 

with the latest technology, look 

into teaching hospitals. 

Third-Party 

Validation 

Regardless of the size, setting 

or location of a healthcare 

organization, accreditation, 

awards and Magnet designation 

can give you nonbiased clues as 

to the working conditions at a 

particular facility. 

The Joint Commission on 

Accreditation of Healthcare 

Organizations evaluates and 

accredits more than 16,000 

healthcare organizations in the 

US based on strict guidelines. 

State and public hospitals also 

have accreditation programs 

that ensure nurses a measure of 

commitment toward patient care. 

Awards can say a lot about a 

venue's staff and management. 

Recognition in a specialized area 

of treatment can also be telling. 

Finally, Magnet designation from 

the Magnet Recognition Program 

is awarded to organizations 

that have a proven level of 

excellence in nursing care. The 

Whatever setting you're 

considering, be sure to review 

its policies and to ask around. 

For example, some hospitals 

are moving toward restricting 

mandatory overtime. Other 

facilities are increasing 

whistleblower protection 

so nurses can report unsafe 

conditions without fear of a 

backlash. 

"The bottom line for all nurses is 

that we come into the profession to 

provide quality care to patients," 

says Valerie Magee, RN, director 

of nursing for Beitler Staffing 

Services in Chicago. "We want 

to give the best patient care in the 

best possible care setting that we 

can. Accreditation, awards and 

Magnet status [are] important — 

and so [is] word of mouth." 

TO ADVERTISE 

contact 

Paul.Randall@mhce.us 

"If you want to work with 

higher-acuity patients, then 

look for a larger hospital," says 

Kathy Murphy, clinical director 

for Nursefinders, a healthcare 

staffing service in Arlington, 

Texas. Such experience will allow 

you to move more quickly into 

critical care, emergency and other 

specialties. "If you want a greater 

connection with the community 

and less acuity, then community 

and rural hospitals are the better 

choice, because you have a much

April 2021 Newsletter

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?