Helping veterans bridge the gap from military service to local healthcare jobs

Thank you SSG Phillip Trezza for posting the news from Virginia's state capital about the Military Medics and Corpsmen Program (MMAC).

"A first-of-its-kind pilot program here in Virginia is bridging the gap between the battlefield and the health care field.
"It's a pathway to careers in the high-demand healthcare field," said Mark Whiting with the Military Medics and Corpsmen Program (MMAC). "It's a pathway to credentialing because a lot of our medics and corpsmen when they leave the military, they lack the civilian credentials to go to work in the civilian healthcare field."
As Lead Program Manager for MMAC, Whiting says in its first six months the program has helped 28 former military medics get hired into Virginia's healthcare field.
U.S. Navy veteran James Tuppince is one of those hires.
"Because of this program, I'm able to not only practice but continue to practice at the capacity I was in the military," said Tuppince.
Tuppince served in the Navy for six years.
Now he's three months into his position at the Bon Secours Training Center medical practice -- and it's helped him further his goal of practicing sports nutrition.
"I'm in school to be a dietitian and I'm here getting that hands on experience while I'm in school," said Tuppince

Another six year U.S. Navy veteran also works at the Bon Secours practice.
"To be honest the program actually found me," said Marcel Demming.
Demming served on the flight deck of the U.S.S Nimitz saying his new role is, "patient care in a more relaxed setting."
"We had to be ready for any type of emergency situation, [the] flight deck is probably one of the most dangerous."
The MMAC pilot program will last for two years with the hope that the General Assembly will continue its funding.
They recruit worldwide but are focusing strictly on Virginia -- hoping it will improve the commonwealth and local healthcare field.
"We do we recruit across the world for people to come here to Virginia and be part of our economy and help alleviate the shortage of healthcare staff.," said Whiting."

Thank you, my friend CPO Nate S. for alerting me.

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Thomas Tennant MAJ Ken LandgrenCapt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT 1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLSFC William FarrellSSG Leo Bell Sgt Joe LaBranche PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM SPC Margaret Higgins

lOCAL IS BETTER. pROXIMITY IS A GOOD THING

SSG Phillip Trezza You need to also highlight what DVS MMAC is doing for older medic/corpsman vets. Those who have been out > 24 months, but who want to return to direct HC operations. Do not forget the older MMAC vets in your promotions. The loss of 1,000s of "person years" of medical operations experience and know how is a real waste. Healthcare cannot afford to miss out on or waste human potential!!!

Listen to what St Mary's in MD is doing and how they are speaking about veterans.

https://www.stmaryhealthcare.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=557615&action=detail&ref=120

It is important to communicate, that a hospital's veterans are a critical resource in improving the "military cultural competency" of their organization You may want to be familiar this Jan 2018 RAND Report on the readiness of NY State healthcare providers to see ad understand the veteran patient:

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2298.html

https://www.rand.org/news/press/2018/03/01.html

Also, you may want to be aware of what VIZIENT is doing (their Field Guide) in promoting military cultural competency training in tomorrow's healthcare workforce - today.

https://newsroom.vizientinc.com/sites/vha.newshq.businesswire.com/files/doc_library/file/A_Field_Guide_for_Improving_Care_for_Veterans_.pdf

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/ [login to see] 5292/en/Vizient-Publishes-Field-Guide-Improving-Care-Veterans

As a former Combat Medic yourself, you understand know how important it is to have "cultural competency" regarding the people under your care, especially when providing humanitarian operations. Let me know your thoughts or if you have questions. This recent RAND update demonstrates how critical it is for commercial healthcare to be better aware of how they can serve veteran healthcare needs:

https://www.rand.org/blog/rand-review/2018/11/how-private-health-care-providers-could-better-serve-veterans.html

In closing, let me know when you are coming C'ville way from Richmond. I'll buy you lunch and chat!

COL Mikel J. Burroughs;Maj Marty Hogan; SMSGT Gerald "Doc" Thomas; SCPO Morris Ramsey; Nicci Eisenhauer; Lt Col Charlie Brown; LTC (Join to see); MSgt Paul Connors (Publishing); Maj William W. 'Bill' Price; LTC Stephen C.; LTC Stephen F.