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Medal of Honor Citations Bauer, Harold William | WWII

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress

takes pleasure in presenting the

Medal of Honor posthumously

To
HAROLD WILLIAM BAUER
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps., C.O. VMF-212 Guadalcanal

Place and date: South Pacific, Guadalcanal 10 May to 14 November 1942

Entered service: North Platte, Nebraska 1926

Born: Woodruff, Kansas November 20, 1908
Citation

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous courage as Squadron Commander of Marine Fighting Squadron 212 in the South Pacific Area during the period 10 May to 14 November 1942. Volunteering to pilot a fighter plane in defense of our positions on Guadalcanal, Lt. Col. Bauer participated in 2 air battles against enemy bombers and fighters outnumbering our force more than 2 to 1, boldly engaged the enemy and destroyed 1 Japanese bomber in the engagement of 28 September and shot down 4 enemy fighter planes in flames on 3 October, leaving a fifth smoking badly. After successfully leading 26 planes on an over-water ferry flight of more than 600 miles on 16 October, Lt. Col. Bauer, while circling to land, sighted a squadron of enemy planes attacking the U.S.S. McFarland. Undaunted by the formidable opposition and with valor above and beyond the call of duty, he engaged the entire squadron and, although alone and his fuel supply nearly exhausted, fought his plane so brilliantly that 4 of the Japanese planes were destroyed before he was forced down by lack of fuel. His intrepid fighting spirit and distinctive ability as a leader and an airman, exemplified in his splendid record of combat achievement, were vital factors in the successful operations in the South Pacific Area.


/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
bauer hw usmc.jpg
Harold William Bauer entered the Naval Academy in 1926 and was appointed a Marine second lieutenant upon graduation in 1930. Bauer's two younger brothers also followed him into the Academy. Following his commissioning, Bauer attended the Officers Basic School at Quantico, Virginia. He was then assigned as a company officer with the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines at Quantico. In 1932, he became assistant basketball and lacrosse coach at the Naval Academy and an instructor in marksmanship, until his assignment to the San Diego Naval Base, where he was the Assistant Range Officer. He was promoted to first lieutenant on May 29, 1934. He was then assigned to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, in December 1934 where he earned his wings as a Marine aviator in February 1936. He was promoted to captain on June 30, 1937 and served with several squadrons at Quantico including Marine Scouting Squadron 1 (VMS-1) and Marine Fighting Squadron 1 (VMF-1).
Bauer was transferred to the Naval Air Station San Diego, California, in June 1940 where he served as executive officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221). While stationed at San Diego, he participated in carrier group exercises on the USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3). The December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor found Bauer and VMF-221 preparing to embark aboard the Saratoga for transport to Hawaii. Following the Japanese attack, Bauer and VMF-221 were transported to Hawaii and were slated to reinforce Wake Island, but were diverted to Midway after Wake fell. Transferred to Hawaii in February 1942, Bauer took command of Marine Fighting Squadron Two Eleven, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, and on March 1, 1942 commissioned and took command of Marine Fighting Squadron Two Twelve (VMF-212). Promoted to major on April 29, 1942, Bauer and VMF-212 were deployed to the South Pacific and were stationed at New Caledonia, and later Efate, Vanuatu. Although still the commanding officer of VMF-212, Bauer was also responsible for the operation of the airfield the squadron operated from and was utilized to select possible sites for additional airfields in the South Pacific. Bauer's promotion to lieutenant colonel, after only three months as a major, was effective August 7.
On September 28, 1942, Bauer performed the first feat cited for the Medal of Honor and on October 16, 1942 the second feat. On November 14, 1942, he was shot down over water after downing two enemy aircraft in an attack 100 miles (160 km) off Guadalcanal. He was seen in the water in his Mae West water flotation device as light was fading. He did not appear to be seriously hurt. The following morning began days of intense searching by planes and Russell Island natives, but no further trace of him was found. The squadron under his command at Guadalcanal was officially credited with downing 92 Japanese planes and helping to sink two destroyers. Lieutenant Colonel Bauer was commended for his action in the South Pacific by commanders of Army, Navy and Marine Corps units including Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., then Commander of the South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force. Bauerfield International Airport in Port Vila, Vanuatu is named in his honor.
[Source: http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-a-f.html June 2016 ++]

* Health Care *



Cohen Veterans Network ► Open to All Vets Regardless of Status
The Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a National Network of Clinics to Provide Short and Medium Term Outpatient Mental Health Care. It took a lot for the Marine veteran who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan early in the wars to walk into CVN’s Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic (MFC) at NYU Langone Medical Center for help. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury for more than 10 years without a diagnosis, he sought treatment only after his employer recommended it. As a diplomatic security officer at the United Nations, "Al" was failing to handle ongoing pressures of the job. He asked that his full name not be used to protect his privacy. “I started having problems at work, and I’ve been in treatment ever since,” said the former corporal. “The more you actually start processing everything that you have seen and experienced, the farther along you are on the steps to healing.”
image result for team

MFC Staff at NYU Langone
significant others, even if their military loved ones refuse to seek treatment. The facility also accepts veteran patients whose other-than-honorable discharges keep them from getting care at a Veterans Affairs medical facility. In the next four years, the network will grow to comprise 25 clinics across the U.S., the vision of billionaire hedge fund manager Steven Cohen, who pledged $275 million in April to fund the project. The goal is to offer free mental health services to veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, families — anyone whose mental wellness has been affected by military service, according to Dr. Charles Marmar, director of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI.
"The need is enormous," Marmar said. "One in two post-9/11 veterans don’t want to get care at the VA, and many more don’t want to go to the VA for privacy reasons." An estimated 1 in 5 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have symptoms of PTSD or depression, and more than 327,000 suffered some degree of brain injury. The VA provides mental health treatment and services for affected veterans at its medical centers and clinics as well as 300 Vet Centers. But many veterans, including those with "bad paper discharges," can't go to the VA. And Vet Centers, which serve combat veterans, provide limited counseling to family members, primarily offering marriage counseling to spouses. The Military Family Clinics fill the gap, Marmar explained. "We don’t ask any questions about discharge status. The VA has very little flexibility to help those veterans,” he said.
Last month, two Steven A. Cohen MFCs opened in Texas — one in San Antonio and the other near Dallas. Later this year, two more, in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, are scheduled to open. The idea is to treat post-9/11 veterans to ward off future health problems that are associated with untreated mental health conditions, such as physical illnesses, substance abuse, unemployment and homelessness. But no one will be turned away, said Anthony Hassan, CVN’s executive director. “We are here to get ahead of the problem and provide [Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom] veterans access to care as early as we can, to try to prevent conditions like PTSD from becoming chronic and unmanageable," Hassan said.
The VA has been under fire for the past several years for ongoing delays in providing prompt health care to its patients. Increasingly, VA also has been criticized for being unable to treat veterans who were dismissed from the service for misconduct that may be related to undiagnosed combat-related mental health conditions. By law, these veterans with other-than-honorable discharges are ineligible for VA care. But the Cohen Military Family Clinics plan to provide services to this underserved population, Hassan said. "We are going to work with the VAs. We are going to work with the VA community-based clinics, and we will be able to see patients they can’t see. This is a complementary relationship, not a competition," he said.
Cohen made his billions managing hedge fund S.A.C. Capital Advisors. His interest in veterans issues developed after his son, Robert, enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from Brown University and deployed to Afghanistan. The NYU Langone MFC was established in 2012 with funding from the Robin Hood Foundation and later, Cohen. In 2015, he underwrote a nonprofit research arm, Cohen Veterans Bioscience, to develop diagnostic tests and treatments for PTSD and concussions. As part of the larger CVN, Cohen Veterans Bioscience and the Military Family Clinics will work hand in hand to understand patient needs and assess research goals. Patients will be able to participate in studies run by the research arm but will be under no obligation to do so, according to organizers.
Hassan said the MFCs will offer a variety of treatment and services, including medical care, therapy and counseling. Al said he has engaged in several therapeutic approaches, which have helped him deal with debilitating symptoms such as panic attacks, anger, lack of focus, nightmares and intrusive thoughts. He said the clinic is a "judgment-free zone," where was able to get the help he needed to get his life back on track. "The best thing about it is, unlike the VA, it doesn't feel like you were being rushed through. People take the time to help you," he said. Refer to www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160406006168/en/Cohen-Veterans-Network-Unveiled-Improve-Quality-Life for more on CVN. [Source: Military Times | Patricia Kime | June 8, 2016 ++]
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Tricare Preventive Health Program Update 04 ► Men’s Health Month
Every June, we celebrate Men’s Health Month to promote awareness, prevention and education of preventable health problems. This is a time for men to take charge of their health and for ladies to encourage the men in their LIVES to do so. Men are an at-risk population. They are less likely to have healthcare coverage and are, therefore, less likely to visit a doctor for preventive care. This is a critical issue. Men notice when their car isn’t working properly, but they don’t always listen when their body tells them something is wrong. Men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women and lead 9 out of 10 of the top causes of death. Suicide, colon cancer, prostate cancer, low testosterone, and heart disease are all treatable or preventable with proper care and screenings. So men, make an appointment today for preventive care. Ladies, encourage everyone you know to promote men’s health awareness and education. We can all take this opportunity to encourage the men in our lives to get regular medical care. Visit TRICARE.mil/preventive for more information. [Source: TRICARE Beneficiary Bulletin #352 | June 10, 2016 ++]
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Tricare TMS Treatment ► Now Covered for Depressive Disorders
TRICARE recently announced coverage on an outpatient basis of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is used for the treatment of adults with Major Depressive Disorder resulting in:

  • Feeling sad or hopeless

  • Loss of interest in activities

  • Thoughts of suicide

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Trouble concentrating

  • Fatigue

  • Crying spells

  • Anxiety

The procedure is covered TMS is used when other depression treatments have not been effective. During TMS treatment, an electromagnetic coil is place against the patient’s scalp. The coil delivers a magnetic pulse through the skull, inducing a low level electric current. The patient receives multiple pulses over several seconds, with each treatment session lasting about 40 minutes. This new benefit is effective May 24, 2016 and is not a part of a pilot or demonstration program but a part of the basic TRICARE benefit. For more information on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, visit the videos at



  • https://youtu.be/etARe0iLJ-A,

  • https://youtu.be/dNUtTM2HlqQ.

  • https://youtu.be/Pf8pQFYsA74.

  • https://neurostar.com/hcp/neurostar-tms-therapy/efficacy/#.

[Source: NAUS Weekly Update | June 10. 2016 ++]


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Tricare ECHO Update 02 ► Coverage Transfer Under ECHO
If your family uses the Extended Health Care Option Program (ECHO), your current contractor will notify your new contractor of all civilian care, establish a new case manager or point of contact and coordinate all transfer requests. Your current contractor will also provide ECHO eligibility and get clinical information from your providers. They will also share your Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) enrollment, cap amounts paid and current authorizations. For more information, refer to http://www.tricare.mil/echo. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update | June 10. 2016 ++]
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XSTAT Injectable Sponges to Stop Bleeding
A U.S. military surgical team used an innovative device to staunch the bleeding on a gunshot victim, RevMedx, the company that makes it, recently announced. That marks the first documented occasion that the device has been used in a patient clinically, the company said. The XSTAT, as the device is called, works by injecting numerous small sponges into a wound, which quickly expand and stop the bleeding. It takes just 20 seconds after contacting blood for the sponges to expand and staunch the bleeding, the company says, and they have markers in them to make them visible under x-ray, so that they can all eventually be removed.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iat_vahwpk4/maxresdefault.jpg image result for xstat
The patient, a soldier, was reportedly shot in the left thigh, resulting in a “sizable cavity” in the leg. A forward surgical team struggled over the course of a surgery that lasted about seven hours to control all the bleeding, and decided to use the XSTAT. After they did, it stopped the bleeding almost right away, the company reported, and the patient— who had received both blood and plasma transfusions— stabilized. "The first-in-human experience with XSTAT is the culmination of tremendous effort on the part of both RevMedx and our military collaborators," Andrew Barofsky, the president of RevMedx, said in a statement. "We are pleased to see XSTAT play a critical role in saving a patient's life and hope to see significant advancement toward further adoption of XSTAT as a standard of care for severe hemorrhage in pre-hospital settings.” rRefer to http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/05/26/injectable-sponges-used-for-first-time-to-stop-soldiers-bleeding.html?cmpid=prn_military&comp%3D1199467398560%26rank%3D1# for a video on its use. [Source: NCOA (Fox News) | Rob Verger | May 26, 2016 ++]
https://d3dkdvqff0zqx.cloudfront.net/groups/ncoa/images/ncoaseal_4color_72dpi.png
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Device AddictionWhat to Do
A poll of more than 1,200 U.S. parents and children by Common Sense Media, a San Francisco nonprofit that offers educational materials on digital media and safe technology for children, highlights a problem that's getting increasingly old: We're raising a generation of young people addicted to their smartphones and other digital devices. In reporting its findings, Common Sense Media says overreliance on portable digital technology can cause problems, including unsafe driving, shoddy homework, and compromised family time. Multitasking while using a smartphone can hinder your ability to focus and prevent the formation of memories. Infrequent in-person interaction can interfere with the

development of empathy. Here are some of the poll's key findings:




  • 50 percent of American teenagers feel addicted to their smartphones (most check devices at least every hour and feel pressured to respond immediately to messages received).

  • American children between 8 and 12 say they spend an average of six hours a day using digital media.

  • Teens between ages 13 and 18 spend nine hours a day using digital media.

  • Nearly 60 percent of parents of children between ages 12 and 18 say their kids can't give up their phones.

  • One-third of parents and children say they argue daily about screen time.

how to deal with the device-addicted generation
Because of their need to connect with their peers, teens are especially vulnerable to the instant gratification smartphones can provide through texting and social media posting. The irony is these fleeting virtual connections can damage your ability to connect in real life. But teens aren't the only ones affected. The Common Sense Media poll found that while 50 percent of children say they can't put their phones down, 27 percent of adults say the same about themselves. An astonishing 56 percent of adults say they check their smartphones while driving.
What to do? As with other aspects of parenting, part of the solution lies with setting boundaries for children. This also can be said about adult self-control, setting boundaries for our own behavior. But it's not easy. The poll indicates half of parents and one-third of teens say they "very often" or "occasionally" try to cut down on the amount of time they spend with their devices. Completely banning portable digital technology isn't a practical solution. Despite the problems, the upsides of the technology are too great. We just need better balance. Common Sense Media offers these specific suggestions:


  • Talk about it. Have in-person discussions with your family about the role different media play in our lives. Lessons might not be learned instantly, but most children want to do the right thing.

  • Delve deep. Help kids understand the importance of concentration and delayed gratification. Dealing with boredom is an important life skill, no matter what people do in life. Focusing helps with homework, friendship-building, and driving as well as being a surgeon, roofer, or homemaker.

  • Create limits. Declare tech-free zones and times. For instance, when at the dinner table, tell children their phones have to stay in their pockets. Create an honor system where phones are used when doing homework only if the messaging is homework related. Prohibit phone use after a certain time, such as 9 or 10 p.m., which has the added benefit of facilitating sleep.

  • Set a good example. Never text while driving, which today is as much a contributor to car accidents as alcohol. Follow the law in your state or community about handheld voice talking while driving.

  • Seek outside help when appropriate. Sometimes children (and adults) become deeply dependent on digital technology in a way that harms their overall lives, and they are unable to change on their own. These days, many teachers, school counselors, clergy, and mental health professionals have experience helping others find a good balance here.

[Source: MOAA News Exchange | Reid Goldsborough | May 18, 2016 ++]


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TRICARE Healthcare RankingCustomer Experience Ratings
Kaiser Permanente and TRICARE received the highest customer experience rankings of any health plan, according to the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual customer experience ranking of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S consumers. Of the 16 health plans examines, Kaiser Permanente earned the highest score with a rating of 57%, placing it 182nd overall out of 294 companies across 20 industries. TRICARE ranked second in the industry with a rating of 55% and an overall ranking of 199th. Kaiser Permanente and TRICARE have been jockeying for the highest health plan score since the Ratings began in 2011.
The only other health plans to receive ratings above "very poor" (above 50%) were Aetna, CIGNA, and United Healthcare. Meanwhile, Health Net received the lowest score of any health plan with a rating of 32%, putting it in 293rd place out of 294 companies. Overall, the health plan industry averaged a 47% rating in the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings and tied for last place out of 20 industries. The average rating of the industry decreased by seven percentage-points between 2015 and 2016, dropping from 54% to 47%. Here are some additional findings from the health plan industry:

  • The ratings of all health plans in the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings are as follows: Kaiser Permanente (57%), TRICARE (55%), Aetna (51%), CIGNA (50%), United Healthcare (50%), Coventry Health Care (49%), Medicare (48%), Humana (48%), BCBS plan not listed (48%), Anthem (47%), Medicaid (40%), Blue Shield of California (40%), Empire (38%), Highmark (37%), CareFirst (37%), and Health Net (32%).

  • Coventry Health Care (+10 points) was the only health plan to improve its rating between 2015 and 2016.

  • Humana (-15 points), Health Net (-14 points), and TRICARE (-12 points) declined by the most percentage-points between 2015 and 2016.

Temkin Group asked consumers to evaluate their recent experiences across three dimensions: success (can you do what you want to do?), effort (how easy is it to work with the company?), and emotion (how do you feel about the interactions?). Temkin Group then averaged these three scores to produce each company's Temkin Experience Rating.



In these ratings, a score of 70% or above is considered "good," and a score of 80% or above is considered "excellent." In this year's Temkin Experience Ratings, 20% of companies earned a "good" or "excellent" score, while 44% received a "poor" or "very poor" score.
The 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings, along with other ratings, can be accessed at the Temkin Ratings website http://temkinratings.com. Now in its sixth year of publication, the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings is the most comprehensive benchmark of customer experience in the industry, evaluating 294 companies across 20 industries: airlines, appliance makers, auto dealers, banks, car rental agencies, computer makers, credit card issuers, fast food chains, health plans, hotel chains, insurance carriers, Internet service providers, investment firms, parcel delivery services, retailers, software firms, supermarket chains, TV service providers, utilities, and wireless carriers. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update | May 27, 2016 ++]
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