In an ongoing effort to improve the healthcare provided to our beneficiaries, Naval Hospital Oak Harbor has received a new state-of-the art “computed tomography” or CT scanner.
The Siemens Somatom Definition AS diagnostic equipment offers extremely high diagnostic certainty. This 64 slice CT is versatile, can be used for cardiology, oncology, trauma, and offers a significant reduction in radiation dose, an important feature our patients will appreciate, it. This scanner is rapidly becoming the standard examination at medical facilities around the globe. The speed and the Definition Flash translate to better patient safety and comfort.
For trauma patients, the ability to scan the entire body in under five seconds reduces delays in getting the patient to surgery. The new equipment eliminates the need for holding your breath during the scan making it much easier for patients who are very sick or injured and young children.
January 22, 2010
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Employing force that doesn’t use explosions or projectiles — known in military circles as “nonkinetic force” — Carrier Air Wing 11 supports troops on the ground in Afghanistan while minimizing the potential for civilian casualties.
EA-6B Prowlers assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 135 deploy daily from the Nimitz flight deck, jamming electronic signals in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
“Our main focus of effort is to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum,” explained Navy Lt. Cmdr. Blake Tornga, Electronic Attack Squadron 135 maintenance officer. “That means we preserve it for coalition forces and we deny its use to Afghan insurgents. If we can successfully do that many times, the ground commander may not need a bomb.”
January 14, 2010
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Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead stopped by the Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell at Kandajar in Afghanistan Jan. 9 to visit the Paladin-Southís joint service staff for a tour and brief about Paladin-Southís mission and capabilities.
The CNO and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West also took questions from Paladin staff, ranging from uniforms to warfare qualifications.
While there, the CNO took the time to present Construction Mechanic 1st Class (EXW/SCW) Christian A. Beltramo with an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11ís Senior Sailor of the Year award.
January 14, 2010
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For the first time, the VR-61 “Islanders” and the NAS Whidbey Island Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency crews recently participated in a joint simulated emergency training exercise. It was the perfect fusion of military and civilian synergy brought together by a common goal: to train both squadron and fire department personnel on how to properly execute and survive a ground evacuation following an onboard fire involving a C-9B Skytrain.
The day began with an extensive brief by Battalion Chief Sean Merrill of the NAS Whidbey Fire and Emergency Service on the procedures crash crew personnel use to combat aviation fires and the methods used to extract passengers and crew from a burning aircraft.
Then, VR-61 Cmdr. Brad Graham and fellow pilots, aircrew and maintenance personnel provided C-9-specific information about cargo positioning procedures, location and types of hazardous material typically carried in the C-9, procedures for ground evacuation, and primary and secondary exits used in case of an on board fire.
January 14, 2010
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NAS Whidbey Island owns $1.5 billion worth of facilities and utilities. This infrastructure is critical to the mission of base commands from cooking meals at the galley to repairing aircraft at Fleet Readiness Center Northwest.
Unfortunately, most of the air station’s infrastructure is old, largely constructed in the 1940s and 1950s. The base has historically received only $35 million in project money each year, not enough to meet the $50 million needed to keep up with repair and replacement schedules.
Thanks to increased Navy focus and a hard working public works department, project funding in the past three years has increased dramatically — averaging $75 million a year with a record high $90 million in 2009.
January 14, 2010
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A litter of Labrador retriever puppies was born last year in Kansas Nov. 10, the week of Veteran’s Day. In honor of the men and women who serve in our military, KSDS, Inc., named each of the 10 yellow and black puppies for military bases around the United States, and one roly-poly little yellow male pup was named “Whidbey.”
We didn’t find out about our namesake puppy until last week when we received a call from Judith Sifers, chief executive officer of KSDS, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization located in Washington, Kan. which is in the north central region of the state. KSDS, Inc., promotes the independence and inclusion of individuals with disabilities as fully participating and contributing members of their communities and society by providing guide, service and social dogs.
“It was so interesting learning about the different bases and deciding on the names for our puppies,” said Sifers, who was holding “Miramar” in her lap during the phone call. “We learned so much about where our military men and women are serving. It’s made us feel much closer to them.”
January 14, 2010
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Each year, a NAS Whidbey Island tenant command survey is conducted in order to improve base support services.
For 2009, this survey was completed in November and discussed at the December Customer Advisory Board (CAB).
For Operational Support, Whidbey customers gave a 4.3 (of 5) aggregate rating. Public Safety, including Fire, Security and Emergency Management, received the highest score of 4.81 and base planning for platform transitions and other projects received a 4.6 grade.
Areas of improvement included the need to accelerate processing of returning Navy Air Logistics Office flights, increasing janitorial service frequency and finding additional space in Hangars 6 and 7 which are below the minimum levels.
January 14, 2010
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An interesting turn of events occurred within the past few weeks for NAS Whidbey Island civilian employee Brian Tyhuis. Only nine months into his two-year public works internship, Tyhuis was assisting with a project to demolish a 94-year-old farmhouse at the air station’s Outlying Landing Field in Coupeville. What he didn’t know at the time was that his great-great grandfather Ralph Kingma built the house in 1915.
In his job as a planner, Tyhuis was working with Forest City Military Communities, LLC, the Navy Region Northwest’s Public Private Venture housing partner, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest to remove the farmhouse and build a new home for Navy military caretakers who oversee the property 11 miles south of the main air station.
“I didn’t know the history of the house at the time,” explained Tyhuis. “It wasn’t until I read in the local newspaper that people wanted to save the house that it was originally built by Ralph Kingma.”
January 7, 2010
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Navy Region Northwest (NRNW) Fire and Emergency Services and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island held a reopening ceremony for Fire Station 70 on the NAS Whidbey Island Seaplane Base Dec. 15.
The event was the result of the completion of more than $500,000 in renovations to the more than 5,000 square-foot facility that was originally built in 1943. The contract for the project was awarded to Northwest McGrath JV LLC, Jan. 30 and was completed Dec. 8.
Included in the rehabilitation were the repainting of walls and ceilings, installation of new blinds and floors, replacing kitchen cabinets and renovating bathrooms. Energy efficiency was also improved in the facility by installing a new heating system and lighting, as well as better insulation from the elements in the form of new windows and exterior doors. Furthermore, the crew living quarters were converted.
January 7, 2010
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Navy Band Northwest performed a free, all-ages holiday concert, dubbed “The Spirit of the Season,” for the Oak Harbor community in Oak Harbor High School’s Parker Hall Dec. 12.
This is the sixth year the event has been held which featured an array of Christmas, Hanukkah and holiday songs as well, as a sing-along for audience members to participate in.
“Tonight we had the pleasure of performing for the community of Oak Harbor, doing a holiday concert and getting everybody ready for the holiday season,” said Chief Musician Patrick Hawes, Navy Band Northwest “Cascade” band leader.
December 17, 2009
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