By Lt. Angelina Brannon, head, emergency department, Naval Hospital Beaufort

I never used to believe that dreams came true or that hope would someday become reality, but I have learned that while life determines the family we are born into, it is our personal courage and will that determine the course we ultimately navigate in life. 

Statistically speaking, the odds were stacked against me from the start.  My mother immigrated to the United States when she was just 13 and spoke no English.  By the time she was 16, I was born.  Growing up in El Paso, Texas wasn’t easy and by the time I was 18, I had become the mother of beautiful baby boy.  I realized then that I had some very important choices to make.  On Jan. 13, 1998 I enlisted in the United States Navy, a decision that forever changed my life.

When I arrived at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois I was in for a huge surprise.  Not only was this was my first time away from home, but it was also the first time I was in a structured environment.  Fortunately, I acclimated well to recruit training and came to appreciate the respect, order, and discipline that we were taught.

As the weeks progressed I received bad news from home, and was ready to quit. After talking to my training commander, a salty chief boatswain’s mate, one of the things he said was, “if you quit now, you will be a quitter your whole life.”  These words resonated to my core because I was no quitter. 

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Brannon receiving an award while stationed at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, where she served as a surgical technician, 2002-2004. Brannon worked hard to excel at Portsmouth and became actively involved at the command, which eventually led to her being selected as Junior Sailor of the Quarter in 2004. (Photo courtesy of Lt. Brannon)

After graduating from recruit training and Hospital Corpsman “A” School, I reported to my first duty station at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla. I was assigned to the OB/GYN department where I had a great leading petty officer (LPO) and assistant leading petty officer (ALPO) who paved the way to success by introducing me to Master Chief Fraker’s Study Guide.  I began studying, and was promoted to hospital corpsman 3^rd class in 1999. 

Growing up, I’d never had a mentor, someone to guide me and teach me, but in the Navy I found myself surrounded by professionals, corpsman and officers, who inspired me and nurtured my will to succeed.  I knew then that I was either going to be a master chief or an officer one day. 

On May 3, 2007, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Brannon was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. (Photo courtesy of Lt. Brannon)

After Pensacola, I went to Field Medical Service School (FMSS) at Camp Johnson, N.C. and “C” School at the Naval School of Health Sciences in Portsmouth, Va. to become a surgical technician before heading on to my next assignment at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. in 2001.

Being at a large MTF was definitely not easy, but I was committed to excel.  At Bethesda, a senior enlisted member gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever been given – find the one person who is where I want to be and do as they do. 

In 2004, I was selected as Junior Sailor of the Quarter. My hard work and dedication was also reflected in the letters of appreciation and letters of commendation that I received.  I also began focusing on my academics, taking CLEP tests for college credits and taking classes at a university. 

At this point, I decided to take advantage of two opportunities to advance my career and applied to both the Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) program and the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP), hoping to be accepted to one of them.  When I applied for MECP, I had six years of total service and several people attempted to discourage me based on my time in service, but I figured that it didn’t hurt to try.  Not only was I accepted into the IDC program, but in 2004, when the MECP board results came out, my name was on the list. 

The feeling was surreal!  I had always admired and respected chiefs and officers, hoping to one day become one of them. I chose MECP, amazed that I had been given an opportunity to go back college, earn my bachelors in nursing, and become a naval officer. 

In the fall of 2005, I began nursing school and on May 3, 2007, I was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.  I had always envisioned wearing khakis one day and was overwhelmed that the day was finally here.  

The journey from corpsman to officer is one that is completely achievable with hard work and dedication, because nothing worthwhile comes easy.  Faith is important too, because faith breeds hope and hope brings change.  I encourage anyone looking to go down this road to find great leaders and mentors who can guide you.  Take advantage of the educational opportunities that the Navy gives you and don’t let anyone discourage you from applying to programs and following your dreams.

Today, I am the head of the emergency department at Naval Hospital Beaufort, S.C., and I wouldn’t be here right now had I not made the commitment to enlist in the Navy on Jan. 13, 1998.  I owe a debt of gratitude to the Navy, because all I ever needed was a chance and the Navy gave me that chance.  As I move forward in my career as a nurse corps officer, I hope to be as good a mentor to the corpsmen I encounter as those who encouraged and inspired me when I was a junior Sailor.

Lt. Brannon, department head for Naval Hospital Beaufort’s emergency department, triages incoming casualties during a recent mass casualty drill. (Photo courtesy of Lt. Brannon)

By Valerie A. Kremer, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

Navy Medicine is proud to present the May 2013 issue of the Navy and Marine Corps Medical News (MEDNEWS) newsletter. It features various articles and photos highlighting the great work being done across the Navy Medicine enterprise around the world. This month highlights standardization across the Navy Medicine enterprise.

Click here to view the newsletter online. Click here to download MEDNEWS.

By Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Dominique Martin, Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune

*Editor’s note: In support of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Navy Medicine Live blog will feature three “Sailor in the Spotlight” to highlight the great work that our Sailors are doing to support the Navy and Marine Corps team.

Hometown:  Chicago, IL

When did you join Navy?  February 2003

What are your proudest Navy accomplishment(s)? My proudest Navy accomplishments are earning my two Warfare Qualifications and having served on the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS George Washington in Japan.  Also, I’m proud of the many leadership opportunities that I have been given.

What is your favorite thing about serving in the Navy?  My favorite thing about being in the Navy is the culture of excellence and the diversity of people and places that I encounter.  The Navy also allows me to lead junior Sailors and help shape their future. 

How do you achieve a life-work balance in the Navy?  Careful planning of course!  I get what needs to be done as soon as possible, so that I don’t stress later on.  But, the people in Navy have become part of my family, naturally, because we spend so much time together.  So, finding a balance personally and professionally in the military hasn’t been difficult at all. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to have completed the Medical Service Corps In-service Procurement Program and to have completed my Masters degree in Health Care Management.

What are your hobbies?  I love to run!  Whether it’s to clear my head or motivate another Sailor, running is a staple in my life.  Photography, cooking and spending time with my family and friends also keep me busy.

To see the first “Sailor in the Spotlight” with HM2 Pham, click here.

 By Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, U.S. Navy surgeon general and chief, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

On behalf of Navy Medicine, I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation as the Navy Nurse Corps celebrates its 105^th year of service.

Since May 13, 1908, the men and women of the Navy Nurse Corps have honorably served and evolved with the nation’s needs in times of war and peace – at home, abroad, and on the front lines. They continue to selflessly volunteer to serve around the world, often deploying in harm’s way, bringing with them compassionate health care that sets the world’s standards. Our Navy Nurses also play a critical role in our Force Health Protection mission, ensuring we have a fit and medically ready force to meet our duties at a moment’s notice.

The Navy Nurse Corps has grown over the years from the original 20 female members,  known as the “Sacred Twenty,” peaking to more than 11,000 members during World War II.

Today, we honor the brilliant accomplishments, courage, and commitment of Navy Nurses who  helped to set the bar high for military medicine around the world. Our nurses are published and renowned scientists, researchers, teachers, providers and clinicians. Nurse Corps Officers fly with wounded from battle-torn areas, work in the fleet and hospital ships, establish native nursing schools, clinics, and small hospitals in remote areas of the world, and administer or command Navy medical treatment facilities worldwide. Their continued work and dedication have earned them a prominent place in the United States Navy.

Today we honor and celebrate the men and women of the Navy Nurse Corps around the world, who provide medical care to Sailors and Marines, their families, retirees, and those entrusted to their care. To the nearly 4,000 active duty and reserve Nurse Corps personnel, I thank you for your service, sacrifice and dedication.

Happy Birthday Navy Nurse Corps!

VADM Matthew L. Nathan

Surgeon General of the Navy

Military Health System Team,

The need for standardization across the Military Health System is vital to our strength and efficiency as we meet our mission and move forward to provide world-class health care to our Service members and beneficiaries.

After more than a decade of war, we have seen that health care across the MHS has become increasingly joint in nature across the Services, signaling the need for standardized processes and technology so we can continue to meet our mission. The MHS has noted that demand signal and have answered the call.   

The MHS and the Department of Defense (DoD) continue to standardize health care across the Services  through technology, such as the electronic health record; information management/ information technology (IM/IT) governance; financial and resource management; and clinical processes. Great successes have been achieved in combat medicine and in our garrison-based care system back home when we operate as an integrated system with standardized care.

The implementation of the electronic health record across the Services is a crucial facet of standardization and patient-centered care. To meet this need, systems analysts across the Services are working together on the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER) DoD Non Active Duty Family Member Health Data Sharing Working Group which aims to develop a standard DoD Policy for sharing family member health data in VLER Health. VLER Health is a multi-faceted business and technology initiative that includes a portfolio of health, benefits, personnel, and administrative information sharing capabilities. It provides Veterans, Service members, their families, care-givers, and service providers with a single source of information for health and benefits needs in a way that is secure and authorized by the Veteran or Service member.

Another way in which the MHS is standardizing care across the enterprise is through the Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) Governance Process. Aligned with the Joint Governance Process, this enhanced process is being designed to reduce the time from initial request to governance disposition. This change also includes a closer alignment of functional managers, project managers, and requestors across the services in support of IT systems requests throughout the lifecycle of projects, as well as higher transparency, clearer accountability, and integrated capability-based portfolio management.

In order to provide standardization in finance and logistics across the MHS, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being used across the Services to become ready for financial audits by 2014. The SOPs standardize all finance and logistics procedures which use resources and ensure that transactions are documented and use appropriate internal controls. This ensures the MHS is on track to meet readiness gates established by the DoD. The SOPs are role-based and user friendly, so new users or supervisors can use them effectively and sustain audit requirements while staying on mission.

As we move forward, the MHS will continue to meet the need for standardization across health care capabilities and governing structures. We will continue to work together diligently to meet this demand signal – from the battlefield to our military treatment facilities worldwide.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, Surgeon General, United States Army

Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Surgeon General, United States Navy

Lt. Gen. Thomas Travis, Surgeon General, United States Air Force

By Rear Adm. Elizabeth Niemyer, director, Navy Nurse Corps, and deputy chief, Wounded, Ill and Injured, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

As I look at the calendar and see National Nurses’ Week May 6-12 and the 105th Navy Nurse Corps Birthday rapidly approaching on May 13th, I want to take this opportunity to reach out to the entire Navy Nurse Corps team. 

Truly, the work of the military nursing team-active duty and reserve component, and the federal civilian and contracted nurses who partner with us-is not for the faint of heart.  As Florence Nightingale said, “It requires devotion and preparation.”

We are an integrated and highly regarded team of health care professionals, uniquely trained and qualified to provide and lead the delivery of the highest quality care in extremely diverse environments.

We are pivotal to ensuring the overall health, well-being, and operational readiness of our active duty military members and their families, as well as, essential to providing an optimal healthcare benefit for our retirees.

I believe it does take extraordinary ability and innovation to be a nurse. Our profession encompasses the skill of providing care and compassion to those who may be experiencing physical, emotional, or psychological pain. It requires that you lean in to the patient experience and to empathize with their pain in order to better understand what is needed to begin the healing process.  It can be exhausting – physically and emotionally – to care for the lives of others.  Yet, nurses throughout the world continue to care for their patients, 24 hours, 7 days a week.  Not a day, minute, or second passes in which a nurse isn’t somewhere doing extraordinary work.  It does not surprise me that our profession is the most trusted profession in America.

The military nursing team remains highly respected and successful as professionals significantly contributing to the delivery of the highest quality health care in their roles as bedside care givers, licensed independent providers, administrators, clinical educators, and leaders.  But regardless of the specific role, nursing knowledge and clinical excellence remain the very foundation upon which nurses build, advance, and refine the skills necessary for continued success.  This clinical excellence is recognized within all levels of the Military Health System, as well as, professional nursing organizations and educational institutions across the United States.

Last weekend I attended my 35th reunion at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. I was proud to celebrate with around 250 people covering 12 unique class groups, and of course it was fun to reunite with members my Class of 1978.  The Distinguished Graduate Award was bestowed on Ms. Darlene Curley, Executive Director of the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence.  The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence was founded in 2006 to improve health care through nursing.  They provide grants that advance scholarship, leadership and innovation, and collaborate on initiatives with other leaders in the nursing field with a focus on fostering partnerships across philanthropic, business, policy and education sectors. 

During her acceptance speech, Ms. Curley showed a short news clip video highlighting the work of one of the Jonas scholars.  I was extremely proud to see two of our Navy nurses, Lt Cmdr. Pam Wall (Jonas Scholar) and Cmdr. Sean Convoy on the video speaking to a group of students about the behavioral health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experienced by our service members upon return from deployment.  This is one example of many that showcases the work we do as Navy Nurses and the recognition of that work throughout the profession of nursing. 

In closing, I want to thank each and every one of you for the work you do every day.  This week, we collectively celebrate National Nurses’ Week and next Monday, May 13th, the 105th Navy Nurse Corps Birthday. 

Please take care of each other and enjoy the many festivities ahead.  As always, please keep our deployed Navy Medicine family in your thoughts and prayers.  It is always my greatest honor and privilege to represent you, the outstanding Navy Nursing Team. 

Happy 105th and stay safe.

Rear Adm. Niemyer

Watch the Rear Adm. Niemyer’s 105th Navy Nurse Corps birthday message below:

By Andre Sobocinski, historian, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

The first Navy flight nurse on Iwo Jima (6 March 1945) and later Okinawa (6 April 1945), ENS Jane Kendeigh, NC, USNR, became a symbol for casualty evacuation and high altitude nursing. (BUMED Archives)

When the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) R4D broke through the clouds of volcanic dust and smoke to land on Iwo Jima on March 6, 1945, it carried more than whole blood and medical supplies for the wounded.

On board this flight was a 22-year old Navy nurse named Jane Kendeigh (1), marking the first time in history that a Navy flight nurse appeared on an active Pacific battlefield. Kendeigh may have become a symbol for casualty evacuation and high altitude nursing on that day, but she was far from alone in this daring mission.

From 6 to 21 March 1945, Kendeigh and her fellow flight nurses air evacuated some 2,393 (2) Marines and Sailors from Iwo Jima.  Pictures of these first combat nurses show them offering encouragement and comfort to the rows of littered patients along the battlefield runways. For these physically and psychologically wounded warfighters, flight nurses served as the military equivalent of Dante’s Beatrice (3), appearing at a critical moment in their lives and escorting them from the pits of hell to the safety of forward operating hospitals. It’s little wonder why a special bond often developed between these patients and nurses.

In a recent telephone interview, Mary Hudnall, one of the first flight nurses on Iwo, recalled one patient being so grateful of his rescue that he insisted on giving her a memento from the battlefield. “He asked me to take a small medicine bottle and said ‘It’s sand from Iwo Jima. I don’t want you to forget what we did here.’” When he fell asleep she tucked the trinket under his blanket.  However, when he awoke he begged her to take it. As of April 2013, Hudnall still had this souvenir and still remembered the sacrifice of the men on Iwo. (4)

By the time of the invasion of Iwo Jima, the concept of air evacuation was nothing new.(5) On 1 September 1942, the joint-service South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT) began using cargo planes to evacuate wounded servicemen during the Guadalcanal campaign. These missions were initially free of medical personnel until  November 1942, when Navy pharmacists mates were added to flights.(6)  

Flight nurses on Guam appear before an R5D (Douglas Skymaster) in April 1945. (BUMED Archives)

In March 1943, SCAT formally established a joint medical section comprised of Army and Navy flight surgeons to supervise and select casualties for air evacuation in theater. (7) Flight nursing first took off when the U.S. Army employed nurses on evacuation missions to North African campaign in December 1942. A year later, in June 1943, the Army formally established the Army Air Force School of Air Evacuation at Bowman Field, KY to offer specialized training for its flight nurses.  

Owing to the need for flight nurses in the Pacific war, the Navy established its own School of Air Evacuation Casualties at Naval Air Station Alameda, CA in 1944. Overseeing the school was a former United Airline stewardess and registered nurse named Mary Ellen O’Connor, later dubbed the most “flyingest woman in the world” for her long career aboard airplane. (8) On 10 December 1944, the first class, consisting of 24 Navy nurses and 24 pharmacists mates,(9) commenced.

The eight-week course consisted of lectures and demonstrations on survival training, air evacuation techniques, physiology of flight, first aid with emphasis on shock, splinting/redressing wounds, and treatment of patients in non-pressurized cabins. Students also learned about artificial horizons, and altitude through flight simulation exercises.  Hallmark in the course was the intensive 18-hour “watermanship” training organized to simulate conditions of a water landing/crash scenario. The prospective flight nurses were required to swim under water, swim one-mile, and be able to tow victims 440 yards in 10 minutes (10).

Following graduation in January 1945, 12 of the first flight nurses were sent to Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, to prepare for their first battlefield mission while the others were used to transport casualties in the Continental United States and from the (Territory of) Hawaii. By the end of March, after two more classes graduated from the school, the Navy had 74 trained flight nurses in its employ; almost all would be used for the next big challenge, perhaps the biggest of them all: Okinawa.

The Battle of Okinawa alone accounted for 17 percent of the total Navy and Marine Corps casualties suffered in World War II.  Owing to the enormous casualty totals, Okinawa was the largest combat casualty evacuation operation in U.S. military history and marked the first time the Navy evacuated more casualties by air than sea. Unsung heroes in this campaign, the Navy flight nurses, now using larger R5D which could accommodate up to sixty patient litters, would help evacuate some 11,771 to Guam. (11).

After Okinawa, many of the flight nurses were used to repatriate Prisoners of War from the Philippines to Guam. A few who stayed in service years after the war would participate in the Berlin Airlift.

Owing to a longstanding ban on marriage that was renewed after the war, the choice of service and family was not possible for flight nurses and most left the Navy.(12) 

Today, the story of the brave women of Iwo Jima and Okinawa remains a footnote in most histories of military nursing; they never achieved any medals for their service let alone much notoriety. Then again, most would say that they were just happy doing their jobs.

As ENS Jane Kendeigh would remark about her service:  “our rewards are wan smiles, a slow nod of appreciation, a gesture, a word—accolades greater, more heart-warming than any medal.” (13)

Lt. J.G. Mae Hanson, NC, USNR, serves fruit juice to the casualties from Okinawa, while Pharmacist Mate, 2nd Class Kenneth Plain checks on a patient. May 1945. (BUMED Archives)

Footnotes

1. After her heroic work in Iwo Jima, ENS Jane Kendeigh (1922-1987) was sent back to the United States to participate in a War Bond drive. Soon after, she requested to return to the Pacific combat zone. On 7 April 1945, six days after the invasion, Kendeigh landed on Okinawa.

2. This amounted to 13.5 percent of total casualties evacuated on Iwo Jima. (BUMED. The History of the Medical Department of the United States Navy in World War II.Volume 1: A Narrative and Pictorial Volume. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1953.)

3. In the allegorical poem The Divine Comedy, Beatrice is a symbol of hope who guides the author/protagonist through purgatory and hell to heaven.

4. Sobocinski, André. Oral History Interview with Mary Leahy Hudnall (telephone) on 25 April 2013.

5. The British had experimented in “air ambulancing” as far back as in the 1920s.  In 1929, the Colonial Flying Service and Scully Walton Ambulance Company of New York organized the first civilian air ambulance service. Kane, Joseph.  (Famous First Facts: A Record of First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company (Third Edition). 1964).

6. BUMED. The History of the Medical Department of the United States Navy in World War II. Volume 1: A Narrative and Pictorial Volume. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1953.

7. Mae Mills and Hubert Coleman. Medical Support: Army Air Forces in World War II. Office of the Surgeon General, USAF. Washington, DC: GPO. 1955. Navy nurses Stephany Kozak and Mary Cain attended this school at Bowman field in June 1943 becoming the Navy’s flight nurses. In January 1944, Kozak, Cain, were joined by flight nurse LT (JG) Dymphna van Gorp on a mission to Brazil to establish an “aeromedical evacuation program” Brazilian Air Force Nurse Corps.

8. Mary O’Connor was a nurse turned stewardess at United Air Lines, at a time when stewardess were required to be registered nurses. At the time of her entry into the U.S. Navy she had already flown 2,500,000 miles. After the war, she returned to United Air Lines where she become the namesake for their Convair 340, also known as the “O’Connor Mainliner.” In 1961, she published her biography Flying: The Story of a Pioneer Stewardess (New York: Rand McNally).  

9.  Applicants to the Navy Air Evacuation School in Alameda, CA, were required to have good character references and be excellent swimmers.

10. Stuart, Paul. Angels of Mercy: U.S. Navy Flight Nurses of the Pacific Theater. WWII Military Journal. Winter 1996. pp 27-30.

11. The Navy evacuated some 11,732 casualties by APA, LST, and hospital ship (versus 11,771 by air).  It could take a ship eight to ten days to transport casualty from Okinawa to Guam versus a flight which could take about 8 hours).   BUMED. The History of the Medical Department of the United States Navy in World War II. Volume 3: The Statistics of Diseases and Injuries. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1953.

12. Marriage lead to immediate dismissal for all women servicemembers in the war.  This ban was briefly beginning in January but reinstituted in November 1945.  It was not until the 1960s that female Navy nurses were finally allowed to marry and stay in service.

13. Sutter, Janet. “’Angel of Mercy’ kept wings: WWII nurse still dotes on patients. The San Diego Union. Sunday, March 24, 1985.

By Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Mai Thao Pham, 1^st Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

*Editor’s note: In support of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Navy Medicine Live blog will feature three “Sailor in the Spotlight” to highlight the great work that our Sailors are doing to support the Navy and Marine Corps team.

Hometown:  Dong Thap, Vietnam

When did you join Navy? May 2007

What is your current job? Leading Petty Officer of 33 Area Dental Clinic (Margarita)

What are your proudest Navy accomplishment(s)?  My proudest accomplishments in the Navy were to complete Field Medical Training and being selected as Leading Petty Officer for my clinic.

What is your favorite thing about serving in the Navy? I love being a Sailor and a part of such a large and diverse community. I like the fact that you meet people from all walks of life, and ethnic backgrounds, each with different life experiences. This mosaic of ideas makes us stronger and is a good representation of the melting pot that is the United States of America.

How do you achieve a life-work balance in the Navy? It’s hard to balance your personal life and work, especially when you spend so much time at work; the people that you work with become your friends.  I find the best way of balancing life and work is by having good work ethics, setting a schedule, going to school at night and finding little time for myself when possible.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  I see myself in pharmacy school and becoming a Naval Officer.

What are your hobbies? My hobbies include hiking, cooking, baking, reading, shopping, tasting foods from different cultures and traveling with family and friends.

By Barbara Lyon, Naval Medical Center San Diego volunteer yoga instructor

Photo of Barbara Lyon, NMCSD Yoga instructor. (Photo by retired Marine Cpl. Matt Dominguez, formerly assigned to Wounded Warrior Battalion-West, NMCSD detachment)

Have you ever found yourself in a position you never thought that you would be in?

Twenty eight years ago I walked into a yoga studio, encouraged by my husband to give it a try.  Why would I want to try yoga?  It did not sound interesting at all.  Trusting his judgment though, I attended the class and found it to be an amazing experience. I felt more energy and yet relaxed at the same time.  Today I still attend classes at the same studio. 

My husband, Jack Lyon, and I began volunteering at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), adjacent to Balboa Park, in 2004 through the Armed Services YMCA.  We were meeting medevacs and assisting with the wounded warriors and their families. In a support group for wives, I began sharing restorative yoga poses and breathing techniques. The wives seemed to breathe more deeply and felt relaxed after each session.  I soon had the idea of beginning classes for the wounded warriors themselves- but would they be willing and open to it? I know the warrior heart and was determined to share what I had learned.

To my surprise, I found that there was an existing interest in providing yoga classes at NMCSD.  The USMC Wounded Warrior Battalion-West Detachment was supportive of the idea from the beginning.  Betty Michalewicz from the NMCSD Health and Wellness Department was looking for a teacher to begin classes for wounded warriors in the Balboa Warrior Athlete Program (BWAP).  This turned out to be a perfect match and the first yoga class began. 

The initial classes were for the warriors specifically and they were amazed at the workout they received. Additionally, many fell into deep relaxation—their first in months—during the final restful pose of “savasana”, one Marine shared that this was his first “let go” since he deployed to Iraq . That moment of peace and serenity–of being home– is the payday for me. The Warriors learn to take ownership of their body–missing parts and all. 

When NMCSD began to receive more amputee patients, the yoga class at Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care (C5) began.  The amputees could easily work on the platforms in the physical therapy room.  Some were strongly drawn to the practice and were soon performing postures that they never thought possible, such as headstand and shoulderstand. The inverted poses are supported and individually guided and have proved to be a valuable addition to their healing program by providing enhanced circulation, drainage of toxins and numerous other benefits .

One Marine lieutenant refused to come down as it was the absolute first time he had been pain free.  Yoga is something new to most of these warriors and being successful  in poses that initially seemed unattainable provides a real feeling of accomplishment. One powerful aspect of yoga is that while working on the practice, the mind is concentrated and is free from the worries and concerns of other aspects of their recovery-it is an inside job. It is like a ‘shower for the mind’, as one attendee said.

My teacher of 28 years, Sunny Keays, joins me for the C5 classes and we both love the gift of sharing with these warriors in a joyful, relaxed and mind-opening class of yoga.  Most attendees are astounded by the exhilaration of a powerful work-out they receive—this is definitely not “sissy” Yoga – this is for real. Right here, right now–and that is a space they know and honor.

Photo of Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Photo courtesy of Frank Richard, Big Expeditions)

It has been six years since the first class, now four yoga classes are offered each week at NMCSD.  The yoga classes are open to wounded warriors, patients referred from medical departments, family members and staff.  Classical hatha yoga, the physical yoga, is combined with breathing techniques to provide attendees with a complete body mind connection and experience. The inverted poses we teach to the amputees are also emphasized for all participants as they are powerful poses for all to enjoy.  Inverted doesn’t have to mean standing on your head and milder inverted poses are also taught.  The simple posture of lying on ones back and extending the legs up a wall can be relaxing, rejuvenating and the very best way possible to let go of stress and bring closure to a busy day.

Regular attendee Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon shares, “The practice of Yoga ensured that I was mentally prepared and in a robust physical state prior to taking on my successful climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I made impressive gains in range of motion, strength and health as a whole while recovering from a bomb blast that took both of my legs. The powerful meditative aspect of the practice helped still my mind and to be present in the moment and so very refreshed.” 

Sgt. Jimmy Bernard states “I am more aware of myself, others and my surroundings. Practicing Yoga has had a positive impact on my recovery, my well-being and on the lives of myself and my family.”

Looking at life’s challenges from a new perspective, a different position, can be enlightening. Suddenly one realizes that everything is right side up.

From U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

Navy Medicine is proud to present the 2013 spring issue of Navy Medicine Magazine. It features various articles and photos highlighting the great work being done by Navy Medicine around the world.

The spring issue marks the 70^th anniversary of the Navy Medicine magazine and is full of compelling articles that deal with topics ranging from the life of a Navy corpsman to Navy Medicine’s fight against AIDS. The pages are full of stories about Navy corpsmen and the support they provide on the battlefield and in our medical treatment facilities around the globe – from saving lives to search and rescue operations. There is an article discussing the inspiring story of a Naval Medical Center San Diego dietician who overcame cancer and is on a mission to help her patients do the same. As always, there are columns from Navy Medicine leadership, an Innovations/Research and Development section, and last but not least a look back in Navy Medicine history and more.

Thanks for reading! Click here to view the magazine online.

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