Articles Atlanta Area United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps 2006 Promotion Ceremony CDC/ATSDR and ACOA recently hosted its annual Commissioned Corps Promotion Ceremony on July 21 at the Century Center Building Conference Room. This year we were very excited to have officers participating in the ceremony from many PHS agencies, including HRSA, DHS, EPA, CDC, and ATSDR. The ceremony honored officers who had been recognized for their accomplishments by receiving a promotion in rank during the 2006 Promotion Year. The PHS, beginning its third century of service, has a long and distinguished history of protecting the health of the citizens of the United States and abroad. On behalf of CDC/ATSDR and ACOA, recognition was extended to those officers being promoted for their efforts in being a part of this continuing tradition. Over 20 officers had their shoulder boards replaced with their new rank as part of the ceremony. Officers in attendance were promoted to Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, and Captain. During the ceremony, invited officers, guests, family members, and colleagues heard welcoming and congratulatory remarks from: Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; RADM Robert C. Williams, Chief of Staff, Office of the Surgeon General; CAPT Austin Hayes, Director, Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel, CDC; and CDR Jeff Bosshart, President, Atlanta Commissioned Officers Association. The keynote address was given by RADM Robert Williams. A reception immediately followed the ceremony. Special thanks were extended to ACOA, the Special Projects Committee, and the CDC Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel for assistance in planning for the 2006 Promotion Ceremony.

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June CPO Presentations Well Received by Officers

In June, ACOA sponsored a series of presentations by the Chief Professional Officers (CPOs) of the Physician, Scientist, and Environmental Health categories. The CPOs provided an update on transformation issues and covered Category Specific Benchmarks to assist Commissioned Officers in planning their careers and optimizing their chances for promotion. A tremendous amount of useful information was provided along with an opportunity for officers to ask specific questions relevant to their category. The presentations were well received by the attending officers, which included many Captains as well as CDC's Agency Liaison, CAPT Austin Hayes, who participated in the Scientist session. Copies of the presentation materials will be posted on the ACOA website for officers who were unable to attend. At present, requests have been made to have a Health Services presentation and to repeat the Scientist presentation. Additional benchmark presentations may be scheduled for later in the year.

ACOA would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to the CPOs who volunteered their time and presented in order to assist their fellow officers:
CAPT David Rutstein - CPO, Physician Category
CAPT Helena Mishoe - CPO, Scientist Category
CAPT Craig Shepherd - CPO, Environmental Health Category

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Basic Life Support (BLS) Classes in Atlanta (other than CDC)
Attention: Officers Who Need to Complete BLS Training

Organizations offering the AHA BLS certification course in the Atlanta area are listed below. The cost is generally $40-60 per person including the books. Classes are offered at various times and locations. Contact the sources directly for details or go to the AHA website  to search for classes by ZIP code.

Atlanta Technical College
1560 Metropolitan Ave SW
Atlanta, 30310
404-756-3740

Grady Health System
80 Jessie Hill Jr. Drive
Atlanta, 30303
404-616-4850

ExtendLife.Net of Georgia
P.O. Box 723832
Atlanta, 31139
877-698-4900

CARECO, Inc./SOS Technologies - Atlanta
699 Roundtree Road
P O Box 962380
Riverdale, 30296
770-996-5433

Chattahoochee Technical College
2680 Gordy Parkway
Marietta, 30066
770-509-6317

Gwinnett Tech Institute
5150 Sugarloaf Pkwy
P. O. Box 1501
Lawrenceville, 30043
770-962-7580 Ext. 254

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ACOA Helps Build House with Habitat for Humanity!

On June 24, 2006, Atlanta-based PHS officers participated in building an Atlanta Habitat for Humanity house in collaboration with community faith-based organizations. Each house is built over seven consecutive Saturdays with as many as 35 volunteers. The volunteers arrived at 7:50 am on the last Saturday of building. Tasks included installing doorknobs and bathroom hardware, cleaning house interior, touching up interior paint, cleaning windows, installing window screens, clearing the lot, raking, landscaping, and putting down sod. All volunteers worked under the supervision of a Habitat for Humanity houseleader, and no previous experience or building skills were required. At the end of the workday, the house was dedicated to the new owners.  Everyone involved agreed that ACOA should sponsor another community service activity with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, and another opportunity to participate has been planned for October 28, 2006!

For more information about Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, see Habitat for Humanity fact sheet, Habifacts [PDF].

Photo: CAPT Walter Holt, Jr.

Photo from left to right: Front row: LCDR Pilgrim Spikes and CAPT Charles Helmick; Middle row: CDR Jeff Bosshart and CDR Nita Sood; Back row: LCDR Robin MacGowan and CAPT Walter Holt

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Exercising in the Heat
Submitted by: LCDR Tina Lankford, DNPA and Lauren Williams, Lifestyle Program

Even as the temperature and humidity continues to rise during the summer months, it does not always keep us from wanting to spend time outdoors. Many of us want to take full advantage of the warm weather and the long hours of daylight. If we choose to exercise outdoors during the summer, it is important that we follow a few rules to stay safe and healthy.

The summer months in Atlanta are known for being hot and humid. Exercising in these conditions can lead to a sweat loss of 1-2 liters per hour and it has been shown that runners can lose approximately 6 pounds of sweat per hour when running on a hot day. There are two key factors to be aware of to stay safe and help prevent heat illness: proper hydration and acclimatization.

Proper hydration

Proper hydration is crucial for avoiding heat illness and dehydration. Our bodies are approximately 55-65% fluid, and when we become dehydrated, it affects our ability to control our core temperature. As we exercise, our muscles produce heat. In order to dissipate this heat, blood flow to the skin is increased in order to increase sweating and regulate our body temperature. Our bodies start to cool as the sweat evaporates from our skin. When we aren’t properly hydrated, this reduces the amount of sweat we produce and can lead to serious problems, including premature fatigue, increased stress on the heart and cardiovascular system, electrolyte imbalances, and heat illness.

Keep in mind that exercising in the humidity further affects the body’s cooling capability. It is harder for sweat to evaporate when the weather is hot and humid rather than hot and dry. A loss of even 1% of your body weight as a result of dehydration can negatively affect your exercise performance. Therefore, it is important that you hydrate before, during, and after exercise in the heat to counteract sweat loss. A good rule of thumb is to drink 2-3 cups of water or sports drink a couple of hours before exercise and then ½-1 cup of fluid 10-20 minutes before you head outside. You should also try to consume 8-10 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes during your activity. It is imperative that properly hydrate post-exercise as well. Ideally, you should weigh yourself before and after exercise to determine how much fluid you need to consume to properly rehydrate. The Gatorade Sport Science Institute provides this formula for determining the amount of fluid needed to rehydrate after exercise:

Weight lost during exercise (in ounces) + Fluid consumed during exercise (in ounces) = Amount of fluid one should consume to replace sweat loss

One easy way to determine your hydration status is to check the color of your urine. If it is pale like lemonade, you’re okay. If it is darker like apple juice, you need to take in more fluids.

Acclimatization

Acclimatization is the adaptation that the body undergoes in response to repeated exposure to heat and humidity. It involves a gradual building of training time in the heat, with the goal of producing less physiological strain on the body under conditions of high heat and humidity. At the beginning of the acclimatization process, training volume and intensity should be reduced to account for the additional stress of working in the heat. The key result of the process is that you become a better “sweater”. The acclimatization process causes us to sweat sooner and at a lower core temperature. We also produce more sweat, and it contains less sodium, which helps us to conserve our electrolytes. Other adaptations that occur as result of this process are a lower heart rate and an increase in blood volume, which contributes to the increase in the amount of sweat produced. The acclimatization process can be completed in 7-14 days of repeated heat exposure.

Other tips

There are a few other tips for safe exercising in the heat. First, dress properly for the weather. Wear light, loose clothing, preferably made of synthetic materials. Synthetics wick away sweat to help you stay cool and dry, while cotton absorbs sweat and can become heavy. Look for brands like CoolMax® and Dri-FIT®. Also, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen can help prevent sunburn while exercising outdoors. Second, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and antihistamines prior to exercising in the heat. All of these have a dehydrating effect and can negatively affect your performance. And third, avoid exercising in the middle of the day if at all possible. The midday hours tend to be the hottest and most dangerous times to exercise. Preferably, try to exercise in the early morning or later evening hours when the heat and sun are less intense. If you must exercise in the middle of the day, find shaded areas, make sure you’re well-hydrated, and adjust the intensity of your exercise to account for the heat.

The staff at CDC’s Lifestyle Fitness Centers is available to help answer questions about exercising in the heat, as well as help you develop an indoor exercise routine for the summer months. Be sure to stop by anytime between 6:30am and 6:30pm, Monday-Friday, for assistance. We look forward to seeing you!

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Seeing into the Unknown: Long Term Care Coverage
Submitted by: CAPT Lester M. Sharpton, USPHS (Ret), 6-Term Atlanta Branch Executive Committee Member

By and large, most Commissioned Corps Officers are good at planning and preparing for the future. However, I have discovered a major flaw in seeing into the unknown, one that I was guilty of making and delayed in taking action for far too long.

It is one thing to save and invest in your future by investing in stocks, US Savings Bonds, real estate, or other financial savings. However, there are certain circumstances in which you could lose almost all your financial resources. No, it is not hospital or medical bills; you are covered by your active duty health care and TRICARE's catastrophic cap limits your out of pocket costs. The chink in your financial armor is after you leave the hospital and can no longer independently perform activities of daily living. It is a trap called Long Term Care (LTC). TRICARE and Medicare benefits provide very limited LTC coverage. Without proper planning, this can quickly eat up your nest egg.

I have taken gambles in the past, like not seeing a physician for seven consecutive years because of financial difficulties. As soon as financially possible, I used my existing retiree health care benefits and purchased LTC insurance. Along with TRICARE, LTC is an investment in my health and protection of my financial assets. Lots of insurers provide LTC coverage, including the Commissioned Officers Association (COA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), both of which I support through organizational memberships. I selected the US government-sponsored LTC insurance program based on my own personal needs and perceptions.

I strongly suggest that you to look at LTC insurance closely. It means a financial commitment for the rest of your life. However, as with most other types of insurance policies, the sooner you enroll, the lower your monthly premium. Although LTC premiums differ by state, on average, a healthy officer in their 40's will pay approximately $30,000 in LTC insurance in the first 20 years. Some LTC plans offer flexibility and allow you to lock into a plan with inflation coverage. Another issue is to enroll in LTC insurance while you are healthy, otherwise the premium can rise greatly, or not even allow you to participate. Even after enrollment, new policies do not necessarily take effect immediately because insurers may want to protect themselves from those with immediate LTC needs. This is similar to how Flood Insurance covers a homeowner; waiting till the flood is at your doorstep is too late to get the insurance.

I still try to abide by the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared," and I feel a bit more secure having an LTC policy. I hope my health will permit me to never have to use it, but the odds are pretty good that I will utilize LTC in my lifetime. The LTC policy will help protect a "nest egg" that I am working a lifetime to build, and help by not being a burden to my family and loved ones. I cannot see into the future very well, but the insurance companies do a pretty good job of that. LTC insurance should be a part of your life plan.

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Attending COA for the First Time – a Junior Officer’s Perspective
Submitted by: LT Aimee Treffiletti, ATSDR

Although I’ve been in the Commissioned Corps for over three years, I attended the Commissioned Officers Association (COA) Conference for the first time this year. It was held May 1-4, 2006 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Denver, Colorado. Beforehand, a fellow junior officer remarked that attending the COA Conference was like returning to the Mothership. That sounds crazy, right?

There were certainly no ships at the COA Conference, but there were many exciting things happening. The posters, mini-sessions, and category day provided a glimpse into the amazing work of Corps officers. Between sessions, I was also able to catch up with officers that I had met on deployments or in trainings. I attended a CPO forum, where junior officers could sit down to talk informally with their category CPO. There were also numerous evening social events to choose from, including a meet-and-greet sponsored by COA, dinners organized by categories and officer-interest groups, and a social organized by the Denver COA.

This may sound like a lot of other professional conferences, but the COA Conference had something special – esprit de corps. Commissioned Corps officers are truly a unique and dedicated bunch, and we all share many of the experiences. For example, we all face similar challenges and rewards in balancing our jobs, our Commissioned Corps responsibilities, and our families. And we all share the same mission: to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the Nation. I am not usually the type to be overly sentimental, but it was hard not to be overwhelmed by this solidarity and camaraderie when looking at a sea of uniforms at every turn.

For me, a highlight in esprit de corps at the Conference was during the Assistant Secretary for Health’s opening keynote speech. Admiral Agwunobi began his speech by reading excerpts from the Junior Officer Advisory Group’s (JOAG) Code of Conduct, which was inscribed on the back of the brand new JOAG coin. Having been involved in the development and design of the JOAG coin, it was an awe-inspiring moment to hear Admiral Agwunobi boom out the words that my group had chosen:

I am a Uniformed Commissioned Officer serving my country, protecting national public health interests and security. I am a Commissioned Officer accountable for my actions by virtue of this special trust accorded to me by the President of the United States of America. I represent all officers past, present and future, and they represent me. Together we are the Corps. I am a leader and pledge to act honorably, selflessly crediting the achievements of others. I follow the right path, not the easy path, regardless of personal hardship.

I left the COA Conference with a renewed sense of my role as a Commissioned Corps officer. I am proud of the role that I play in promoting the Commissioned Corps’ mission and I am proud to serve both my agency and the Corps. I am honored to walk among a group of such dedicated professionals. And I can’t wait to return to the Mothership.

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CAPT (ret.) Russell W. Hart Celebrates 100th Birthday!
Submitted By: CDR Jeff Bosshart

CAPT Russell W. Hart (ret.) celebrated his 100th Birthday on Friday, July 15, 2006. CAPT Hart was born in 1906, was called to active duty on May 1, 1941 and served 27 years and 8 months, retiring February 1, 1969. CAPT Hart was in the Engineer category. He is the second oldest surviving PHS Officer and longest continuing member of COA with over 47 years of uninterrupted membership. CAPT Hart also served as chair of the COA Board during his career.


Pictured L-R: CDR Kathleen McDuffie, CAPT Hugh Mainzer, CAPT Dan Cline, CAPT (ret.) Russell Hart, CDR Jeff Bosshart

During the organization of his birthday party, CAPT Hart stated that it would not be a proper celebration unless the Commissioned Corps was involved. The CDC Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel, COA, and ACOA endeavored to make this a memorable occasion for CAPT Hart, his two devoted daughters, and other family and friends. During the ceremony, CAPT Hart received several remembrances of his distinguished career, including: a certificate, letter, and autographed photograph from the Surgeon General; a letter from CAPT Jerry Farrell (ret.),the Executive Director of COA; and a United States flag and a USPHS flag, courtesy of ACOA. The letters were read aloud for the benefit of all those present.

Four Commissioned Corps officers were present at CAPT Hart’s party, and he regaled them with stories of his dynamic and productive career, including assignments in Georgia, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Kansas City. For example, while on detail to the Georgia Department of Public Health, CAPT Hart was personally asked by then Governor Herman Talmadge (1948-1954) to assist with improving the safety of the milk supply, which at the time was among the worst in the Nation. In his initial assessment, CAPT Hart discovered dairy farmers were not observing appropriate sanitary measures and contaminated milk was being delivered to schools, hospitals, and homes all over Georgia. Through his diligent work with the farmers, transporters, and processors the quality of the milk supply was later rated among the safest in the Nation.

Those of us present were amazed at how mentally sharp and youthful looking CAPT Hart was as a centenarian. He is on no medication, save an aspirin every five days, and only recently requires the use of a walker due to some balance problems. Before the party, I joked with CAPT Hart that he was doing so well that we should consider recommending him for active duty. Without hesitation he looked me straight in the eye and said he’d love to come back. He later told me that he still has all of his uniforms. Photographs on display attested to his frequent and proud wearing of the uniform during his career.

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