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***image1***Goodbyes and greetings filled the hallways of the hospital as the Navy deployment to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center came to an end for some and just began for others.
It is evident that many appreciated the extra help the Navy lends to fulfill the mission at LRMC by the many thanks heard throughout the hospital.
Approximately 200 Navy personnel finished their deployment and are headed home.
About 290 personnel are due to arrive by mid-November to join the 110 who extended for another year to help fulfill the LRMC mission.
One of those leaving LRMC and returning home is Navy Capt. Gretchen Lamberth, who said she was eager to get back to her husband back home in Sierra Vista, Ariz.
“My husband has had to leave a few times for his job, so I know how hard it is for the one who has to stay behind,” Captain Lamberth said. Leaving LRMC is bitter sweet for the occupational therapist.
“I truly believe I had the best job in the entire hospital. It was very inspiring to work with the injured Soldiers,” Captain Lamberth said. “Each one touched me personally, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”
Hospitalman 1st Class David James Huntimer knows the importance of Navy personnel to the LRMC mission.
Mr. Huntimer has extended to serve for the third year in a row in the Deployed Warrior Medical Management Center. The DWMMC tracks patients from Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom who become sick or injured downrange from the time of injury until after they departed LRMC.
“If I’m here, there is one less Army Soldier that has to be here. I just want to help them out. They have a lot on their plate,” he said.
Among the newly arrived Navy personnel is Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Dolnick, a DWMMC air evacuation member.
Officer Dolnick, a firefighter rescue paramedic in Port St. Lucie, Fla., was apprehensive when he heard about his job assignment.
“At first, I was disappointed because I wasn’t going to be doing hands-on patient care and I’m not really good, administrative-wise,” Officer Dolnick said. “Now, I see that it’s more than that, it’s an important job. We find the best place for the injured to receive the ongoing care they need, and we get these guys where they need to go. It’s kind of like a reinvention for me.”
Officer Dolnick said the hard part of his deployment is missing his family.
“My kid didn’t want to go to school because he was afraid he would miss my call. It’s tough, but what we do here is important and they understand that,” he said.
Navy Capt. Charles Griffin, executive officer of the DWMMC, can sympathize with his fellow new-arrivals.
“I worry about some of the young Soldiers who are just married or have a new baby they have to leave, but in my case it was okay,” said Captain Griffin. “I have been in for 21 years and my family always knew there was a possibility of deployment. They were prepared.”
Lt. Cmdr. Mitchel Ideue, officer in charge of inpatient services, extended to serve his second year at LRMC.
“I really appreciate the three services. We all come from different cultures, but we all work in one culture, which is the Landstuhl culture,” Commander Ideue said.
The physical therapist credits LRMC for its teamwork.
“What I’m experiencing here is what we all strive for in the civilian world, but in the military world it comes easier because we all have one focus, the wounded warrior,” he said.
