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President's Column

Calendar of Events

Announcements
1. Save the Date! 5th Annual Atlanta Area Anchor and Caduceus Dinner, Saturday, January 28, 2012
2. ACOA meal delivery volunteer opportunity with Project Open Hand, Saturday, October 1, 2011
3. ACOA Lunch and Learn – 2011 COER, Wednesday, September 14, 2011
4. Call for Self-Nominations: 2012 ACOA Executive Committee, deadline COB Friday, October 14, 2011
5. USPHS Merchandise for Sale

Articles
1. ACOA Community Service Project with Café 458
2. Atlanta Community Food Bank
3. Breman Home BINGO Project
4. Camp Children’s Summertime Fun!
5. Deepwater Horizon a Look Back at CDC/ATSDR’s Support Efforts
6. Fall Food Finds
7. Three Tips (and a trick) to Earning Your Field Medical Readiness Badge
8. ACOA Volunteers at St. Francis Table
9. 2011 Atlanta-area USPHS Commissioned Corps Promotion Ceremony a Big Success!

 

President's Column

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Calendar of Events

Community Service

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson USO – VOLUNTEER REQUEST COMING SOON
  October 15
  November 19
  December 17* (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
  
• Habitat for Humanity – September 24 – VOLUNTEER REQUEST COMING SOON
• Meal Delivery with Project Open Hand – Saturday, October 1, 2011

Professional Development

• Lunch and Learn: Promotions - Wednesday, October 21, 2011, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm CDC, Chamblee Campus, Bldg 106, Conference Room 1A
• Annual Physical Fitness Test - Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 2:30 at Century Center
• Annual Physical Fitness Test - Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 2:30 at Roybal Campus

Special Events

• The Fifth Annual Atlanta-Area Anchor and Caduceus Dinner - Saturday, January 28, 2012
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Announcements

1. Save the Date! 5th Annual Atlanta Area Anchor and Caduceus Dinner, Saturday, January 28, 2012

The ACOA Anchor and Caduceus Dinner Planning Committee is pleased to announce the date of the upcoming Fifth Annual Atlanta Area Anchor and Caduceus Dinner. Save the Date for the 5th Annual Atlanta Area Anchor and Caduceus Dinner, Saturday, January 28, 2012.

Details regarding our guest speaker, as well as the time, location, and cost of the dinner will be announced soon. We hope that all Atlanta Area Officers will save this date and plan to join us for an evening you won’t want to miss!


2. ACOA meal delivery volunteer opportunity with Project Open Hand, Saturday, October 1, 2011

Project Open Hand provides home-delivered meals and nutritional education to homebound senior citizens and low-income persons with chronic diseases in the Atlanta area to support their vision of preventing disability and death due to nutritional-sensitive diseases. Volunteers make this possible by packaging 4,500 meals each day and delivering meals to Project Open Hand clients. On the weekends, meal delivery is supported 100% by volunteers. ACOA has committed to assisting Project Open Hand with meal delivery on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 1000-1300. This will be an excellent opportunity for ACOA to perform a valuable community service and for PHS officers to volunteer with their friends and family!



• We are looking to provide service for a minimum of 12 meal delivery routes.
• There must be 2 adult volunteers per vehicle, so we need a minimum of 24 adult volunteers.
• Volunteers must drive their own vehicles and will not be reimbursed for gas/mileage.
• Delivery routes and driving directions will be supplied by Project Open Hand, but you might want to bring along your own GPS just in case!
• Children are very welcome to participate in meal delivery.
• This is a great opportunity to volunteer as a couple, a family, or with a friend!
• Volunteers may have an opportunity to briefly interact with members of the community to whom they will be delivering meals to.
• If you don’t have a volunteer buddy and would like to volunteer as an individual, please send us your contact information and we will try our best to pair you up with another adult volunteer.


Project Open Hand is located at 176 Ottley Drive, Atlanta, GA 30324, across the street from Planters Landscaping. Due to limited parking, carpooling is recommended. Please contact LCDR Tegan Boehmer (tboehmer@cdc.gov) and LCDR Emily Jentes (ejentes@cdc.gov) by Friday, September 9, 2011 to volunteer. In your email, please provide the requested information below for yourself and the other adult volunteer.

Volunteer 1
Name & Rank:
Email address:
Mailstop:
Cell phone number:

Volunteer 2
Name & Rank:
Email address:
Mailstop:
Cell phone number:

Please provide the name and age of children who will be accompanying you. For more information on Project Open Hand: http://www.projectopenhand.org/


3. ACOA Lunch and Learn – 2011 COER, Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Hear first hand from the CDC Commissioned Corps Personnel Office (CCPO) about the lessons learned from the 2010 Commissioned Officers Effectiveness’ Report (COER) and what to expect in 2011.

**Light refreshments will be available on a first come, first served basis**

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Topic: The 2011 COER
Speaker: CAPT April Shaw, CDC/CCPO COERs Coordinator
Location: CDC, Chamblee Campus, Bldg 106, Conference Room 1B
Telecon Info: Dial in 1 (760) 569-0111, passcode 904106# (this is not a toll-free number). The maximum capacity of the bridgeline is 100, therefore, in person attendance is encouraged or consider calling in from a common location with other officers.

Non-CDC/ATSDR Officers attending, please RSVP with LCDR Malaika Washington at pzp9@cdc.gov assist with CDC security processing.


4. Call for Self-Nominations: 2012 ACOA Executive Committee, deadline COB Friday, October 14, 2011

Would you like to promote the mission of the PHS Commissioned Corps and assist with activities to increase morale and enhance camaraderie of Atlanta-area officers? Have you been trying to find ways to strengthen your CV for your next promotion? Look no further! Leadership roles as a member of the 2012 Atlanta Branch COA (ACOA) Executive Committee counts under the "professional organizations" section of your category's benchmarks. Serving as a member of the ACOA Executive Committee is also an excellent way to meet other like-minded officers and advance the PHS Commissioned Corps by uniting and serving Atlanta-based Commissioned Officers and advocating their interests through leadership and communication.

ACOA Background

As PHS Commissioned Corps Officers, we must stay involved and informed. Now is a great time to become an active part of the ACOA Executive Committee. We need individuals who are motivated, energetic, and committed to supporting fellow Atlanta-area officers. With nearly 450 members, ACOA is the second largest branch in the Nation and has been active in professional development, community service, communication efforts, and special projects such as the annual promotion ceremony. In recognition of the Branch's strengths and contributions to Atlanta-area officers, ACOA was awarded the national COA Branch of the Year for 2010 activities. More information on the activities of the branch, including our bylaws, is available on the ACOA website at www.atlantacoa.com.

Officers are invited to submit a self-nomination for the following available positions:
1. Vice President (1 position) (*See note below about term length.)
2. Treasurer (1 position)
3. Secretary (1 position)
4. Member-at-Large (8 positions)


Officers have the option to run for one specific executive position (Vice President/President-Elect, Treasurer, or Secretary) AND for Member-at-Large. If the officer wishes to exercise this option, he or she would appear on the ballot twice (once for the executive position and once for Member-at-Large). When voting on the ballot, officers may choose to vote for a candidate for both positions, only one of the two positions, or for neither position. The officer may only be elected to one of the two positions, with votes for the executive position being counted first. If the officer is elected to the executive position, his or her votes for the Member-At-Large position will be discarded and those positions will be filled by the remaining nominated officers. If the officer is not elected to the executive position for which he or she is listed as a nominee, then the votes for the Member-At-Large position will be tallied to determine if he or she received enough votes to be elected into that position.

Requirements and Term Duration

Each Officer in the role of Member-at-Large is expected to co-chair one of the following committees: Communications, Events Planning, Professional Development, or Community Service. See the ACOA Bylaws at http://www.atlantacoa.com/documents/ACOA%20Bylaws.pdf for a description of each committee’s responsibilities. All active duty and retired PHS Officers in good standing with COA and ACOA that are assigned to the Atlanta metro area, and meet basic readiness requirements as set forth by OFRD (retired officers excepted), are eligible to run for office. Officers from all Atlanta-area HHS agencies and Atlanta area officers detailed to non-HHS agencies are all strongly strongly encouraged to apply.

With the exception of Vice President, all positions are a one-year commitment which includes required attendance at monthly meetings. *The Vice President position is a three year commitment. The elected officer would serve consecutive one-year terms in each of the following positions: Vice President, President, Immediate Past President.

Interested officers are strongly encouraged to obtain supervisor approval prior to self-nominating.

How to Submit a Self-Nomination

In an email declaring your self-nomination, please provide the following: Rank, PHS category, agency affiliation, the position for your self-nomination (if your self-nomination is for one of the three specific executive positions, please be sure to indicate if you would also like to be nominated for Member-at-Large) and a brief narrative (200 words maximum) that describes your vision and goals as an Executive Committee member, prior leadership experience, previous COA or ACOA experience, and any other knowledge and/or skills you think would benefit ACOA and Atlanta-area officers. If you will be running for both an executive position and Member-At-Large position you may want to word your narrative to reflect your interest in both positions.

Your narrative will be included with the ballot that will be distributed to the general membership. Although narratives may be formatted for consistency prior to being placed on the ballot, the ACOA Elections Committee will not be checking narratives for spelling, grammar, etc. Therefore, please make sure you carefully proof your narrative before submitting it. All narratives that exceed 200 words will be returned to the officer for editing.

Send your email with the above information to LCDR Jasen Kunz at izk0@cdc.gov with "2012 ACOA Nomination" in the subject line.

The deadline for self-nominations is COB Friday, October 14, 2011.

Questions? If you have questions, please contact the ACOA Elections Committee chairperson, LCDR Jasen Kunz at izk0@cdc.gov or 770-488-7056.


5. USPHS Merchandise for Sale

New merchandise likely won’t be reordered this year if at all so get your pride items now before they are gone! Here is a link to the ACOA Merchandise Store.

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Articles

ACOA Community Service Project with Café 458
Contributed by CDR Eric Pevzner

On Sunday, June 5th, four volunteers from ACOA and two CDC staff members hopped out of bed early to serve brunch for patrons of Café 458. ACOA members volunteered as servers, hosts, kitchen help, and dishwashers. All proceeds from Café 458, including tips, go directly to support the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency (ACSS). ACSS is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to transform lives by helping homeless men and women achieve self-sufficiency through personalized employment readiness and life stabilization programs.

Our team of volunteers had a great time and felt a sense of accomplishment as they served brunch to benefit the activities of the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency. ACOA regularly volunteers at Café 458 and we are always welcomed back because of our hard work and for providing the “inside scoop” on public health issues. Café 458 is open to the paying public for brunch on Sundays and often hosts special events featuring local chefs. You can support the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency by volunteering on your own, dining at Café 458, or by signing up for the next ACOA service project at Café 458.

For more information about Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency and the Café 458 program, visit www.atlantacss.org.

RADM William Bailey was all smiles while scrubbing pots and pans in the heat of the kitchen at Café 458.

LCDR Monique Salter, pictured here with a chef from Café 458, served up food and smiles.

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Atlanta Community Food Bank
Contributed by LCDRs Juanika Mainor-Harper and Anna Satcher Johnson

On Saturday, June 11, 2011, Atlanta-based officers and family members volunteered at the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) near downtown Atlanta. The ACFB was founded in 1979 and distributes nearly two million pounds of food and other donated grocery items each month to more than 800 organizations in 38 counties in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. ACFB receives donated items from local grocery stores, manufacturers, distributors and other partners. Atlanta Commissioned Officer’s Association (ACOA) volunteers assisted in placing donated items into boxes for ease of distribution. Together with other volunteer organizations, ACOA boxed 12,862 pounds of food and food-related items which will feed 8,564 people. Officers performed a variety of functions such as checking expiration dates of food items, sorting the items into the 12 established categories, weighing and labeling boxes, and organizing boxes by category onto correct pallets. ACOA volunteers arrived enthusiastic and ready to work. Special thanks to all the USPHS officers and family members who participated in the ACFB volunteer activity! Everyone left the facility with smiles on their faces and the children had an especially fun time. This was a fun, family friendly volunteer activity that ACOA hopes to schedule again soon.

Atlanta Community Food Bank Volunteers Saturday, June 11, 2011 Pictured, from left: Front row (kneeling): Jonas Iskander and Eleanor Iskander, Alyssa Leonard, Indya Leonard, Anjali Sharma, Yasmine Leonard. Middle row (standing): LCDR Darrlyn Cornelius-Averhart, CAPT John Iskander, LCDR Monica Leonard, CDR Leslie Leonard, LCDR Juanika Mainor-Harper, CAPT Theresa Harrington, CDR Andrea Sharma, Susan Duderstadt Back row (standing): Reggie Leonard, LCDR LaToria Jordan, CDR Suzanne Beavers, CAPT Jeff Bosshart, LT Candis Hunter, CAPT Walter Holt, LCDR Tegan Boehmer.

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Breman Home BINGO Project
Contributed by LCDR Letia Boseman

On Sunday July 31, 2011, ACOA volunteered at the William Breman Jewish Home, a 96 bed nursing home and assisted living facility. Seven PHS Officers and nine family members received a brief orientation about the facility and assisted twenty residents with several lively Bingo games. CAPT Ali Danner, his two sons, and LCDR Sylvera Demas’s son called out the Bingo numbers, while the other volunteers sat alongside the residents and helped them with their Bingo cards. The atmosphere was competitive and lively and everyone had a great time.

Following the games, ACOA volunteers served refreshments and snacks to the residents, visited with them and helped them return to their rooms. The residents, some with mild to intermediate cognitive decline, bonded with the ACOA volunteers, who were all compassionate, patient, and caring. Several of the residents asked for hugs at the end of the event and some even offered to share their cash winnings with the volunteers. All of the officers and their families proudly represented the USPHS.

After the event, the Breman Home expressed their appreciation and hope that ACOA will volunteer with them again in the near future.

For more information about The William Breman Jewish Home, visit their website at http://www.wbjh.org/.

LT Jemekia Thornton	LCDR Sylvera Demas
Left to right: CDR Ali Danner, CAPT Ralph O’Connor, LT Jemekia Thornton, LCDR Letia A. Boseman, LT Sabrina Debose, LCDR Slyvera Demas, and LT Kamil Barbour	LCDR Letia A. Boseman
CDR Ali Danner	LT Sabrina Frank-Debose
LT Kamil Barbour, CAPT Ralph O’Connor, and LCDR Sylvera Demas (Back table)

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Camp Children’s Summertime Fun!
Contributed by LCDRs Adriane Niare and LCDR Tchernavia Gregory

ACOA kicked off summer with another successful volunteer event at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Scottish Rite campus. On June 8, 2011, eight officers happily volunteered their time to bring an art camp experience to patients and their families. The officers created a fun and wonderful environment for the children to make arts and crafts to decorate their rooms as well as for their personal use. The kids enjoyed playing at the various art stations and designing their own masterpieces. They decorated pillowcases, baseball hats and sun visors, tote bags, puppets, and pin on buttons using paint and appliqués. It was a messy yet fun time, and most importantly it brought smiles to the kids’ faces. This was our best turnout yet with approximately 30 families participating in the camp! The dedication and compassion of ACOA volunteers spoke volumes and made this event a huge success. Special thanks are extended to CDR Ali Danner, CDR Jessilynn Taylor, LCDR Brian Harcourt, LCDR Sallyann Coleman King, LT Natasha Hollis, LT Erika Odom, and LT Jacinta Smith for volunteering their time and creativity.

Some people find it unbearable to witness a child struggle in difficult situations, such as being hospitalized for an illness. However, these officers represented the Corps and our values with honor and kindness. Camp Children’s volunteers were lead by LCDR Tchernavia Gregory and LCDR Adriane Niare. This was the fourth year that ACOA volunteers have organized a camp experience for hospitalized children and their families and, as usual, it was very gratifying. We hope that other officers will take the opportunity to share in the Camp Children’s experience at our next event. ACOA is working on coordinating another Camp Children’s event later in the year.

ACOA has planned volunteer events at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for the past four years; this year it was held at Scottish Rite on June 8, 2011. From left to right: LT Jacinta Smith, LCDR Adriane Niare, LT Erika Odom, LT Natasha Hollis, LCDR Sallyann Coleman King, CDR Ali Danner, LCDR Brian Harcourt, and CDR Jessilynn Taylor. Not shown: LCDR Tchernavia Gregory.

LT Jacinta Smith and LCDR Adriane Niare at play!

A fabulous display of artistry and design created by Gracie, a young CHOA patient, during the Camp Children’s Summer Kick-Off Arts and Crafts Camp at Children’s Hospital of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.

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Deepwater Horizon a Look Back at CDC/ATSDR’s Support Efforts
Contributed by CAPT Larry Cseh and CDR Robert Williams

Can you remember what you were doing on April 20, 2010? If you are like a lot people, you may have difficulty remembering what you had for lunch on Monday. What if someone asks you if you ever heard of Deepwater Horizon or the Gulf Oil Spill, you might bring up memories of a sea bird covered in oil? A lot of us learned about the extent of the oil spill by watching the news. However, did you know that many Commissioned Officers from the CDC and ATSDR provided support to the staff US EPA, US Coast Guard, OSHA, and state agencies from the five gulf states on the nation’s first designated spill of national significance? On April 20, 2010, a methane explosion and fire led to the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion ended up releasing many thousands of barrels of Louisiana Sweet Crude Oil into the Gulf of Mexico and adversely impacting the coasts of five states.

Earlier, in August of 1990, the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) was signed into law largely in response to a rising public concern following the Exxon Valdez incident of 1989. OPA increased the nation's ability to respond to and prevent oil spills by establishing provisions and regulations that expanded the federal government's ability, and provided money and other resources necessary to respond to oil spills. OPA created the national Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is available to provide up to one billion dollars per petroleum spill incident. OPA also provided new requirements for contingency planning both by government and private industry.

The Deepwater Horizon incident was not something in which HHS or CDC had a lot of previous experience, unlike with a Stafford Act incident or National Disaster. ATSDR is funded under the Superfund Trust Fund and is generally prohibited from working on petroleum spills or release incidents. Within two days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, members from ATSDR’s Emergency Response Team were communicating with US EPA finalizing a waiver from the pollution fund allowing ATSDR to support a Unified Command with public health activity. This request for a waiver was not as simple as it sounds since US EPA had to make a request to the US Coast Guard which lead the response and had to authorize ATSDR’s support. Once the approval was given, ATSDR provided on-site support to the Unified Command Center sending both Commissioned Corps Officers and Civil Service staff on a two week rotational basis from April 2010 until the last deployment in August 2010. The staff coordinated public health activities at the Unified Command Center, working closely with the public health team, fish advisory team, and toxicology team. Staff members from CDC/ATSDR worked closely with the Joint Incident Command in providing and relaying public health information into public messaging. The staff attended public meetings to discuss potential health effects from exposures related to this incident in most cases being the only HHS representatives. The staff also developed human health effects and environmental screening values and reviewed all environmental sampling data collected by US EPA, BP’s Oil Contractors, and the states. Toxicological evaluations of over 6,000 soil, sediment, surface water, air, and waste streams samples were performed by staff from these agencies to assess environmental impacts. The environmental samples contaminant levels were compared to environmental screening values developed during the response which provided information to risk assessors whether to be concern for adverse health effects from human exposures, or not. Short term research studies were also conducted using rodents to assess the hypersensitivity and immune responses following inhalation and dermal contacts with the environmental contaminants.

In conjunction with these activities, human monitoring and surveillances were conducted by CDC’s Epidemiological response team which evaluated acute adverse human health effects among the general population, and among the emergency response team workers who may have been exposed to dispersants, and crude oil contaminants via inhalation, dermal contact or inadvertent ingestion. Working closely with each state department of health and poison control centers they established a comprehensive surveillance system within days of the first oil spill making landfall. NIOSH also evaluated potential occupational health hazards in workers in conjunction with BP Oil Company’s Contractors and OSHA. Health and injury reports were provided to CDC’s Director on a weekly basis, and public, behavioral, and occupational health reports were utilized to enhance the awareness of human exposures and any incidence of increased health risks. Additionally, NIOSH performed job risk analysis oil response activities to ensure the safety of oil spill responders, and provided worker recommendations encompassing all oil spill responders.

CDC’s Emergency Operations Center coordinated CDC’s emergency response efforts with the NCEH/ATSDR, which eventually took the lead. Commissioned Corps Officers and other staff provided a 24/7 support for over a four month period. During this National response, CDC/ATSDR staff from various agencies brought distinction to HHS by applying practical experiences and unique theoretical knowledge of emergency response situations, and provided effective leadership in epidemiology, surveillance, laboratory operations, toxicology, occupational safety and health, and health information activities.

These officers were identified as participating in the Deepwater Horizon response:

RANK	First	Last	Agency		RANK	First	Last	Agency
RADM	Scott	Deitchman	CDC		CDR	Gary	Perlman	ATSDR
CAPT	Dahna	Batts	CDC		CDR	Chris	Piacitelli	NIOSH
CAPT	Bruce	Bernard	NIOSH		CDR	Araceli	Rey	CDC
CAPT	Mary	Birch	NIOSH		CDR	Jeffrey	Reynolds	NIOSH
CAPT	Alice	Boudreau	NIOSH		CDR	Joshua	Schier	CDC
CAPT	Geoffrey	Calvert	NIOSH		CDR	Michael	Schwartz	CDC
CAPT	Larry	Cseh	ATSDR		CDR	Januett	Smith-George	ATSDR
CAPT	Rickie	Davis	NIOSH		CDR	Dennis	Spears	CDC
CAPT	Debra	Debord	NIOSH		CDR	Rebecca	Sunenshine	CDC
CAPT	Gary	Earnest	NIOSH		CDR	Charles	Weir	ASPR
CAPT	Eric	Esswein	NIOSH		CDR	Gail	Williams	CDC
CAPT	Barbara	Grajewski	NIOSH		CDR	Jennifer	Williams	CDC
CAPT	Steve	Inserra	NIOSH		CDR	Patrick	Young	ATSDR
CAPT	Gregory	Kinnes	NIOSH		CDR	Lauren	Zapata	CDC
CAPT	Margaret	Kitt	NIOSH		ENS	Heather	Freiman	ATSDR
CAPT	Peter	Kowalski	ATSDR		ENS	Mark	Glasgow	ATSDR
CAPT	Lauren	Lewis	CDC		LCDR	Rachel	Bailey	NIOSH
CAPT	William	Lotz	NIOSH		LCDR	Gino	Begluitti	CDC
CAPT	Henry Edward	Murray	ATSDR		LCDR	Jeneita	Bell	CDC
CAPT	Jeffrey	Nemhauser	CDC		LCDR	Randy	Boylstein	NIOSH
CAPT	Ralph	O'Connor	CDC		LCDR	Matthew	Breiding	CDC
CAPT	Alan	Parham	ATSDR		LCDR	Sherry	Burrer	CDC
CAPT	Dori	Reissman	NIOSH		LCDR	Ryan	Costello	ATSDR
CAPT	Roger	Rosa	NIOSH		LCDR	Miguel	Cruz	CDC
CAPT	Marc	Safran	CDC		LCDR	Deborah	Dee	CDC
CAPT	Teresa	Seitz	NIOSH		LCDR	Chad	Dowell	NIOSH
CAPT	James	Spahr	NIOSH		LCDR	Kenny	Fent	NIOSH
CAPT	Bruce	Tierney	ATSDR		LCDR	Elizabeth	Garza	NIOSH
CAPT	Glenn	Todd	ATSDR		LCDR	Justin	Gerding	CDC
CAPT	Douglas	Trout	NIOSH		LCDR	Russell	Graham	CDC
CAPT	Elizabeth	Whelan	NIOSH		LCDR	Juliana	Grant	CDC
CDR	Robert	Williams	ATSDR		LCDR	Matthew	Groenewold	NIOSH
CDR	Larry	Alonso	CDC		LCDR	John	Halpin	NIOSH
CDR	Stephen	Benoit	CDC		LCDR	Duane	Hammond	NIOSH
CDR	Alex	Crosby	CDC		LCDR	Ryan	Hill	NIOSH
CDR	Lisa	Delaney	NIOSH		LCDR	Mark	Jackson	NIOSH
CDR	Abnnah	Forbes	CDC		LCDR	Bradley	King	NIOSH
CDR	Renee	Funk	NIOSH		LCDR	Jasen	Kunz	CDC
CDR	John	Gibbins	NIOSH		LCDR	Joseph	Laco	CDC
CDR	Ronald	Hall	NIOSH		LCDR	Trent	Lecoultre	ATSDR
CDR	Theresa	Harrington	CDC		LCDR	Melissa	Morrison	CDC
CDR	Charles	Hayden II	NIOSH		LCDR	Susan	Sloop	CDC
CDR	Jennifer	Hornsby-Myers	CDC		LCDR	David	Sugerman	CDC
CDR	Michael	King	CDC		LCDR	Sara	Vagi	CDC
CDR	Robert	Knowles	ATSDR		LCDR	Fuyuen	Yip	CDC
CDR	Jennifer	Lincoln	NIOSH		LT	Zanethia	Eubanks	CDC
CDR	Joseph	Little	NIOSH		LT	Christopher	Fletcher	ATSDR
CDR	Stephen	Martin	NIOSH		LT	Erin	Grasso	CDC
CDR	Robert	McCleery	NIOSH		LT	Rondorus	Milam	ATSDR
CDR	Lauralynn	McKernan	NIOSH		LT	Aaron	Otis	CDC
CDR	Mark	Methner	NIOSH		LT	Michael	Smith	CDC
CDR	Rebecca	Noe	CDC

Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform explosion and fire, Gulf of Mexico

NIOSH conducts air monitoring at Spill Source Operations for responder Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE).

NIOSH conducts air monitoring at Booming/Skimming Operations for responder HHE.

NIOSH conducts air monitoring at Surface Burning Operations for responder HHE.

NIOSH conducts air monitoring during Dispersant Application for responder HHE.

CAPT Larry Cseh (ATSDR) on a US Coast Guard HC-144: “Ocean Sentry” with members from US EPA conducting a fly over of the Deepwater Horizon well head.

CDR Renee Funk conducts responder rostering activities at a staging area in Louisiana.

CAPT Larry Cseh, CAPT Robert Knowles (ATSDR) and three Alabama Department of Health members staffing the Public Health Unit of the planning section at the Mobile Unified Command Center. HC-144: Ocean Sentry


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Fall Food Finds
Contributed by Marisa Moore, MBA,RD,LD, CSC Contractor, OSHE Lifestyle Nutrition Program Coordinator

It’s hard not to mourn the end of summer and the bounty of fresh produce that comes along with it. We’ll all miss the sweet Georgia peaches, vine ripened tomatoes and sweet summer corn. But change is good, right? The shift to fall is inevitable, so embrace the goodness that is to come. Fortunately, Georgia has a long growing season which makes fresh local finds available most of the year. Fall brings some excellent food choices all its own. Here are some of the fruits and vegetables you’ll find at their peak this season.

Acorn Squash Broccoli* Brussels sprouts Butter lettuce* Buttercup squash Butternut squash Cactus pear Cauliflower Chinese long beans Cranberries Endive Ginger Grapes Huckleberries Jalapeno peppers

Jerusalem artichoke Muscadine grapes* Mushrooms* Pears Persimmons* Pineapple Pomegranate Pumpkin* Quince Radicchio Sweet potatoes* Swiss chard Turnips * *Easily grown in Georgia.




If you are looking for something a little more exotic, occasionally shop for the following fruits and veggies which are also in season: Black salsify, guava, passion fruit, sapote, sharon fruit, kumquats, jujube.

To keep up with what’s in season all year check out Georgia Organics’ Annual Harvest Calendar.

Find local farmers markets at www.localharvest.org.

Get your kitchen in gear for fall with this quick and easy butternut squash soup recipe.

Winter squash is packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Choose squash that feels heavy for the size with skin that’s thick and hard without blemishes. Winter squash is perfect for cool months when you don’t get out as much. They keep for a month or so in a cool, dry place like the pantry.

Curried Butternut Apple Soup Recipe Summary: Prep 1 hour Servings 10 Fruit/Vegetable per person: 0.75 ¼ cup reduced fat margarine 2 cups chopped onion 1 rib celery 4 tsp curry powder 2 medium butternut squash (about 2 ½ – 3 lbs) peeled, seeded, cubed 3 medium apples-peeled, cored, and chopped 3 cups water (chicken stock or vegetable broth) 1 cup cider

In a heavy kettle, combine onions, celery, margarine and curry powder. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are tender (10-15 minutes), stirring often. Add cubed squash, chopped apples, and liquid (water, stock or broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until squash and apples are cooked thoroughly. Strain liquid and set aside. Puree the apple-squash mixture with one cup of the strained liquid. Add cider and remaining liquid to reach desired consistency. Garnish with grated apple, yogurt or low fat sour cream. Yield: 10 servings Nutrition Analysis: Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 55mg, Total Carbohydrate 26g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 11g, Protein 2g Original Recipe from Fruits and Veggies More Matters online.


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Three Tips (and a trick) to Earning Your Field Medical Readiness Badge
Contributed by LCDR Shane P. Davis

Most are aware that the Field Medical Readiness Badge (FMRB) recognizes officers who have met the criteria beyond basic force readiness standards and those who have exhibited knowledge and skill while engaged in a Corps deployment. The criteria for the FMRB seem straight-forward and require 3 things: 1) meet APFT standards, 2) complete key trainings, and 3) deploy for a minimum of 7 days within the last 3 years.

While the training portion (i.e. web-based curricula) simply requires setting aside time to complete 20+ modules, the physical and deployment requirements have been more challenging to complete (at least it was for me).

Well, if you are an officer who hasn’t yet achieved your FMRB, below are 3 helpful tips and a trick I have learned…

Tip #1: APFT level 2 is only a “training guide” away.

For some of us, passing Level 1 APFT is a major accomplishment so the idea of passing at Level 2 seems too lofty of a goal. But, did you know there is a CDC published guide to help you increase your fitness level? The Office of Health and Safety and the Lifestyle Program Staff at CDC created a 12-week training guide to prepare officers who are currently classified as beginner to intermediate exercisers to take the APFT.

When I first entered the Corps, one of my goals was to improve my physical conditioning and practice what I preach, so I focused on the areas I felt I had weaknesses in, laid out a plan to improve my endurance and strength, and within a year, I well surpassed my level 2 goal and passed at Level 4. -- LCDR Rashid Njai

Another officer, LCDR Adriane Niare, is excited about her upcoming APFT, after three months of working to improve her fitness. “It is my last FMRB hurdle and I am very excited about finally getting this recognition”, LCDR Niare said.

Be sure to review, “The Officers Guide to Preparing for the APFT” at: http://www.atlantacoa.com/documents/OfficersGuideToAPFT.pdf

To access the FMRB eligibility criteria, go to page 15 of the Awards Program instruction: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM27_1_1.pdf

Tip #2: What Tier are you on?

As you know, in order to fulfill the deployment requirement, you have to participate in one or more deployments, as designated by the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD). Some officers might feel like opportunities for deployment are few in their current Tier level. If you currently have the flexibility, opt for a higher Tier. This may improve your chances of getting deployed.

Tier I and II teams are considered “responsive,” in that they are more likely to respond to a public health emergency than Tier III, which augments these teams when the response needs exceeds their capacity. For more information, review OFRD’s fact sheet and list of existing response teams, found here: http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/current%20teams.htm.

Tip #3: Set aside time on your calendar to do the on-line module trainings.

Sometimes simply making time for the things you want to do is all it takes. Block time off for a few weeks to hammer through the on-line trainings. You will be surprised at how quickly you get this done with little effort. You may even learn something in the process!

The Trick: Non-Corps initiated deployments can count.

Did you know there is a process for getting an agency deployment (e.g. CDC Epi-Aids, PHS activities) designated as a Corps deployment? This was news to me! For CDC Officers, you can submit a memo to the Office of the Surgeon General through the CDC/ASTDR Commissioned Corps Personnel Team, asking that the deployment be designated as an approved activation, and can get assistance in writing this memo as well. OFRD and the CDC Commissioned Corps Personnel Office’s websites have more detailed information about deployments. To access, go to:

• http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf/ccrf_essentials.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/od/occp/readiness/deployment/faq.htm

To get information about how to access the FMRB training modules, go to: http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/USPHS_LMS_webpage_info.pdf

Sometimes when you cannot find the information you are looking for, or do not know where to turn, your ACOA leadership has a wealth of knowledge and is always here to serve Atlanta-based officers. So use them as I did in finding these 3 tips and trick!


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ACOA Volunteers at St. Francis Table
Contributed by CDR Kathy Slawson

On Saturday, August 13, 2011 twenty-one officers and their guests volunteered at St. Francis Table on behalf of the Atlanta Commissioned Officers Association (ACOA). St. Francis Table is a soup kitchen located in Atlanta, GA that is dedicated to furthering the efforts of assisting the poor and hungry.

St. Francis Table feeds over 550 people every Saturday. It was started in response to the fact that no food program was being offered on Saturday to feed the hungry. St. Francis began operation about 30 years ago, modeled after the Franciscans who imitated St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis came from a wealthy family but lost his taste for the worldly life. He chose to live in poverty which became a following, hence the Franciscans.

St. Francis Table is located at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Church in downtown Atlanta. During the Civil War in 1864 when Sherman destroyed & burned Atlanta, the Atlanta Catholic Church (as it was called then) was spared because many of Sherman’s forces were Catholic. Although the church survived the war, the building suffered severe damage. A new building was built, moving the old wood-frame building to an adjacent lot. The rebuilt church was renamed Immaculate Conception. It was designated a shrine (an honor to the church highly venerated by its history) and is known today as the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Shrine of the entire Atlanta diocese.

The kitchen operations were well underway when the ACOA volunteers arrived 7:00am on Saturday, August 13th. The 21 officers and their guests joined several other groups from various organizations, working together preparing the food, setting up tables and serving the meals to the hungry men, women and children. One of the regular volunteers at St. Francis Table is a former USPHS engineering officer (LCDR) Paul Traina, who was joined by his wife. He took a handful of interested volunteers on a quick tour of the history of the Shrine, showing the crypts of two early Irish-Catholic priests entombed there. A midmorning mass service was offered before the start of the meal and well attended by Catholic as well as non-Catholic officers and guests.

ACOA volunteers provided many services. They cleaned tables, served soup, bread and beverages, seated guests, packed food, and even assisted with clean up. One of the interesting facts about St. Francis Table is some of the food they receive comes from the Atlanta Community Food Bank where ACOA also volunteers yearly. Many of the volunteers commented that this volunteer experience was very beneficial in that you see how your efforts are paying off immediately. Even though this was the first time ACOA volunteered at St. Francis Table their efforts were appreciated so much by the staff that they have been invited to “come back anytime”.

For more information on St. Francis Table please refer to: http://www.catholicshrineatlanta.org/shrine/saintfrancis.html

Front Row: Olivia Combest, LT Sabrina Debose, LCDR Charlene Majersky, Anquanesha Rutledge, LCDR Jemekia Thornton, LCDR Stephanie Rutledge, LCDR Erika Odom, Judy Oh, Dawn Odom, Marian Harrison, CDR Yon Yu, LCDR Juanika Mainor-Harper, LCDR Tracie Gardner, LCDR Anna Johnson Back Row: LCDR Deborah Dee, Eric Combest, CDR Ryan Fagan, Richard Dunville, CDR Kathy Slawson Not pictured: LT Erin Grasso, Mark Slawson

LCDR Tracie Gardner and CDR Ryan Fagan take a break from organizing bowl sets for the hungry arrivals.

Officers LT Sabrina Debose and LCDR Jemekia Thornton join activity co-coordinators CDR Kathy Slawson and LCDR Juanika Mainor-Harper and former USPHS (LCDR) Paul Traina for a photo break.

Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral

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2011 Atlanta-area USPHS Commissioned Corps Promotion Ceremony a Big Success!
Submitted by LCDR Dianna Carroll and CDR Amanda Dunnick

Uniformed services have traditionally held promotion ceremonies to formally acknowledge and publicly recognize the significant milestone of an officer’s promotion to a higher rank. A senior officer serves as the presiding officer during the ceremony and assists in changing out the officer’s shoulder boards to the new rank. The ceremony also includes the traditional Presentation of the Colors, singing of the National Anthem and the Public Health Service (PHS) March. Fellow officers, family members, and colleagues attend the ceremony to foster esprit de corps. NCEH/ATSDR held the first promotion ceremony in 2000. That first ceremony was such a huge success, that it was expanded to include all Atlanta-area officers in 2001 and has been held annually ever since.

Continuing this tradition, an esteemed group of newly promoted officers accompanied by their family, friends and colleagues descended upon CDC’s Roybal campus on July 18th to participate in the 2011 Atlanta-area USPHS promotion ceremony, hosted by the Atlanta Commissioned Officers Association (ACOA) and CDC’s Commissioned Corps Personnel Office (CCPO). Thirty-nine officers representing 4 Atlanta-area agencies participated in this year’s event. Officers from the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of the Secretary-Region IV joined CDC officers in this year’s ceremony.

RADM Boris Lushniak, Deputy US Surgeon General, served as presiding officer and gave an inspiring keynote address. Agency remarks were provided by RADM Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, on behalf of CDC and by RADM Clara Cobb, regional health administrator for Region IV, on behalf of other Atlanta-area agencies. CAPT Craig Wilkins provided the invocation. The master of ceremonies was CDR Edward Weiss, ACOA Vice President/President Elect, and CDR Amanda Dunnick, Deputy Director, CCPO, served as the ceremony adjutant. A number of senior officers in the Atlanta area also attended. As a special surprise during the ceremony, officers received personalized congratulatory letters from VADM Regina Benjamin, US Surgeon General. Officers and their guests were also treated to a wonderful reception following the ceremony thanks to the sponsorship of CCPO.

This event would not have been possible without the 35 fellow officers who volunteered their time to make this event a resounding success. Thank you! And, a very special “thank you” goes to the planning committee for their dedication to make the 2011 promotion ceremony a memorable one: LCDR Dianna Carroll, CDR Todd Alspach, CDR Amanda Dunnick, LCDR Deborah Dee, LCDR Amy Freeland, and LCDR Tchernavia Gregory.

2011 Atlanta-area Commissioned Corps Promotion Ceremony	Volunteers (r to l) LCDR Darrlyn Cornelius-Averhart, LCDR Sue Sloop and LCDR Donna Chaney
Master of ceremonies CDR Eddie Weiss discussing script with CDR Linda West	The PHS Honor Cadre helped make the ceremony a success. Members are CDR Tim Shimabukuro, CDR Rachel Avchen, CDR Edecia Richards, and LT Cory Moore
CDR Linda West, CDR Wanza Bacon, CDR Ezra Barzilay, CAPT Ross Spears and CDR John Su led the singing of the National Anthem and the PHS March. They were also all promoting officers!	RADM Boris Lushniak delivered the keynote address. RADM Anne Schuchat, RADM Clara Cobb and CDR Amanda Dunnick look on.
What’s a celebration without a PHS cake?	Officers and guests were treated to a delicious reception!

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For comments about the newsletter please contact The Signal editor, CDR Lori Hall. Visit our website at http://www.atlantacoa.com!