1 1 st MEB, Marine Barracks Hawaii and 1st Radio Battalion May 19, 1994 Vol. 22 No. 20 Serving Marine Forces Pacific, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, s it a Marine or Navy seal? See B -1 The Neighborhood Quality of Life Board will hold its monthly meeting tonight at Kaneohe Bay's Training and Audiovisual Support Center (TAVSC), classroom 1, instead of May 26 as previously announced. Everyone is welcome to attend. Guest speakers include Lt. Cmdr. Angela Heffernan, who will explain Tahitians overboard of the change hours and services soldiers helo- casted into at the Acute Care Clinic; Paula A CH-53 helicopter's rotors cause water to be thrown into the air as it moves into position to insert French Tahitian soldiers. The is moving out to pick up the soldiers. Benjamin, who will inform the the water off Bellows Air Force Station as part of an exchange program with Marines here. The boat on the right Board about this year's summer For more on the exchange, see page A-6. adventure program; and Traci Williams, who will comment on teen activities and the youth recreational program. Heat- related injuries increase Board members are also bidding VA encourages a warm Aloha & Mahalo to LtCol. Gulf veterans Jim Diehl of 3rd Marines. Diehl, as summertime approaches who has served as a member of the Board since January 1993, will be to get a free health exam Heat Exhaustion leaving later this month. The Board Cpl. Wanda Compton SeM Wetor Heat exhaustion is the most thanks Diehl for his many dedicated common heat injury. It occurs in hours of faithful service to improve Persian Gulf referral centers. These Editor's Note: who is Navy News Service an otherwise fit person the quality of life here. According centers have been operating since There have been a number of involved in extreme physical to Lynda Napier, new NQLB vice- The Department of Veterans August 1992 in West Los Angeles, heat - related injuries and illnesses exertion, and results from a serious chairman/acting chairman, Diehl D.C. in the few weeks aboard MCB Affairs is encouraging veterans of Houston and Washington, past disturbance of the bloqd flow to has been a great asset to the Board They have handled cases which Hawaii. This is the first of a two- the brain, heart, and lungs, similar and it will miss his presence dearly. the Persian Gulf war who may be concerned about possible have evaded local diagnosis by part series on heat and its effect to the circulitory disturbance of environmental exposures in the providing expertise in such areas on your body. shock. Gulf region to take advantage of as pulmonary and infectious This causes the victim to VA's health monitoring program. disease, immur4ology, Excessive heat can affect the experience weakness, dizziness, neuropsychology and toxicology. body in a variety of ways. When headache, lose" of appetite and While an aggressive research a program continues to clarify the While veterans often have a person exercises or works in nausea. The victim may faint, but of up nature of any ill health patterns described a wide variety hot environment, heat builds he or she will probably regain Five Pacific nations will symptons that are common in inside the body. Injuries can occur consciousness as the head is participate in RIMPAC 94, a major in such veterans, health services are being offered today, including primary care medicine - including if the heat is not released properly. lowered, which improves the blood maritime exercise in the Pacific fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain Heat exposure injuries are a threat supply to the brain. Ocean in the vicinity of Hawaii a comprehensive physical examination and lab tests. These and skin rashes - VA has not in any hot environment, especially Heat exhaikstion is a mild state which will bring together maritime fully documented a specific illness in desert or tropical areas. Under of shock bronght on by the pooling forces of Australia, Canada, Japan, are free to any concerned Gulf veteran by appointment in every or pattern of disease pointing to normal conditions, it is a of blood in the vessels just below the Republic of Korea and the the cause or causes of these preventable injury. Individual and the skin, causing blood to flow United States. The training VA medical center. In a new VA law symptons. command awareness af the causes away from the major organs of the operations will begin on May 23 addition, VA is the issue help simplifies high-priority access. This However, taking of heat stress problems should body. and will last until July 6, 1994. very seriously and has committed reduce heat exposure injuries. Due to prolonged and profuse More than 50 ships, 200 aircraft includes follow-up care for veterans with any condition that VA millions of dollars to research, "There has been a recent upswing sweating, the body loses large and 25,000 members of the U.S. including $2.5 million over 10 years in the number of heat illnesses and quantities of salt and water. When armed forces will be involved in this physicians think could stem from the Gulf environment. to a national academy of sciences injuries," said HM2 Karl F. Matous, the water is not adequately regularly scheduled exercise, which project, with matching funds from emergency medical technician replaced, blood circulation is designed to enhance the tactical "I urge any Persian Gulf veterans with illness they think may be the Department of Defense. training coordinator, Brigade Navy diminishes, affecting brain, heart, major aspects of maritime operations In-house VA research has been Medical. and lung functions. Heat at sea. related to their service, as well as any healthy veterans who would focusing on evaluation of patients "One reason that thes ay be exhaustion is sometimes, though to is the to be part of our Persian Gulf who may have been exposed occurring more frequen not always, accompanied by heat like are registry, to call their local VA environmental factors such as subtle climate changes at cramps due to salt loss. medical center to make an depleted uranium used in unusual for the month May. There are two basic kinds of heat appointment if they have not armaments as well as neurological It's not normally this tt and exhaustion: already done so," VA secretary studies in veterans who have voiced humid," he explained. "Another Salt-depletion, in which about possible nerve gas is acclimatization. In recent May 21 marks the 45th Jesse Brown said. Already, 16,025 concerns reason 'individuals exert themselves and Forces Day, have taken part in the examination exposure. weeks, the base has received many drink enough water bUt do not observance of Armed VA's medical a day on which our nation honors protocol. In addition, new personnel changes. These replace the sodium, and water- research service recently provided individuals are not yet acclimatized the members of its armed forces. Eighty-nine veterans have also See Heat, A-3 The theme of this year's observance received evaluations at VA's See Veterans, A-5 and are susceptible to heat injury." is "Peace Through Readiness." In the words of General John M. Shalikashvili, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "there is no more crucial ingredient to readiness than the dedicated people who are to warriors performing their duty around the Marine Corps bids farewell globe, wherever and whenever our nation's interests may be Corps. grandsons, one granddaughter and a thunderous roar. challenged. CPAO Although racial prejudice existed and host of other relatives and friends. The unfortunate incident netted "The Armed Forces of the United led to blacks being trained at Montford Puller two Purple Hearts, the Silver SgtMaj. Edgar Huff a lifetime in a wheelchair. States are the finest in the world Point instead of Parris Island, S.C., Lewis Puller Jr. Star and today and it is our men and women More than 1,000 friends and family like their white counterparts, being a And, to his dismay, his Marine career - and their dedication and members gathered in Goettge Memorial drill instructor was one of many Lewis Puller, Jr., Silver Star recipient was cut short, unlike that of his father willingness to sacrifice - who bring Field House May 9 to pay their last accomplishments Huff achieved during for heroic actions in the Republic of who won five Navy Crosses and rose such quality to the military of today. respects to the death of retired SgtMaj. his career. Vietnam, author of the Pulitzer Prize from private to major general in a 37- Son," The Joint Chiefs and I salute you Edgar R. Huff, who passed away at Huff catapulted in rank from private winning novel, "Fortunate and year career. and your families on this, your day Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital. first class to temporary first sergeant son of LtGen. Lewis E. "Chesty" Puller In 1991, Puller told the story of his - Armed Forces Day." Huff, 74, earned his place in Marine in just 16 months. Shortly thereafter, died of an apparent self-inflicted ordeal in his remarkable Corps history by being one of the first he became the first black to serve as gunshot last Thursday at his home autobiography, "Fortunate Son." blacks to join the Marine Corps in the sergeant major of an integrated Marine in Fairfax County, Va. In addition to the novel which gives 1940s as well as one of its first two battalion, a regiment, a base and the Puller, 48, had fought pain, an account of his battles against black sergeants major. During his III Marine Amphibious Force, the despondency, alcoholism and despondency and alcoholism to come Inside 30 years of duty with the Marine largest Marine combat unit in Vietnam.