Fort Detrick Branch of the Commissioned Officers Association
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
7/11/01
Call to Order: The Fort Detrick Branch of the COA meeting convened at 1800 hrs at the FT Detrick facility with LCDR Rick Gussio and LCDR Lucienne Nelson of the Executive Committee present.
Reading of minutes: The following two corrections to New Business were suggested.
1) Officers need to log onto CCRF web site at least quarterly, not monthly as stated in the minutes. 2) Regular meeting time is 1800 hrs, not 1900 hrs, unless otherwise stated.
Treasurer’s Report: No report
Other Reports: No other reports
Introduction of newly elected members: No new elections held. Members are encouraged to consider serving on the Branch Executive Committee. Elections will be held in November.
Reports of Standing Committees: No Reports
Unfinished Business: Our mission and vision statements are important tasks to formulate with the members present. This will be a future agenda item.
New Business: LCDR Gussio presented his discussion with Col. Fearon (USA-Barquist Health Care Facility at FT Detrick) regarding availability of a USPHS officer of the Dental Category to staff the Army Outpatient Clinic for a short-term vacancy due to vacation, transition between FTEs, etc. A letter from LCDR Gussio to Col. Fearon in response to his request, detailed the logistics of deploying an Inactive Reserve Officer Corps as outlined by CAPT Sayers in a previous discussion. Col. Fearon was also informed about the criteria of a crisis response by the CCRF and was referred to the response coordinator, CDR Slepski as the CCRF contact person. Essentially the Army would be responsible for providing the funding for the billet of a USPHS officer for long term assignments.
In this same light, Col. T. Diallo, Director of the Barquist Army Health Care Facility, expressed interest in how the USPHS might assist in staffing needs at the base Clinic. LCDR Gussio presented a letter of correspondence with Col. Diallo, depicting the three options in which USPHS officers might serve the Army’s short term needs for physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, etc. with the Army funding the officer’s billet. 1) Inactive Reserves of the USPHS is one option wherein officers could be placed for 2 weeks to 2 years at a time. 2) If a crisis situation presented at the Fort Detrick Health Center, the CCRF of the USPHS could be activated providing officers for two weeks at a time until the crisis was resolved. 3) A volunteer program might be considered with our local association providing officers currently in administrative billets with the USPHS needing to obtain clinical hours in their field to maintain CCRF readiness status. This collaboration with our local Army installation could be a valuable alliance for our Branch.
Along these lines, LCDR Gussio received an invitation for our Branch to attend the Fort Detrick Installation Ball 2001 hosted by Major General John Parker on August 17, 2001 at the Holiday Inn at Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick. This function is open to the Fort Detrick community, formal attire (service mess dress) and the cost is only $18.00 per person. More information is available on the Fort Detrick web site, or to inquire further call the Public Affairs Office at 301-619-2018.
National COA reading and actions: No report
Program: Inquiries were made to LCDR Gussio regarding the swim test for the MSC as an optional PRT endurance requirement to the run. LCDR Gussio contacted LCDR Carlson, manager of the Navy Physical Readiness Program in Millington TN to inquire specifically about the Fort Detrick pool (33 yard/lap) and the calculation of number of laps to meet the Navy PRT standards. It was determined that the swim test can be performed at the Detrick pool for the MSC and CCRF fitness test according to Navy standards. This option will be posted to the MSC, FT Detrick COA Branch web page and an email sent to DMAT and CCRF making this testing option available for officers. LCDR Gussio is working on the availability of the pool and testing center for this option during the summer months remaining, We discussed further options for non-summer month testing options in the Frederick community. The options mentioned were Hood College, YMCA, and Frederick High School. Another consideration made was the NNMC in Bethesda for officers in that vicinity desiring the swim PFT option. Further contacts will need to be made into these possibilities. The MSC test requirement is twice a year to be no less than 4 months apart and no greater than eight months apart. CCRF and DMAT require fitness testing once a year (12 months).
Nominations and elections: Search for a C.O. for the Military Standards Cadre continues. This individual functions as a liaison regarding MSC and directs inquiries accordingly.
Adjournment: This meeting adjourned at 1930 hrs following plans to share the topics discussed with the membership for further discussion and dissemination. Next meeting is Wednesday, September 12, 2001 1800-1930 hrs at Building 426, Fort Detrick.