Change of Command Ceremony

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Chief Pinning

Ceremony 1

Summer Vacation 2

Sea Cadets—

Lakehurst 3

Winter Dress Blues

Inspection 3

Temp Staff 4

Awards 5

Promotions/

Retirements 6

Navy Medicine

VITAL SIGNS

J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

LT Pia Francisco

Public Affairs Officer

HM2 Neil Ritchey

Assistant Public Affairs

Officer

NAVAL HEALTH CLINIC ANNAPOLIS

“Committed to Excellence Since 1845”

Chief Pinning Ceremony

Chief season is a life-changing occurrence taking place at the end of each summer.

For the select few welcomed into this unparalleled brotherhood, it is a time of great

pride and reflection as they see their hard work come to fruition. Naval Health Clinic

Annapolis (NHCA) was honored to have two such selectees inducted into this re-

spected fraternity, HMC Cory J. Bemis and LSC Dexter J. Devonish.

HMC Bemis and LSC Devonish were first notified of their selection on August 3, 2017. Following a six

week transition, they were ceremoniously pinned on September 15, 2017.

With their families by their side and our proud staff looking on, the Navy

greeted its newest Chiefs to a role of responsibility and deck plate leadership.

Their experience and knowledge is a valued asset for our NHCA family and we

are lucky to have them mentor our junior personnel.

Upon completion of his initial 5-year enlistment, HMC Bemis made it a personal goal to make Chief be-

fore he retired. Through focus, dedication, and help along the way, Chief Bemis was able to achieve

what he worked so hard to obtain. He says he was surprised to hear his name and was extremely hon-

ored and humbled by his selection. When asked what he was most thankful for in this experience, he

told me the support of his family, namely his wife Michelle, and his mentors that supported him along

the way, stating that “without their support this wouldn’t have been

possible.”

As a 2nd Class Petty Officer, LSC Devonish consistently performed his

duties at a high level and became a seasoned subject matter expert

within his rate. After being meritoriously advanced to First Class, he set

his sights on anchors and rounding out his resume. He focused on his

leadership and sustaining superior performance in order to improve his chances for selection, and his

resolution was rewarded. LSC Devonish says his proudest moment was putting on the khakis for the

first time. He is thankful for the support of his family and the Chief’s mess

throughout his journey. He told me the greatest thing he learned from

Chief season was, “It’s never about you, it’s always about the sailor.” He

said that as a Chief you must take care of yourself physically, mentally, and

spiritually in order to help your sailors thrive.

Naval Health Clinic Annapolis is proud to have HMC Bemis and LSC Devonish as part of its Chief’s Mess.

Their knowledge, experience, and leadership continue to mold our young sailors while their ideas and

innovation add valued insight up and down the chain of command. Congratulations on your selection as

Chief Petty Officer!

- HM2 Ritchey

P A G E 2 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Baseball, apple pie and the open road… three great things that every American can enjoy. Since taking car rides with my family as a child, the enjoyment of the open road was always thrilling. The thought of being in complete control of the destination, the frequent stops, and numerous places to see, give a sense of power that can only be felt in that moment. When I was in high school I knew I wanted to travel throughout my adulthood. The United States Navy has given me plenty of

opportunity to do so. Not only through different duty stations, but also by earning my 2.5 leave days per month. This summer, I planned to follow my dreams and put my leave to good use. With plenty of leave days saved and a brand new Harley Davidson, my wife and I set off on the great American road trip. For the next 20 days we created our very own "Manifest Destiny". Our journey began at our home in Annapolis, Maryland, with our toes in the great Atlantic water. We set a plan, that in 1 weeks’ time, our toes will be submerged in the Eastern Side of the Pacific Ocean, along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). We would end our cross country travels in the same waters we left behind. While stationed in Hawaii, my wife and I spent a lot of time enjoying the central Pacific waters and soaking up the sun's rays. We were anxious to get back.

As we traveled west, we visited family in Ohio, went inside the St. Louis Arch, and overlooked the great Mississippi river. We made a pit stop in Kansas City, visiting the Harley Davidson Factory where my Sportster was built, followed by some of the best BBQ we have ever tasted. Next stop was Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, one of the major reasons for traveling west. While stationed in Hawaii, we took the opportunity to drive to the summit of Maunakea. With a view 13,803 feet above the ocean, the breath-taking views were quite the experience. Our journey up Pikes Peak shared many similarities. As we in-creased elevation, the terrain of Pikes Peak became much like our experience with Maunakea; with

sandy soil, no vegetation, and cold thin air. We rode on through Denver where the good people of Mile High Harley Davidson ser-viced the bike, ensuring it was in top condition as we screamed towards the deserts of Utah and Nevada. Our next major stop we had planned, and a big reason for taking the trip, was the great Bonneville Salt Flats just outside Salt Lake City. I've been reading Hot Rod magazine since I was in 5th grade. Each year, there is a large article of Speed Week which is hosted on the salt flats. Unfortunately, we arrived at the Salt flats about 10 days too early to watch Speed Week. However, being there on the salt, imagining motorcycles, cars, and jet powered machines screaming across the salt for miles to achieve new speed records, really makes you think how advanced the human race has become. We continued our ride through the Donner Pass and Lake Tahoe area. This area has some especially interesting history, as it makes you realize how difficult the pioneers had it when traveling west. I highly recommend taking a few moments to do a simple Google search and brush up on the events that took place in those mountains. The Lake Tahoe region is breath taking, with every pull-off and back road along these mountain ridges opening a new world to explore, reminding you there is a lot more to this great country than what's in your back yard. Finally, after nearly a week of riding, we arrived in San Francisco. We toured the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the home of Danny Tanner (Full House), Haight & Ashbury, and sampled the sourdough bread bowls. We cruised along the coast via PCH, exploring each little town and the scenic views they had to offer. After a few days exploring the Bay Area and reuniting with some extended family, it was time to say goodbye to California and make our way back to the East Coast. During this journey I was thankful for many things. We experi-enced great weather nearly the entire time, with only a few miles where the sky opened up and rain poured down. Secondly, there were all the nice people we met along the way. It’s amazing to see the kindness and generosity all across this great nation on a very personal level. Seemingly every gas station had someone with a bike or they knew someone who did, striking up interesting and enjoyable conversations. I would like to thank the great people at Harley Davidson for building the machine to make my dream possible. There aren’t many people who have the opportunity to ride across the country and I will never forget my experience or the bike that made it possible. Lastly and most importantly, I am thankful for the career that allowed me the time off and I would like to thank my wife, Andrea, who rode every mile with me and helped me fulfill my dream. - HM2 Schaeffer

Summer Vacation

P A G E 3 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Naval Sea Cadets visit Lakehurst

Winter Dress Blues Inspection

September 25 and 26, 2017, marked a very important event for the staff at

NHCA. The clinic held one of its bi-annual command uniform inspections

where Sailors are inspected in preparation for the winter uniform switch to

the Navy Service Dress Blue uniform. Enlisted and Officers alike stood in for-

mation while members of the Triad and other officiates went from sailor to

sailor inspecting each aspect of their uniform. Ensuring ribbons are at the cor-

rect height, hair is within grooming standards, and even how shiny one’s

shoes are encompass just a few of the many things being inspected. While every staff member looked their

sharpest, some were deemed to have gone above and beyond, re-

ceiving an overall "outstanding" score followed by recognition from

the Triad. These inspections are rooted deep with Navy tradition

and show just how proud and dedicated the staff at NHCA is to

staying committed to excellence!

- HN Anderson

Service is a way of life for the Sailors at Naval Branch Health Clinic Lakehurst.

Three Sailors, HM2 Sheretta Blyther, HM2 James Bond, and HM2 Patrick Hargrove, recently volunteered three

hours to the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadets is a congressionally-charted, U.S.

Navy base organization, comprised of two programs, The Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) and

The Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC). These programs focus on educating individuals between

the ages of 10 and 17 on the United States Navy’s daily operations, history, and traditions.

These sailors spent two days, August 17 and 18, 2017, providing 18 kids between the ages of 13

and 17 lifelong lessons. In an effort to teach military bearing and proper wear of the uniform,

they completed a uniform inspection. Our volunteers provided the cadets a class on how to

lace their boots, roll their blouse sleeves, and remove gear adrift. They conducted a class

to teach basic first aid, to include CPR, and how to control bleeding, splinting, and more.

This was a wonderful opportunity for our Corpsmen and Cadets to share in a mutually

beneficial experience. We are thankful to our volunteers and to the Cadets for their in-

terest.

- HM2 Sheretta Blyther

V I T A L S I G N S

P A G E 4 J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Temp Staff

Each year NHCA receives temporary staff to help support manning in the clinic during Midshipmen

evolutions. These Corpsmen come straight out of Corps school into the fast-paced world of Navy

Medicine. Their first work experiences are shaped here at NHCA, learning and assisting in our many

departments before departing to their first assignments.

At the beginning of each summer, hundreds of incoming Midshipmen referred to as ‘Plebes’ come

to the Academy to begin their training. The temporary staff are essential in supporting NHCA’s vital

role in medical support, during this summer of training known as Plebe Summer. The summer evo-

lution begins with preparation for Induction Day, a two day evolution processing hundreds of new

Midshipmen and updating their vaccinations, medical records, and blood tests for naval duty. After I

-Day, the temporary staff assist Brigade Medical Unit (BMU) with PEP Sick Call and the influx of pa-

tients during the Plebe Summer evolution. Their involvement helps the junior sailors gain valuable

work experience and provides support across the clinic.

HN Sawyer was a vital asset to the Directorate for Public Health and an excellent example for tem-

porary staff. He was assigned to assist Medical Readiness and fulfilled his obligations tirelessly while

helping BMU with sick call in his down time. Every day he showed up motivated to learn and assist.

He would often walk in asking what I was going to teach him that day, what he could do, and how

he could help. No matter the task, HN Sawyer was motivated to learn and grow. Upon his departure

to FMTB, HN Sawyer had gained experience in Medical Readiness, Preventive Medicine, Plebe sick

call, and a plethora of Medical Strike Team assignments in the months he was with us. We sadly bid

farewell to HN Sawyer with a departmental pot luck and were happy seeing him off to his new op-

portunities, sending him with valuable tools to use in the future.

- HN Cain

J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7 P A G E 5

Awards Awards

LT Wilches, Servio; NCM

HM2 Lantern, Jalessa; NCM

HM2 Martin, Zachary; NAM

HM2 Williams, Tori; NAM

HN Martin, Kechonda; NAM

HM2 Martin, Zacahary; MOVSM

HM1 Salas, Jorge; FLOC

HM1 Yi, David; FLOC

HM2 Kimani, Griffin; FLOC

HM2 Rodriguez, Victor; FLOC

HM3 Cage, Ashley; FLOC

HM3 Calabrese, Ryan; FLOC (x2)

HN Hernandez, Edgar; LOA

Awards (Cont.)

HN Lose, David; LOA

HN Rodriguez, Raphael; LOA

Patient Safety

HN Aldereteyebra, Arianna

Civil Service

Ms. Deborah Bohlman

Ms. Regina Chase

Ms. Tanisha Haynes

Awards Legend

MSM: Meritorious Service Medal

JSCM: Joint Services Commendation Medal

NCM: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

NAM: Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

GC: Good Conduct Medal

MOVSM: Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

FLOC: Flag Letter of Commendation

LOC: Letter of Commendation

LOA: Letter of Appreciation

P-Safe: Patient Safety Award

J U L Y T O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7 P A G E 6

MISSION

Maintain a ready medical force, optimize the

health of those entrusted to our care, and

support the Brigade of Midshipmen.

VISION

To be the premier choice for patients and staff,

promoting excellence in readiness, health, and

partnerships.

COMMANDING OFFICER’S PHILOSOPHY

SHIP: Service, Health, Integrity, and People

Check out our Facebook page for more photos

from the command and updates on what’s

happening at the command.

https://www.facebook.com/

NavalHealthClinicAnnapolis

If you would like to contribute an article

or announcement to this newsletter,

please email HM2 Neil E. Ritchey at

neil.e.ritchey.mil@mail.mil

or call 410-293-1737

Promotions/Retirements

Fair winds and following seas to CAPT Bibeau and CDR Cardinale. NHCA would like to thank you

for your unwavering support and commitment during your time in Annapolis and throughout

your naval career. You will be fondly remembered and greatly missed!