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Learning to Care for Those in Harms Way

January 16, 2009

I’m very proud of my classmate & husband of 21 years. Check out todays Press Release:

Uniformed Services University
of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
Release No.09-01-02
January 16, 2009

News Release

USUCHD Enters Educational Training Partnership with Steptoe Group

BETHESDA, Md. — Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) Center for Health Disparities Research and Education (USUCHD) and the Steptoe Group, LLC have entered into an agreement to research, develop and implement a culturally competent interdisciplinary educational training program for mental health providers and practitioners. The program is designed for health providers with the expertise and capacity to deliver high-quality services that are patient-centered, evidence-based and address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations within the military community.

The partnership will address the lack of health care provider and practitioner training, educational resources, uniformity and systemic impediments that exacerbate cultural, economic, familial, and regional geographic challenges contributing to disparities in health and health care. This is generally applicable when applied to mental health and mental health care issues found among military and veteran populations.

Dr. Tracy Sbrocco, USUCHD Director of Research (center), President and CEO of the Steptoe Group, LLC, Ronald Steptoe (right); and C.J. Jordan, sign a partnership agreement to develop an interdisciplinary educational training program.
The Steptoe Group, LLC and USUCHD shall work in concert with each other to research innovative solutions to the health care challenges facing the military and veteran provider and practitioner communities, including but not limited to the ability of health care providers and practitioners to adequately screen, diagnose, treat, and manage service members, service member’s families, and veterans in a culturally competent and patient- centered manner when implementing evidence-based best practices.
This includes managing and sharing information, delivering a standardized and effective mental health provider and practitioner training throughout the military and veteran communities. The programs will include, but are not limited to the following tools: DVD, Web Based Training, Web Based Certification, and Train- the-Trainer workshops.

Located on the grounds of Bethesda’s National Naval Medical Center and across from the National Institutes of Health, USU is the nation’s federal school of medicine and graduate school of nursing. The university educates health care professionals dedicated to career service in the Department of Defense and the U.S. Public Health Service. Students are active-duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service, who are being educated to deal with wartime casualties, natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, and other public health emergencies.

The USUCHD has renowned expertise in systemically assessing reasons for health and health care disparities and expertise in developing and implementing educational initiatives that aim to teach providers the key tools and skills to deliver high quality care to diverse populations grounded in patient centered methodologies to significantly enhance health care education, research, and practice.

The Steptoe Group, LLC and its strategic partners have developed expertise through successful past performances in Concept Refinement, Technology Development, System Development, Demonstration, Production and Deployment, as well as Operations and Support.

For more information or to learn more, contact Ronald Steptoe at ron@thesteptoegroup.com

Posted in Leadership & Training, Making A Difference, The Army, Veteran's Affairs | 5 Comments »

My Apathy

January 5, 2009

I am indifferent about our apathy. Unlike some among our ranks I truly enjoy our forum. Even the most trivial topics keep me interested. I feel I can ask questions on any topic and rely on the expertise and diversity of our class to fulfill my curiosity. There is one query I have yet to get addressed. Why is our class the apathetic class? Do we really not care about our Alma Mater? Why is our participation in class gifts so low? Do we believe we are owed something from our experience? Are we still trying to fight the system and pave our own path along the Long Gray Line? Please hear me out. If I can change one person’s mind I will feel a lot better about my rant.

My experience at West Point certainly does not define me, but it is an integral part of who I am. Is it the great education that makes us apathetic? Is it the great leadership training we got? Why can’t we all look beyond that? Here is why I am done with our Apathy. While I wasn’t a Gray Hog by any stretch of the definition, I can not help but feel the tug of that Long Gray Line. There are so many things that changed my apathy; here is what makes me un-apathetic. I know on any given day, if I am in dire straights and need help I can pick up the phone, call some West Point friends and get help. I also know I would eagerly respond to getting a similar phone call. Every time I see the number Seven I think, ”What the hell rhymes with seven other than heaven and leaven?” Every time I see a bottle of Tabasco sauce, I think of Linc Haynes, plebe year standing on the chair during dinner yelling, “Sir, would anyone else care for the Tabasco Sauce?”.then drinking the entire bottle so we could “Fall out” and actually eat a complete meal on a B-1 table. Every time my daughter has to write an essay for her High School classes I think, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Every time I channel surf and see a Lumber Jack competition on ESPN 2 I think, “What the hell were they thinking in I- 4?” When I see Ghostbusters I think – Theta Goat. When I see pop up sprinklers, I think homecoming. When I take family and friends to West Point for a game I point to Washington’s statue and say that horse’s balls used to be shined with Brasso all the time. When I see MOTRIN I think of Airborne School. We all of put our standard issue MOTRIN into a pile so we could give it to Rudy Estevez who obviously broke his foot on the first jump and did not want to get recycled. He made all the runs, Ron Lewis and I sandwiched him between us and threw him out of the plane four additional times.Dynamite Parachute Landing Fall SGT Airborne! Every time I see Black Hawk Down I yell, “Jim Yacone was my roommate!” When I see Snoopy, I think of my Beloved Flying Circus. When I see cheerleaders I want to yell, “pass her up”. When I see pound cake I want to cut it into seven equal pieces using dental floss. I think of the controlled burn being the only time I “smoked” pot. I think of the dumb ass Air Force pilots who LITERALLY blew us off the runway on the way to Colorado for the football game by starting the engines of the C141 ahead of us while we were still loading up the planes in back. When I look in my sock drawer, I smile.they don’t. I think of being challenged to a pull up contest by a general. But most of all, I think of all of you reading my rant. Why are we the apathetic class? I’m sick of hearing that! Only 18% participation? Come On!

NOTHING COOL RHYMES WITH SEVEN! Our motto is Our Country We Strengthen! I have always felt I had a rendezvous with destiny. It’s not just me, we all do. Whether we continue to actively serve our nation (God Bless you all and your families) or have chosen to pursue other goals, our time to live up to that motto is now! From now on I am indifferent about our apathy. I will support our class and its gift to our Alma Mater. To all my C-2 friends – expect a call, because I am going to push you also. I hope you all do the same. There, I am off my soap box and ready to talk about the damned football team again, but first tell me what makes you un-pathetic?

Posted in AOG & Alumni Affairs | 17 Comments »