Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Recognizes Caregivers of the National Capital Region

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Award is a print of “Strength Unseen” an original from painter Neal Iwan.

We are privileged to recognize some of the outstanding members of the Washington DC Metro area, military and civilian communities who devote their time and energy to helping wounded service members, Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, President of MOAA said.

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

The second annual Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Community Heroes Awards will be held the evening of MOAA’s Annual Board Meeting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, October 30, at the Sheraton National Hotel, 900 S. Orme St., Arlington, Va., 22204. Navy Admiral James A. "Sandy" Winnefeld, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will be the keynote speaker.

The ceremony will recognize eight individuals and groups, selected from within military and civilian communities in the National Capital Region, who exemplify service to the wounded military and veterans populations. Lee Woodruff, author, contributing reporter with “NBC This Morning,” and cofounder of Bob Woodruff Foundation, is the Mistress of Ceremonies.

“We are privileged to recognize some of the outstanding members of the Washington DC Metro area, military and civilian communities who devote their time and energy to helping wounded service members,” Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, President of MOAA said. “I would like to thank our Executive sponsor, United Healthcare, as well as USAA, a patron sponsor, MetLife , a Silver sponsor, and International SOS, a Bronze level sponsor.” he added.

There will be approximately 500 attendees at the event, including the award winners, their colleagues, families, and representatives of MOAA board of directors, staff and membership.

This second year, the award emphasis will be on recognition of caregivers. The intent is to demonstrate a continuum of caregiving existing among a broad spectrum of individuals, both within the military base and civilian community. People “give care” in unique and diverse ways.

There will be four award categories containing two awards each, both at the individual level and at the group level. The award winners are:

•     Military Caregiver (Group) - The 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility (ASF), located at Joint Base Andrews in the National Capital Region, is manned by a multiservice military team comprising anesthesiologists, mental health care providers, flight surgeons, nurses, medical technicians, health service administrators, chaplains, dietary technicians, and Marine and Army liaisons.
•     Civilian/Military Caregiver (Group) - The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) prosthetic department is the busiest DoD facility managing the prosthetic care of 867 veterans of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
•     Civilian/Military Caregiver (Group) – The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) physical therapy amputee section is DoD’s largest amputee-care rehabilitation facility, caring for servicemembers of all military branches with limb loss and complex polytrauma from combat operations.
•     Civilian/Military Caregiver (Group) – Team Red, White & Blue (RWB) DMV Chapter is one of the first chapters in Washington, D.C. Team RWB DMV has achieved many commendations for its work in providing personal connections, physical fitness events, and esprit de corps building activities that have helped to lead many veterans away from suicidal tendencies, unemployment, legal issues, and obesity.
•     Civilian Caregiver – (Group) - Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles Program staff has been providing free airline tickets to wounded, injured, and ill servicemembers who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center, or who are attending authorized events.
•     Civilian Caregiver – (Group) - Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS), Combat Casualty Assistance (CCA) Nurses. In the wake of America’s conflicts, a phenomenally dedicated group of “angels” provide enduring, compassionate care to more than 1,500 wounded Marines, sailors and their families.
•     Civilian Caregiver – (Individual) – Merri-Beth Cully, lead physician’s assistant for the Orthopedic Surgery Service. As the lead physician’s assistant for the Orthopedic Surgery Service, Cully provides care to all of the orthopedic wounded warriors returning from theater, and she works tirelessly to collaborate with the trauma team providers to give the best surgical services available from a military treatment facility.
•     Civilian Caregiver – (Individual) – Edward and Elsie Smolarsky, Red Cross volunteers, 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility (ASF.) The Smolarskys have provided thousands of voluntary hours to the 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility (ASF) at Joint Base Andrews in the National Capital Region.

The award is a signed and numbered print of “Strength Unseen” an original from painter Neal Iwan.

Read bios on each of the Community Heroes awardees online. For contact information on awardees for media interviews, please email pr(at)moaa(dot)org, call (703) 838-0545 or 0546.

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About MOAA:
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is the nation’s most influential association of military officers. MOAA is a nonprofit and politically nonpartisan organization with 370,000 members from every branch of service, including active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, former officers and their families and survivors. We are a powerful force speaking for a strong national defense and representing the interests of military officers at every stage of their lives and careers. For those who are not eligible to join MOAA, Voices for America’s Troops is a nonprofit MOAA subsidiary that supports a strong national defense. To learn more, visit http://www.moaa.org.

NOTE: Members of the news media who wish to be added to our media distribution list for MOAA news releases, please contact requestnews(at)moaa(dot)org. Visit MOAA’s Multimedia & Press Room at http://www.moaa.org/media/default.htm.

Contact:
Susan Stalder                            
703-838-0546
(571) 641-0918 (cell)
Nancy Carr
703-838-0545
E-mail: pr(at)moaa(dot)org

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