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Stewart clinic here earns recognition
Col. Ron Place and Desi McMullan
Col. Ron Place, commander of Winn Army Community Hospital and Medical and Dental Activity Command for Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, presents a National Committee for Quality Assurance accreditation certificate to Richmond Hill Medical Home group practice manager Desmond Desi McMullan on Thursday during a lunch-hour celebration at the clinic. - photo by Photo by Randy C. Murray

A Winn Army Community Hospital primary care medical clinic has earned the highest possible certification by an outside health care accreditation organization.
According to Michelle Gordon, Winn public affairs officer, Richmond Hill Medical Home received a Level 3 certification from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. Depending on the overall score, NCQA assigns accreditation to medical practices at level 1, 2 or 3, with 3 being the highest accreditation possible.
“Our health-care professionals and administrative professionals are the real source behind this award,” said Desmond “Desi” McMullan, group practice manager. “This award is recognition of their teamwork. Everything we do on a daily basis is focused on the patient. As a result of that, not only has the Army recognized us as a model of outstanding patient care, so has an outside agency.”
Col. Ron Place, commander of Winn ACH and Medical and Dental Activity Command for Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, presented the NCQA accreditation to McMullan on Thursday on behalf of the RHMH staff. Specifically addressing staff members who gathered in the clinic’s main lobby during the lunch hour, Place reminded them that only two years ago, their building was a grocery store.
“The Army said, ‘Maybe we’re not doing what we need to do to take care of our soldiers families,’” said Place, who explained how RHMH became one for the Army’s first community-based medical homes in March 2011. “Winn was one of the first six or seven locations selected for a patient-centered medical home.”
He summarized how the Army and MEDDAC worked with city officials in Richmond Hill in selecting and preparing the site for the clinic, and then began staffing it with the most qualified and dedicated health-care and administrative professionals. He said it quickly became obvious their clinic was a model for the Army, but noted the staff and leaders at the clinic wanted to prove their efficiency level by contracting with an external agency for certification. That agency would measure the clinic’s efficiency and quality of patient care by evaluating 149 elements of performance.
“We got the results back in December,” he said, grinning. “While I’m proud of all our clinics (which also received accreditation), your score was the highest. In fact, your score was well over the baseline required for a Level 3 accreditation.”
Richmond Hill Medical Home provides primary-care services to active-duty families and the families of military retirees. For more information, call 435-7464.

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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