Current Status and Impact of Army Transformation on Army Medical Entomology in Korea

1
Current Status and Impact of Army Transformation
on Army Medical Entomology in Korea

• LTC William J. Sames IV
• Entomology Consultant 18th MEDCOM

2
USFK Transformation

• Significantly reduce the number of
  bases/posts/camps that are operated by USFK
  (transition to 2 Enduring Hubs)
• Reduce the number of USFK military personnel in
  ROK
• However, Command Sponsored positions increase
  from 2900 to 6000 by FY09
• Normalize Korea tours to 3 year tour of duty

3
Distribution of USFK
Current Future
4
USFK Entomologists

• Entomology Consultant, 18th MEDCOM
• Entomologists (3) at Med Det (Ento/Sani)
• Host Nation civilian entomologists (2) embedded
  within the 5th Med Det (Ento)
• Host Nation Civilian Entomologist (1) at 106th
  Vet Det

• GS Civilian (1) with part-time entomology duties
  at IMC-Korea
• Contractor (1) serving as the Regional Emerging
  Infectious Disease Coordinator
• Support Entomologist (1-2) at CHPPM-PAC, Cp Zama,
  Japan

IMC-Korea Installation Management Command-Korea
formerly known as IMA-KORO Installation
Management Authority-Korean Regional Office
5
Entomology Consultant

• Assigned at Yongsan (Seoul)
• Position relocates to Hawaii with the activation
  of the Medical Deployment Support Command (FY09)
• Concerns
• No boots-on-the-ground field-grade military
  entomologist in Korea no substitute for
  in-country experience
• Lose prime resource for ensuring sound medical
  entomology decisions are presented to USFK
  leadership
• Lose entomology interaction with Host Nation
  resources
• Lose opportunities to further medical entomology
  knowledge of Korea
• Lose opportunity to mentor junior entomologists
  in Med Dets

6
Detachment Entomologists

• Entomologist in 5th Med Det (Ento) is the
  Commander
• Entomologists in the 38th and 154th Med Dets
  (Sani) are the Executive Officers
• Transformation
• 38th Med Det to inactivate in FY09 (or event
  driven closure of Area I camps)
• 5th Med Det relocates to Camp Humphreys (date
  TBD)
• 154th Med Det relocates to Camp Carroll (date
  TBD)
• 5th and 154th convert to MRI configuration (FY09)
• 5th and 154th subordinate to Multifunctional
  Medical Battalion
• MMB will have PVNTMED planners (72D/03 68S30)
• Reduced bases/posts/camps should allow Med Dets
  to provide increased services
• Need local Senior Entomologist and PVNTMED
  planners to direct and facilitate entomological
  surveillance

7
KGS Entomologists in 5th Med Det

• Two professional entomologists (KGS)
• Provide taxonomic and biological laboratory
  support to USFK and DPW
• Provide continuity, stabilization, and in-country
  expertise on medical entomology subjects
• Maintain extensive collection and database on
  USFK entomological collections
• Important entomological resource to USFK, must
  keep
• Relocation to Camp Humphreys with 5th Med Det
• Need to ensure adequate laboratory space for this
  group

8
Veterinary Entomologist

• Host Nation Employee (KGS)
• Provide Stored Product Pest inspections and
  identifications on imported food commodities for
  use by USFK personnel
• Food to commissaries
• Food to dining facilities
• Position still required after transformation
• No change in status expected other than
  relocation to Camp Humphreys
• Needs adequate laboratory space

9
IMC-Korea Entomologist

• Duty as Natural Resource Coordinator with
  additional duty as Entomologist (Change from
  full-time Ento)
• Pest Management Coordinator for IMC-Korea
• Responsible for DPW/garrison pest control
• Reduction in the number of bases ( fewer pest
  control shops/personnel) will significantly
  reduce but not eliminate workload
• DPW/Garrison entomology duties still required
  after transformation relocates to Camp Humphreys
• Entomology duties seen as secondary by IMC-Korea
  expect decreased oversight and monitoring of
  entomology programs

IMC-Korea Installation Management Command-Korea
formerly known as IMA-KORO Installation
Management Authority-Korean Regional Office
10
Regional Emerging Infectious Disease Coordinator

• Contractor funded by GEIS
• Initial year plus four option years
• Dependent upon yearly GEIS funding
• Works with 18th MEDCOM personnel
• Former Army Entomologist (COL-retired) with 10
  years in-country experience
• Maintains liaison with KCDC and Korean
  Universities for data and asset collaborations
• Advises on infectious disease issues to include
  pandemic/avian flu, STDs, vector-borne diseases
• Synergizes activities of PVNTMED Consultants

11
Regional Support - CHPPM-PAC

• Located at Camp Zama, Japan
• About 2 hour flight to Incheon (Seoul)
• Can provide
• Pest management reviews/guidance
• Vector diagnostics for malaria, Japanese
  encephalitis

12
In Review

• The 18th MEDCOM Entomology Consultant position
  moves to Hawaii (FY09)
• 38th Med Det inactivates (FY09 or event driven)
• 5th to Cp Humphreys 154th to Cp Carroll (TBD for
  both)
• Keep 2 HN Entos at 5th and 1 HN Ento at 106th Vet
  Det, all move to Cp Humphreys (TBD) Ensure
  laboratory space!
• IMC-Korea Natural Resource Coord (Ento) moves to
  Cp Humphreys (TBD)
• Regional Infectious Disease Coord dependent
  upon GEIS funding, moves to Cp Humphreys (TBD)
• Personnel 2 Army Entos, 3 HN, 1 GS, 1 Contractor
• Sites 1 Army Ento at Cp Carroll all others at
  Cp Humphreys
• Support CHPPM-PAC in Japan (Cp Zama),
• Regional Ento in Hawaii (vice 18th
  MEDCOM)

13
Concerns in Review

• No Field Grade entomologist in Korea
• IMC-Korea with less emphasis on pest management
• Keeping 2 HN Entos at 5th Med Det and 1 HN at
  106th Vet Det is good
• Med Dets may have time for entomology
  surveillance due to decreased number of
  posts/bases/camps

14
Potential Solutions

• Regional Entomologist in Hawaii must stay in
  close contact with KTO.
• Provide same consultative service to KTO as
  before, but from a distance
• Plan multiple TDYs to KTO (esp May-Oct)
• Authorize civilian GS-12 entomology position on
  TDA (currently required not authorized)
• Establish entomology super lab at Cp Humphreys
  with HN KGS as mainstays
• Provide space at super lab for visiting
  Regional and CHPPM-PAC personnel

15
Potential Solutions

• CHPPM-PAC will have to increase support to and
  oversight of base pest management operations as
  IMC involvement potentially declines.
• Regional entomologist and CHPPM-PAC will need to
  coordinate and plan in-country surveillance to
  maintain and increase knowledge of vector
  situation in KTO.
• Adequate resources (esp TDY funding) will need to
  be available to Regional Entomologist and
  CHPPM-PAC to properly support the KTO

16
Questions?
17
Camp Humphreys Expansion

• Backup slides

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