The Signal - AtlantaCOA

1 | Page The Signal The Signal 3rd quarter 2017 2017 Signal Committee LCDR James Dixon Editor in Chief LT Jona Johnson Managing Editor LCDR Natasha Hollis Editorial Assistant LCDR Mark Macyszyn Copy Editor LTCDR Virginia Bowen Copy Editor CDR Maleeka Glover Layout Editor CDR Jemekia Thornton Layout Editor CAPT John Iskander Technical Editor LCDR Joy Hsu Technical Editor CAPT Charlene Majersky Staff Writer LCDR Zewditu Demissie Staff Writer LCDR Alison Laufer Halpin Staff Writer Atlanta Commissioned Officers Association ACOA The Signal Page | 2 Table of Contents President s Corner CDR Timothy Cunningham.

2 3 2017-2018 ACOA Executive Committee .. 4 Featured Articles June 2017 USPHS Remote Area Medical Mission .. 5 ACOA Community Service Event with Trees Atlanta - June 24, 2017 .. 7 Teaching a Leadership and Management Course to Epidemiology Trainees from Thailand and India .. 8 My Experience in Thailand with the International Experience and Technical Assistance Program .. 9 Op-Ed Introductory The Signal Op-Ed .. 11 Kindness Matters .. 12 Atlanta Commissioned Officer Association Announcements 2017 Public Health Service Atlanta Metro Area Promotion Ceremony.

3 13 Blue Star Museums .. 14 PHS Pride .. 15 ACOA Uniform Store .. 16 Membership .. 17 Request for Abstracts - 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Annual Meeting .. 18 ACOA The Signal Page | 3 Dear ACOA, I was recently reminded why ACOA has remained very special to me throughout my USPHS career. I am humbled and in awe of the outstanding volunteers who compose ACOA. On July 1, I worked with fellow ACOA volunteers at the Atlanta Community Food Bank to box and sort 12,036 meals for people in food insecure households across metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

4 Without hesitation, ACOA volunteers continually promote the visibility of USPHS, serve with pride and dedi-cation in our community, manage the merchandise and uniform stores, coordi-nate Lunch and Learns, and plan other events such as the upcoming 2017 Promo-tion Ceremony on August 7. I am thankful for the unique experience serving as ACOA President and deeply appreciative of the 2016-2017 Executive Committee members who have support-ed and sustained this organization. Your commitment and support are greatly appreciated.

5 Your generosity has benefited countless others in our community and promoted a multitude of opportu-nities for ACOA members to enjoy camaraderie and esprit de corps. Thank you for your time and talent. It has truly been an honor to serve ACOA with you all. I had two goals as ACOA President. I am proud to report that we have steadily increased our membership by activating the Membership Committee and working to make ACOA more welcoming to newly-commissioned USPHS Officers. Fur-thermore, I truly believe that ACOA is in a stronger position to support our mission than it was when I was started as ACOA President.

6 Each and every task completed by ACOA volunteers and the 2016-2017 Executive Committee was tru-ly an important contribution to making this happen. On a final note, it is my pleasure to welcome the 2017-2018 ACOA President, LCDR Erika Odom. LCDR Odom is an ACOA veteran who previously served as Vice President, Secretary, and Community Service Committee Co-Chair. She brings a wealth of experience and new ideas. I have complete confidence that ACOA will be in great hands. I look forward to a great year with the 2017-2018 ACOA Executive Committee!

7 With gratitude, CDR Timothy Cunningham President s Corner CDR Timothy Cunningham CDR Deborah Dee CDR Timothy Cunningham ACOA The Signal Page | 4 2017-2018 ACOA Executive Committee President: LCDR Erika Odom, CDC Vice President: LCDR Katrina Sloan, CDC Past President: CDR Timothy Cunningham, CDC Secretary: LCDR Bryan Shelby, CDC Treasurer: LCDR Rachael Cook, FDA 2017-2018 ACOA Committee Chairpersons Communications: CDR Mark Macyszyn, CMS LCDR Virginia (Ginny) Bowen, CDC Community Service: LCDR Angela Thompson-Paul, CDC LCDR Tamara Henderson, FDA Professional Development: CDR Eric Tai, CDC LCDR NaTasha Hollis, CDC Events Planning.

8 LT Aaron Grober, ATSDR LT Tanesha Tutt, CDC ACOA The Signal Page | 5 In late 2016, the USPHS Commissioned Corps and Remote Area Medical (RAM) signed a Memorandum of Understand-ing (MOU) to share resources and information, as well as to provide direct clinical care. RAM is a Tennessee based non-profit that provides free health care, dental care, eye care, veterinary services, and technical and educational assis-tance to people in remote areas of the United States.

9 With this partnership, Corps Officers attend RAM events and are able to provide free medical, dental, and vision care to any individual in need on a first-come, first-served basis. This MOU will also provide an opportunity for more Corps Officers to receive training in a field environment. During June 3-4, 2017, 115 USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers participated in the first RAM event under this MOU at Red Bank High School in Chattanooga, TN. Twenty participating officers were ACOA members. Officers worked with 64 RAM volunteers to provide care to 641 patients from eight states over the two day clinic period.

10 Of these 641 patients, 410 received dental care, 127 received medical care, and 260 received vision evaluations. Some individuals received more than one service. More than $275,000 worth of free services were provided. In addition to the typical scope of care provided by RAM, Commissioned Corps Officers also provided 39 physical and occupational therapy consultations, 42 pharmacy consultations, 70 behavioral and mental health evaluations and con-sultations, stress management resources to 190 dental patients in a large group setting, and general health education to 383 patients.