Armed Forces Optometric SocietyProudly Serving Federal Optometrists

Since 1970

AFOS Newsletter July 2015

AFOS "The highest Vision Standards

in the world" Greetings! We hope you enjoy this newsletter edition. As a reminder,Advanced Registration for AFOS/Academy is open. And we havea special bundled AAO/AFOS Package this year. Never attendedan AFOS meeting? No excuse to miss this great opportunity.

Our meeting is October 6th in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our hosthotel is the New Orleans Marriott, the only Academy Hotel in theFrench Quarter and government rates are still available.

Special Bundled AAO/AFOS Package: Only need to get approvalfor the one combined meeting. This special package providessignificant saving and up to 41 hours of COPE CE. For the price ofthe Academy registration rate, federal service optometrists willreceive both the AFOS program (6 hours CE) and the 4 dayAcademy program (up to 35 hours CE).

Registration is on the Academy website. And Early Birdregistration ends August 2nd.

Rooms are still available at the Government per diem rate in ourAFOS block. You can only reserve in our block by clicking here

AFOS continues to deliver the best value in all of optometry for ourmembers. Leading edge CE, first class accommodations, top ratedbanquet services, and the best exhibitors in the industry await youat AFOS 2015 in New Orleans. We hope everyone can be there. If you are not a member you can

In This IssuePresident's Column

Welcome

Army

Air Force

Navy

Public Health

Veterans Affairs

Air National Guard

Navy Reserve

CE Committee

CommunicationsCommittee

Awards Committee

MembershipCommittee

Meetings Committee

Student Liaison

EDs' Final Thoughts

Register forAFOS/Academy

Sponsors

join today.

Click Here to Register.

Click Here to Join AFOS

President's Column Dr. Adrienne Ari

I hope you are taking advantage of the awesome deal for the AFOS/AAO meeting inOctober. For one fee ($425), members will have access to both meeting of over 40hours of fantastic COPE approved Continuing Education. Please registertoday! Hope to see you all in New Orleans! Wow! What a great Optometry's Meeting in Seattle! Thank you to our memberswho volunteered their time to represent AFOS in the House of Delegates

And a big thank you to LTC Chan Webster whocarried our flag during the HoD's OpeningCeremonies. Great job!

AFOS had a record­breaking year with 70 votes and a total of 14 delegate seats.Below is the list of 15 members who volunteered and served as delegates/alternates. Dr. Adrienne Ari Dr. Michael Davis Dr. Marrie ReadDr. Carla Engelke Dr. Aly Wasik Dr. Mike PattisonDr. Chan Webster Dr. Joe Pruitt Dr. Dorothy Hitchmoth

Dr. Allan Rhoads Dr. Richard Baird Dr. Debbie HettlerDr. Penny Walter Dr. Fred Satkowaik Dr. Anthony Borgognoni

New Membership Benefit­Contact Lens National Account Thanks to the partnership we have with CooperVision, our first Patriot Sponsor, AFOShas a national account for you to order contact lenses for you and your family at directwholesale pricing.

Click here to see the details and order contacts today.

On a more somber note, this was the last meeting for our fabulous ExecutiveDirectors, Anthony and Gina Borgognoni, who are stepping down in August. Theyhave been instrumental in leading AFOS, continuing the work started by DaveSimpson and growing our organization to the ninth largest AOA affiliate. We willmiss you both! See their farewell thoughts at the end of this newsletter. Also at OM, your officers, led by the President Elect Mike Davis, conductedinterviews to select a new Executive Director. The results of that process will beannounced soon. This Optometry's Meeting again had AFOS written all over it. The Pledge ofAllegiance was led by LTC Adrienne Ari and Sergeant­At­Arms Committee was ledby Dr. Aly Wasik. Dr. Marrie Read was the Chair of the Nominations Committeeand Dr. Chan Webster was the AFOS flag bearer during the opening ceremony.

On a fun note, LTC Adrienne Ari and CDR Mike Davis represented AFOS in thefun run. CDR Mike Davis won his age group! Congratulations Mike!!

AFOS President Adrienne Ari and President Elect Mike Davis

WELCOME Residents and New Accessions

As President, I want to personally welcome all residents andnew accessions to AFOS and Federal Service Optometry.Your first order of business is to sign up for membership soyou can be connected to the most up to date informationconcerning your career and our profession. We makeoptometry stronger through membership, and that is theresponsibility of each OD. I invite you to take a few minutes and join today and do notforget to make every effort to register and attend our national meeting in New Orleans onOctober 6th which is held right before the Academy meeting.

JOIN NOWRegister for the AFOS National Meeting

Army

COL Denis Descarreaux

Retirements, Farewells and New Accessions This summer we will be saying goodbye to a number of officers that will transition out ofthe Army. Many of these officers have been colleagues of mine over the past 18 years and itcertainly elicits a mix of emotions. Please join me in recognizing the following retiringofficers for their dedication and commitment to the defense of our nation and the finest ofcare rendered to our Soldiers, Families, and Retirees:

­LTC "Dex" Peters­LTC "Charlie" Coe­LTC John Lorey­LTC "Cameron" Vanroekel­LTC "Trish" Allen­LTC "Tom" Damiani­LTC "Deb" Nelissen (McNamara)­MAJ Jennifer Filiatreau We will also be saying to good bye to a group of officers who have made the decision tocontinue their professional careers outside of the Army. Many Thanks to the following foryour service and contributions to your country; MAJ Jeff Duncan MAJ Jennifer Meadows CPT Cassie BrownCPT Chris Brueckner CPT Adewale Adegbile CPT Steven JewettCPT Gregory Livingston CPT Evan Stoud CPT Dustin Wiles

I wish all these officers and their families the best as they move on to another phase of theircareers.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Army Optometry will welcome 11 new accessions this year.

CPT Kyle Anderson CPT Kelly Bain CPT Jason ChristmanCPT Alex Falb CPT Marcelo Moya CPT Gina PelaezCPT Amy Walsh CPT Nicholas Wenande CPT Alina WheelerCPT Sylvester Cobbina CPT Aaron Peterson Many of these officers will participate in a pilot program for the newly implementedAMEDD Direct Commissioning Course (DCC). This 4 week course will replace the 2 weekAMEDD Officer Preparatory Course. Beginning next year, most AMEDD direct accessionofficers will travel to FT Sill, OK to receive enhanced leadership development training tobecome more familiar with the Army profession prior to attending BOLC­B at JBSA.

Promotions

To Colonel:LTC(P) James CarrellLTC(P) Germaine Oliver

To Lieutenant Colonel:

MAJ (P) Andy GregoryMAJ (P) Marilyn (Macalos) MuellerMAJ (P) Kelly OlsonMAJ (P) Tony PattersonMAJ (P) David Walsh

To MajorCPT(P) Kristina Bartee CPT(P) Brittany Ellis CPT(P) Bret LehmanCPT(P) Isaac Schunk CPT(P) Michael Stevens CPT(P) Kayla Vickers

Long Term Health Education Training:

Please join me in congratulating the officers selected for FY16 residencies andadvanced degrees.

ProgramMAJ Harris Abbasi Army Baylor

MAJ Crystal Brigantti MBA Healthcare AdministrationMAJ Brad Cunningham Residency­Primary Care Optometry

CPT Steven Klein Residency­Neuro­Optometry

CPT Kyle Ohman Residency Primary Care Optometry

CPT Steven Plaxco Residency Primary Care Optometry

Optometry Teams

MAJ Brad Cunningham reports from Fort Bliss: For the first time in Army optometry, the507th Medical Detachment (OPTO) of Fort Bliss assumed the FY 15 Defense Chemical,Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Response Force (DCRF) Mission, on 01 OCT2014. The team has conducted over 30 training events, participated in Vibrant Response,completed an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE), multiple SRP's, andnow completes weekly update briefs. For the next 18 months, MAJ Brad Cunningham(CDR) and CPT Jessica Linder (XO) are 100% ready to execute mission assignments insupport of civil authorities in order to save eyesight and prevent further injury."

Currently in Theater Kuwait: CPT Elizabeth Sall

Army Reserves

Army Reserve Optometrist, LTC "Rip"Kirby, sends greetings from CampZama, Japan. After a vetting process todetermine the need for a reserve asset,LTC Kirby volunteered to assist theactive component with a several monthoptometry shortage. LTC Kirby ispictured with Camp Zama optometrystaff, PFC Regina Lyand SGT AaronCanady, at the Torii Gate, located southof Tokyo.

United States Air Force

Capt Shirley Bright Capt Matthew PolsterCapt Sarah Ganz Capt Suzanne RomeoCapt Rachel Kaneta Capt Joseph SarconeCapt Michelle Massie Capt Ramon YalldoCapt Marc Musto Capt Brian ZembowerCapt Meggie Nguyen Capt Ting Zhang

Col Annette Williamson

Accomplishments/Awards: Capt Frank Kuchera recently completed a Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP)event at the 2015 Paris Air Show in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Heworked with French Ministry of Defense officers to coordinate the visit of distinguishedvisitors including the Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah James, along with severalGeneral Officers from both France and the United States. Capt Kuchera also volunteeredmore than 30 hours of translation services in support of a humanitarian medical mission tothe Republic of the Congo. Maj Justin Holbrook was selected as the Air Force Biomedical Sciences Field GradeOfficer of the Year for 2014 and is now serving as the executive officer to the UnitedStates Air Forces in Europe and Africa Surgeon General.

New Accessions, Farewells, and Retirements

ACCESSIONS

Separation

Maj Andrew Helman Maj Matthew UbedeiCapt Nicholas Appleman Capt Paul BoudreauxCapt Nicholas Hardgrave Capt Benjamin LundeenCapt Jacob Plett Capt Brandon ReedCapt Shawn Skinner

Retired/Retiring

Col James Forrest Col Daniel Reiser Col Ray Santullo

Lt Col Laura Barnes Lt Col Timothy Nelson Maj Anthony Spencer

Promotions

O­6

Col Scott McKim Col Ryan Traver

O­5

Lt Col Tara Anderson Lt Col Richard Baird Lt Col Michael BogaardLt Col Jonelle Knapp Lt Col Chad Simpson

O­4

Maj FunmilayoAranmolate

Maj Robert Carlsen Maj Thomas Garrido

Maj Michael Gitchel Maj Brandon Harris Maj Kyle HiattMaj Marilyn Lai Maj Lynh Nguyen Maj Felicia RinkenMaj Alexandra Tran

NAVY

CAPT Matthew Newton

AFOS Colleagues, it is incredible how quickly the time goes! Navy Optometry continuesas an integral part of the forces changing and shaping our profession from the deckplatesto the highest levels of policy development. Passionate care for our patients remains right

CAPT Cyrus Rad CAPT David HicksCAPT Kevin McGowan CAPT Douglas Monette

at the very heart of our chosen profession while energy and excitement characterize thedelivery of that care in service to our Nation. A huge Bravo Zulu to all for going aboveand beyond! Welcome Aboard to our new Health Professions Scholarship Program optometrists:

LT Julie Simmons graduated NECO Sewell's Point BHC NorfolkLT Anthony Belekanich graduated NOVA

SoutheasternBHC NS Everett

LT Stephen Jaggi graduated PacificUniversity

USNH Okinawa

Farewell and "thank you" to the following optometrists who will be greatly missedas they move on to new facets of their careers: LT Lisa Schneider LT Phillip Tabor LT David Malchow A special "thanks and congratulations" for their many years of service to CDR KenWhitwell and CDR Mark Lambrecht who will retire in 2015. Their positive impact onour profession and personal commitment to mentoring the next generation of optometryofficers will be remembered for years to come!

Promotions

Congratulations on upcoming 2015 promotions

To Captain

To Commander To Lieutenant CommanderCDR Rodel Divina LCDR Jeremy Lamb

Congratulations on their FY­16 selection

Continuing Promise team

Pacific Partnership Team

To 0­6CDR Rick Zeber CDR Tyson Brunstetter

To 0­5LCDR Robert Senko

To 0­4We expect to see the FY­16 O­4 selection results soon and wish the best for those beingconsidered for selection!

DEPLOYMENTS

This year has seen the redeployment of the hospital ships in their humanitarian assistanceroles, and as has been the case for many years, Navy Optometry is a force multiplyingleader in healthcare delivery.

Our thoughts and well wishes to CDR Eric Barnes (Medical Operations Planner),LCDR William Hill, LT Serena Leung, and LT Kevin Hoang aboard USNS Comfort (T­AH 20) for Continuing Promise2015.

Also to LCDR Matthew Horner, LTGillian Claveria­Ooms, and LT Fei Siuaboard USNS Mercy (T­AH 19) for PacificPartnership 2015.

Additionally, LT Micah Kinney and LT Thuy Phung are providing support for ourNavy Reserve Optometry in support of FY­15 Innovative Readiness Training missionsEAST BLACK BELT, TUSKEGEE, AL and BOOTHEEL, SIKESTON, MO. The close

relationship and partnership between Active and Reserve Components continues toenhance mission effectiveness and healthcare delivery for all.

Welcome home to CDR David Hicks who has been deployed the better part of the lastyear as Deputy Director/Medical Planner in Djibouti, CJTF­HOA Surgeon Cell!

EXECUTIVE MEDICINE

Congratulations to CAPT Dale Barrette on his selection as Executive Officer, NavalHospital Sigonella!

Also, congratulation to CDR Cyrus Rad on his completion of a hugely successfulassignment as Officer in Charge, BHC NAS Oceana! Navy Optometry has traditionallydone well screening for executive medicine assignments, and we will expect more of thesame in the coming year. AWARDS

The following personnel were appropriately recognized in this past year for theiroutstanding leadership and professional contributions!

Navy Optometry Awards: *Navy OD of the Year for 2014­ CDR Michael Sunman*Navy Junior OD of the Year for 2014­ LCDR Sandra Su*Navy Extern Director of the Year for 2014 ­ LCDR Matthew Horner*Navy Clinical Optician of the Year for 2014­ HM2 J. Blake Weldon

AFOS 2015 AWARDS:*Navy OD of the Year ­ CDR Andrew Archila*Navy Junior OD of the Year ­ LT Adam Preston

NOSTRALeading in the execution of the Optical Fabrication Enterprise (OFE) Program, NavalOphthalmic Support and Training Activity is working in close cooperation with tri­servicepartners via the Optical Fabrication Advisory Board to advance the efficiency andeffectiveness of military ophthalmic optical support. Current initiatives includepromoting the deployment SRTSweb, preparing for a refresh of the Frames of ChoiceProgram, upgrading technology and equipment at OFE Labs, and enhancing OFE Labconnectivity via development of the Defense Optical Fabrication Enterprise ManagementSystem.

2015 has already been a momentous year with the recent approval of the updatedOphthalmic Services instruction, and the depth and breadth of Navy Optometry'smission(s) has never been greater. Across the board, Navy Optometry continues to lead inproving the best possible care to our beneficiaries, ensuring vision readiness and missionreadiness!

PUBLIC HEALTHCAPT Dawn Clary

IHS Biennial Eye Care Meeting: Upcoming tentative dates for 2016 Biennial Eye Care Meeting: June 6­9, 2016. Thanks to SCCO at M.B. Ketchum University for hosting our meeting. IHSLRP: FY 2015 brought 10 New Awards and 28 Extensions. Reminder to all new andextension applicants, you need to meet application deadlines.

ICD 10: Implementation October 1, 2015. Please be aware of the following: Chapter 7 describesthe disorders of the eye and its parts and the surrounding parts, such as the eyelid along withlaterality. The Chapter excludes several conditions including those originating in the perinatalperiod, from infectious diseases, from diabetes mellitus, from childbirth, from injury, and others(see complete list: http://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/H00­H59).

* ICD­10 Website:

* http://www.ihs.gov/icd10

* ICD­10 Prep Listserv:

* http://www.ihs.gov/listserver/index.cfm?module=signUpForm&list_id=201

FY 2015 saw 9 Optometrists complete IHS Residency Programs. They provided over20,000 patient visits. This program benefits Indian Health System patients and serves as arecruitment tool. To date 30% of those who completed IHS Residency Programs are stillpracticing within an Indian Health System. PHS Promotions PY'15: Optometry Promotion Stats

Rank/Grade Optometry HSOT­6 25% 19%T-5 71% 29%T-4 100% 72%

Congratulations to the following officers on their promotions listed below with theirnew ranks. LCDR Kelly DaltonCDR Paul DewittCDR Erin GilesCDR Ryan ManningCDR Greg SmithCDR Anthony StoutCAPT Brian CulliganCAPT Lynette DziukCAPT Greg Flaitz Promotions are getting more and more competitive within PHS; Officership isimperative. An Officer is required to extend beyond clinical roles and get involved on anArea or National level. This can be within IHS or PHS. Revised APFT effective January 1, 2016 http://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/ under Medical Affairs tab Please review the new requirements. Updated Uniform Policies: Please go to the following link: http://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/ New Calls to Duty: PHS Optometry saw a 2 day open call for optometry applicationsduring the month of November. Initial count of optometrists requesting applications was6. There were 4 applicants to complete the application and 3 are still waiting to hearabout the status of their application.

VETERANS AFFAIRS Dr. Kelly Thomann Special Announcement:

Dr. John Townsend

Dr. John Townsend, Optometry's Service Chief for theDepartment of Veterans Affairs, will be leading aservice break out session for all optometrists and residentsserving in the VA. This breakout will be held during theAFOS meeting on October 6, 2015 at the New OrleansMarriott. All attendees will receive 2 hours of COPEapproved CE for this speciality presentation.

The NAVAO annual business meeting and reception will takeplace in New Orleans on October 08, 2015 at the HiltonRiverside, in conjunction with the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting.Participation at the October 2015 NAVAO meeting is free for NAVAO Residentmembers.

The NAVAO is also offering eight, $250 scholarships* to current, active residentNAVAO members in order to support travel to the NAVAO meeting. To apply for thescholarship, the 2015­2016 VA resident should submit a statement of intent for use of thescholarship for the American Academy of Optometry in 200 words or less and also acurrent Curriculum Vitae.

The deadline for the scholarship application is Friday, September 11th. The statementof intent and their CV should be submitted to: info@navao.org. Recipients of thescholarship will be announced by September 25th.*Scholarship funding is provided by IET (International Engineering Technology)Foundation and NAVAO. This is an election year for NAVAO officers. Information and the call for nominationscan be found on the NAVAO website. All nominations are due by 7/31/15. Respectfully submitted,Kelly H. Thomann, O.D., F.A.A.O.Vice­President, NAVAO

Air National Guard

Maj Jennifer Carver

I hope everyone has been enjoying a safe and relaxing summer! Air National Guard transformation plan is moving along as scheduled and now is the timeto make any Manpower Change Requests (MCRs) for your unit. The POC is: SMSgtChristina Ryan­Miller; christina.m.ryanmiller.mil@mail.mil; 240­612­8557, DSN 612­8557. (From the Head's Up) The new request and tracking system for MCRs is the MCR andReporting System (MARS), which will force your FSS POC to enter the data on allMCRs. Please ensure you work closely with that POC as the information is being loaded,as Mr. Larson and I will be looking at the Remarks and the Justification areas to ensurethat members of the MDG have approved the action ­ and there should be justificationprovided as to why the action is being requested. Without that important information, theMCR will be delayed as I request that information from the MDG. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. The Air National Guard and Reserves medical records are going electronic! TheElectronic Health Record Rollout POCS are: Lt Col Matthew Wyatt, matthew.c.wyatt6.mil@mail.mil , Commercial: 240­612­7601,DSN 612­7601; Mr. Elliot Pearlman, elliot.n.pearlman.ctr@mail.mil, Commercial: 240­612­9349, DSN612­9439; SSgt Terri DeGuzman, terri.deguzman@ang.af.mil, SMSgt Marlo Hust, marlo.d.hust.mil@mail.mil, Commercial: 240­612­8535, DSN 612­8565 (From the Head's Up) The EHR Rollout project is well underway. Lt Col Wyatt, Mr.Pearlman, and SMSgt Marlo Hust are collecting the required certification documents forAHLTA/CHCS/HAIMS access, and are currently scheduling DCO training on HAIMSaccess. The HAIMS training team also recently provided DCO training slots for drillweekends to support training for traditional Guardsmen. I am looking forward to seeing you at the AFOS meeting in October in New Orleans!

NAVY RESERVECAPT Marie Gannon

Greetings from CAPT Marie Gannon

It is hard to believe that FY 15 is coming to a close! Navy Reserve Optometry continuesto have many exciting opportunities. In addition to providing optometric support atvarious worldwide medical instillations, Navy Reserve Optometrists satisfy the needs ofInnovation Readiness Training (IRT) exercises providing eye care to thousands of patientswho otherwise would not be able to ever appreciate the gift of sight. During FY15 therewere three highly successful IRTs that supported the underserved population in Alabama,Missouri, and New York. Thousands of exams were conducted and nearly every patientthat needed eyeglasses received one pair of single vision glasses. Having volunteered toparticipate at the Chenango Care IRT in New York, I can personally say that it wasextremely rewarding. The teamwork between Navy and Army reservists and active dutyand the civilian volunteers, made this a very successful mission. The NOSTRA team wascritical in supplying manpower to the optometry clinic as well as fabricating anddistributing glasses within 24 hours. Bravo Zulu!

IRT exercises offer a unique training opportunity for reservists to travel to anaustere/remote environment, work in field­like conditions with members of other militaryservices and civilians, where basic medical and optometric care are delivered to under­served communities in the United States. IRTs offer the ideal training venue to preparereservists for future Humanitarian Assistance or Disaster Response missions. If you areflexible, like to work hard and meet interesting new people and make an impact withunderserved populations, please consider volunteering.

Regarding FY 16 there will 4 IRT exercises and as I hear more details I will email them toyou.1. Arctic Care: Mar­Apr timeframe. (Kodiak, AK)2. East Bay Stand Down: Mid Sept. (Pleasanton, CA)3. Chenango: JUN­AUG (Norwich and Cortland, NY)4. Bluegrass: JUN­AUG (Paducah, KY) The Navy Reserve Optometry community is fairly small. Senior optometry billets arescarce and opportunities to be in a paid drill status are slim. A few of us are in theVoluntary Training Unit (drill with no pay); others hold Director for Administrationpositions for Operation Health Support Units (OHSU) or Expeditionary Medical Facilities(EMF), and a few hold support billets. In order to remain competitive you must take onextra collateral jobs. I highly encourage you to volunteer for leadership positions in yourmedical detachments, at headquarters or on field exercises, if you have not already doneso. If you land in the VTU, there are opportunities to stay engaged and lead, possibly asthe VTU XO or CO. This looks good on the Selection Boards and increases your chancesof getting a paid billet. Second, prepare your record! Selection boards, whether statutory or administrative, selectto the record! Every officer should review their record at least twice a year to ensureaccuracy. This includes review of your Officer Summary Record (OSR), PerformanceSummary Report (PSR) and Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). All of these can befound through the BUPERS on­line website. In closing, I appreciate the many blessings and opportunities that come with serving mycountry. I hope that you realize that no assignment is too small nor too big. You are partof a supportive family. Always look forward to the exciting opportunities where you can

contribute your unique skills to the benefit of your shipmates, and the community whichyou serve. Thank­you for all that you do. I am very proud to serve with such a greatgroup of shipmates!

*All Navy Reserve Optometrists ­ please forward your contact information to meASAP. I will place you on my email alert chain, to keep you up­ to­ date on militaryopportunities and provide mentoring information. Do not assume that I have yourcontact information.

Thank you.VR/ CAPT Marie Gannon, OD FAAO Director for Administration Expeditionary Medical Facility Bethesda Senior Medical Corps Executive, Bethesda Specialty Leader, Navy Reserve Optometry gannonmar@hotmail.com 248­330­9478

CE Committee

Dr. Joni Scott­Weideman

Greetings from the AFOS Continuing Education (CE) Committee! We are eagerlyanticipating the 47th annual AFOS Meeting in October! The best and biggest news we have to relay to you is that the American Academy ofOptometry has partnered with AFOS to offer a joint package for all AFOS members forthe AAO Annual Meeting. With one low fee you will gain access to 41CE credits: 6 onTuesday afternoon and 35 from Wednesday ­ Saturday. Your CE Committee has already been busy preparing for this upcoming meeting. Wehave secured five hours of dynamic, informative CE lectures. Two of these credits aredesignated for the Service Chiefs break­out sessions, that provide up­to­date news andinformation regarding our respective services. The final hour of our Continuing Education program is reserved for Federal ServiceGrand Rounds. We are looking for three speakers who would each do a 15 minute casepresentation and lecture. This format featuring our own AFOS members was done at our2014 Annual meeting in Denver, and the CE committee was overwhelmed with thepositive feedback we received. AFOS meetings are an excellent, national venue torepresent your service and to speak on topics of interest & expertise directly applicable to

your AFOS colleagues.

If you are interested in participating in the grandrounds, please contact: Dr. Joni Scott­Weideman ­floridaeyedoc@yahoo.com and Dr. MeghanElkins ­ Meghan.elkins@gmail.com. with youryour intent/topic by August 15, 2015.

Lastly, feel free to reach out to Dr. Scott­Weideman or Dr. Elkins if you have feedback,suggestions, or questions regarding either of AFOS's meetings. Your service­specificrepresentatives to the CE committee are also available to provide you with anyinformation you need regarding our continuing education. We are here to serve you.Please be sure to watch your inboxes for more information regarding the 2015AFOS/AAO CE program. We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans, Louisiana in October!

COMMUNICATIONSCOMMITTEEDr. Tyler Miles

AFOS Communication Committee update We endeavor to continually improve communications with all of our members. We arealways open to any suggestions. Remember to always update your membership profileinformation so we are able to get in touch with you via email, and a good phone number.Thanks.

The communications committee maintains the society web page and social mediaaccounts, and manages email announcements to the general membership. The past yearhas been more stable than most. Volunteers needed Additional volunteers are needed to help maintain and polish our web site, and especiallyto help elevate our social media presence. Experience with web design or graphic designis helpful, but our web site can be modified through a content management system whichdoes not require a lot of technical expertise, and can be learned on the fly. We could use adedicated social media champion to really watch over our facebook page, and look atmaintaining active twitter and linked in profiles. If you are interested, please contact Tyler Miles at tpmiles@gmail.com. Federal service OD images We are always on the look out of good images showing federal service Optometrists inaction whether it be in a hospital/clinic setting, or in a deployed/humanitarian setting, theyare a great way to freshen the content of the website. If you have some good militaryOptometry images that you can give permission to AFOS to use, please let us know. Youcan send to tpmiles@gmail.com

Awards CommitteeDr. Frank Kuchera "Award those who deserve!"

Awards: The presentation of the 2015AFOS OD, Junior OD,Reserve OD of the YearAward, and the COL BzdulaAFOS Student of the YearAward will take place inOctober at the Annual Meetingprior to AAO in New Orleans The AFOS OD and Junior OD

of the Year award recipients will be selected from the service­specific winners who wererecognized earlier this year in Atlanta. The overall winners will be submitted as nomineesfor the annual AOA awards. These awards are an excellent way to let our members know that we are aware of theirdedication, talent, and devotion to Federal Service and the optometric profession.Nominations for the 2016 award cycle will be accepted starting in late autumn. Pleaseconsider nominating one of our many outstanding optometrists! 2015 Service­specific OD & Jr OD of the Year Award Recipients: Air Force OD of the Year: Maj wesley KinerkArmy OD of the Year: MAJ Grace DumayasNavy OD of the Year: CDR Andrew ArchilaPHS OD of the Year: LCDR Ryan ManningVA OD of the Year: Dr. Alyon Wasik ******************************************************************************************

Air Force Jr OD of the Year: Maj Christopher PutnamNavy Jr OD of the Year: LT Adam PrestonPHS Jr OD of the Year: LCDR Gregory SmithVA Jr OD of the Year: Dr. Carla Engelke

Committee membership opportunities:Looking for ways to get involved? The AFOS Awards Committee is in search of AirForce and Army representatives to fill two open spots on our team. For details, pleaseemail Frank Kuchera (chair) at kuch5130@pacificu.edu AFOS/Salus University Tribute Scholarships: MPH and the NEW MSc/PhDProgram in Biomedicine Salus University ­ Winter Term Salus University has established a collaborative partnership with AFOS through whichSalus University would offer partial scholarships (50% of tuition) to pursue either anonline Masters in Public Health degree or a MSc/PhD in Biomedicine which is a newSalus program. AFOS/AOA members in every category (Active, Associate, Alumni,Adjunct, Life) in good standing and their dependents are eligible to apply*. All applicants must complete the University on­line MPH application process http://www.salus.edu/publicHealth/ph_applyOnline.html or the MSc/PhD applicationprocess http://www.salus.edu/biomedicine/biomedicine_applyOnline.html. All qualifiedapplicants will be considered for selection by the Scholarship Selection Board which willbe comprised of appointed members of the AFOS Awards committee and SalusUniversity. Additional information can be found on the AFOS website Awards page athttp://www.afos2020.org/or interested applicants may contact Dr. William Monaco atwmonaco@salus.edu or Dr Joseph Pruitt at pruitt.joseph@gmail.com *Eligibility: This means being current in your AFOS/AOA dues through 2015. If you areset up on month­to­month or quarterly recurring payments you are also in good standing.

Membership Committee Chair: Dr. Carrie Heller

Vice Chair Dr. Andrew DiMattina

THANK YOU! Because of your membership, thisyear we became the 9th largest affiliate of the AOA;we now have a bigger voice in the AOA House ofDelegates for key issues that affect all of our futures. In a time of continuing uncertaintiesand budget concerns, it is more important than ever that we continue to stay activeand unitedin our professional organization. This year we had the largest delegation in AFOShistory at the 118th Annual AOA Congress this past June in Seattle. This is all due toyour willingness to become an AFOS and AOA member and your commitment to stayinvolved in organized optometry.

Total AFOS members: 1086Rank by size of AOA affiliates: 9 out of 53 Voting power in the AOA Congress: 70 votes

The membership committee is starting a newproject this summer to recruit new accessionsand residents. We will contact all the new ODsstarting in July. They will be offered an initialAFOS membership that runs from July 1, 2015to December 31, 2016. This will allow all newODs including residents to have a 1½ yearmembership for the price of the 2016

membership. They will get all the perks ofAFOS membership six months early, including

the upcoming discounted Bundled AAOpackage, access to our Academy Hotel Block,our National Contact Lens program, etc.

If you are interested in volunteering for a vacant position, please contact me at chellerod@hotmail.com. The AFOS membership committee is hard at work maintaining current members as wellas recruiting new ones. The membership committee is continuing the membership

retention project in which we will be updating our members' records to allow for bettercommunication. To help us with this project, we kindly ask that you review yourmembership profile and update your current information online atwww.afos2020.org. We're also continuing to recognize our AFOS members; those inattendance at our meetings will receive a longevity certificate at five year anniversaryincrements.

Top 5 Reasons to be an AFOS member:5) To network with other awesome ODs 4) To be eligible to receive AFOS awards and scholarships for you and your family 3) To participate in top notch continued education classes 2) To get the lowest combined AFOS/ AOA rates. On average our member's total dues are60% less than colleagues from any other state affiliate. 1) To unite our profession and secure your future!

The summer season is here, which means we have many new ODs joining us. Pleasepass this newsletter along to all of your new accessions including residents andencourage them to join AFOS.

MeetingsCommittee

Dr. Susan Yee &Dr. Samuel Jarvis

Co­chairs

All Service branches of the Meetings committee are filled. Thank you for volunteering.Unfortunately due to various circumstances such as funding, clinic coverage, and personalsituations, some of the committee members will not be in attendance for the AFOSmeeting in October 2015. Any AFOS members attending the meeting in New Orleans andwilling to help out on site, would be greatly appreciated. All volunteers are welcomed. Current Committee Roster:

Air Force Dr. Stephen Simpson(AF)Dr. Nikki Lagendyk(AF)Dr. Syreeta Lawrence(AF)

Army Dr. Youykham Chanthavilay(Army)Dr. Crystal Deluca(VA)

Navy Dr. Samuel Jarvis (co­chair)NavyDr. Sara Bustamante(Navy)Dr. Lyndsey Ferris(AF)

Public Health Dr. Sanjeet Shahi(VA)Dr. heather Spampinato(VA)

VA Dr. Susan Yee (co­chair)VADr. Matthew Rhodes(VA)Dr. Reagan Darner(VA)

Student LiaisonAmber Egbert

AFOS National Student Liaison Report The AFOS student section is a great way to bring together students working toward acareer in the military as well as other branches of federal optometry. The optometrists inAFOS are outstanding mentors ready to help students navigate through school andtransition into their careers after graduation. In addition, students can connect with oneanother to share experiences and insights. After classes resume this fall, we will reach out to Health Professions ScholarshipProgram students to extend an invitation to join AFOS. In addition, the student section isworking to continue expanding membership beyond HPSP students. Many students havean interest in working with Indian Health Services, Veterans Affairs, Public Health,Public Service, Prisons, Emergency Response, the Military or other branches of federaloptometry, so this is an excellent way to learn more about those careers. Local liaisons areour best connection to each school's student body and have a very important role indiscussing the benefits of membership in AFOS. Soon we will be updating the studentsection of the website with the newest local liaison information. Help us spread the word! Student membership is only $15 per year and benefits includefree registration at two AFOS national meetings (one in conjunction with the Octobermeeting of the American Academy of Optometry in New Orleans and the other with theFebruary SECO meeting in Atlanta), travel grants, networking for job and residencyopportunities, leadership opportunities, and eligibility for Masters and PhD scholarships.

One of the best experiences I have had in my path to a career with the Navy was to attendthe national AFOS meeting last fall. There were break­out sessions for the variousbranches of federal optometry, allowing students to hear updates about what was going onin the specific area they were interested in. There were also opportunities to network withthe doctors working in each branch and gain insight on what we should be doing prior tograduation in order to prepare for the transition from student to doctor life with thegovernment. Last year's meeting was attended primarily by HPSP students, and next yearwe would like to bring in more students who are still exploring the various federal careers.Whether you are already planning to work in federal optometry or still thinking about it,plan to join us for the next national AFOS meeting in New Orleans this year October 6,2015 at the Marriott Canal St. If you are interested in attending and would like to share ahotel room with other students, please let me know as soon as possible so that I cancoordinate rooms. You can also book a room of your own at a reduced rate (check out thelink in the announcements about the upcoming meeting). Current optometrists ­ please let me know if you would be willing to contribute a shortpiece about your career path, what your average day is like, or how you got into yourcurrent position. This year we would like to send occasional emails to students withinformation to educate them on the various branches of federal optometry. My email isasegbert@gmail.com. Students ­ please visit our website for a number of resources tailored to students atwww.afos2020.org and click on the student tab. Also check out our Facebook page forupdates throughout the school year! Please contact me (asegbert@gmail.com) if you have any suggestions for how to betterreach out to students or if you would like to get more involved with AFOS. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and good luck in this upcoming school year! Amber Egbert 15­16 National AOSA/AFOS Liaison

Click the link below to check out the new AFOS FACEBOOK page for students. Don'tforget to like us!

EDs' FINAL THOUGHTS

Thank you for this opportunity, to be your Executive Directors. This has truly been one ofthe greatest challenges and blessings of my life. I have been inspired by you all incountless ways both personally and professionally. You all have opened my eyes to the

world of optometry and the amazing worthwhile profession it is. Thank you for allowingus to serve alongside of you. We will always cherish the friendships we have made inthese 3.5 years. We know AFOS, under new leadership will continue to soar.

Thanks to all of you!

Remember Anthony is still a member so we will continue to support and be a part of thisoutstanding organization.Gina

It has been our privilege to work for this organization. From day #1,our mission has been to elevate the stature, and to increase the influence of the ArmedForces Optometric Society. We began this journey in early 2012, and knew there was animmense untapped potential. Over the last 3.5 years, we have all worked together to re­engineer our organization.Without reservation, we can report that AFOS is thrivingfrom top to bottom. Back in 2011 AFOS was ranked 29thamong the 53 AOA Affiliates, and today we are the 9thlargest in the nation. The Armed Forces Optometric Societyis now a key player in national eye health policy.

Since 2012 there are three continuing themes we echoedover and over again:

United We Achieve More ­ Our credentialedmembership roster has increased by over 200%, andAFOS revenues have likewise increased by a staggering 250%. More memberbenefits, more member participation, more sponsors, more revenue streams, andmore influence. We all did this together with our united efforts. This is how it isdone.

AFOS the best deal in all of Optometry ­ You all have heard us preach thismessage during our entire tenure. No other affiliate in the AOA has anything closeto the benefits our members enjoy. And oh yes, our combined AFOS/AOA duesare the lowest in the nation and approximately 50% less than what our colleaguespay in the states. Don't ever let your membership lapse. Occasionally remindyourselves of these benefits which more than pay for your membership. Click here

Highest Vision Standards in the World ­ We kicked off this new motto back atour first AFOS national meeting in 2012. We can tell you, many eye careorganizations and associations wish they had developed this ideal and belief system. First hand, we can testify that AFOS embodies this philosophy. Always remember,that each one of you represent this ideal. Always endeavor to deliver the higheststandard of care to your patients including active duty personnel, military veterans,native americans, each of their family members, and everyone that we serve. (weserve, or everyone you serve)

God has done wonders for AFOS. We thank Him for His provision.

What's next for us? It was a very difficult decision in deciding to pass the torch. Webelieve that our mission with AFOS has been accomplished. Know that we really don'twant to leave, but we feel called to be available for other purposes. First, will be toprovide some overdue attention to many loved ones in our large family. Second, joiningyour ranks as foot soldiers for this organization by continuing our membership in AFOSand the AOA (after all it's the best deal in all of Optometry). Beyond that, we'll just besensitive to where else we may be useful.

So many of you have inspired us and touched our lives. We could triple the length of thisNewsletter thanking the many colleagues who mean so much to us.

We can assure you that your Executive Council has interviewed extraordinary individualsfor this position. They have been extremely diligent in this 6 month process in finding foryou an incredible successor. You will be in very capable hands.

Thanks to all of you for marching with us during this journey. We worked for you, andyou all have been an outstanding boss.

Don't hesitate to call or stay in touch.

We pray God's continual hand upon the Armed ForcesOptometric Society. You have richly blessed us.

Anthony

AFOS/Academy 2015you don't want to miss this

REGISTER AFOS/AcademyMEETING NOW!

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IMMENSE APPRECIATION TO

OUR 2015 SPONSORS

EAGLE PATRIOTAvailable

PATRIOT

DIAMOND AFOS SPONSORS

Platinum AFOS Sponsors

Gold AFOS Sponsors

NOVA Southeastern University

Exhibitors

Sincerely,

Anthony & Gina BorgognoniDr. Anthony & Gina BorgognoniExecutive Directors of AFOS www.afos2020.orgexecdir@afos2020.org214­533­0227