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Keene CBOC ready for patients

By BOB AUDETTE / Reformer Staff 

Posted: 09/16/2011 03:00:00 AM EDT

Updated: 09/16/2011 07:29:31 AM EDT

Dr. Carol Blackwood, Jonathan Howe, OPN, and Jennifer Vingelis, RN, will be staffing the new Veterans Administra­tion Community Based Outreach Clinic in Keene, N.H. (Bob Audette/Reformer)

Friday September 16, 2011

KEENE, N.H. -- The staff at the Veterans Administration's new Community Based Outreach Clinic is gearing up for an influx of clients who no longer want to drive to White River Junction in Vermont to receive medical care.

"We are going to be very busy," said Dr. Carol Blackwood, physician in charge.

Blackwood, who recently retired from the U.S. Navy, lives in Rockingham, Vt., and applied for the position 18 months ago.

"This has been a long road," she said.

The clinic was first scheduled to open in late spring, but due to some administrative snafus it was delayed until this month.

But now the space in the Curran Building at 640 Marlboro Street (Route 101, just east of Keene) has been renovated and outfitted and is ready to take clients.

"We'll be able to provide the services that most people need," said Blackwood, adding that the clinic is set up to provide many services specific to women.

The clinic is open to veterans, active duty personnel and members of the National Guard and Reserves who have, in the past, traveled to White River Junction, Manchester and Northampton, Mass., for medical services.

It will be open five days a week.

Helping out around the clinic will be Jennifer Vingelis, an RN, from Troy, N.H., and Jonathan Howe, an OPN, from Bellows Falls.

Both have connections to veterans.

Vingelis spent three months at WRJ and worked for the U.S. Air Force in Tucson.

"I am very excited to help take care of veterans," she said. "Veterans deserve high-quality health care."

Howe was in the Navy as a hospital corpsman.

"I like working with veterans," he said. "Being a veteran myself, we have a common bond. They tell us things they wouldn't normally tell someone else. There's trust right off."

The clinic has six examination rooms, a lab, offices and a conference room, said Blackwood

"We have room for four more providers and the VA is more than willing to hire additional people," she said. "If the vets come, we will expand to meet the need."

The VA is currently negotiating with Cheshire Medical Center in Keene to help supply some services, and overnight stays if needed, that the CBOC can't provide.

The clinic will also have a contract with a designated pharmacy where veterans will be able to pick up some prescriptions immediately, rather than having to wait for a mail delivery or make a trip to White River Junction.

Blackwood said the CBOC's equipment is new and top-of-the-line and the clinic maintains all of its records electronically, making it easy for vets who used the White River Junction facility to transfer their records.

"We'll still be connected to the ‘mother ship' in White River," said Blackwood.

Unfortunately, she said, because the White River and Manchester facilities are in different jurisdictions, and the Keene CBOC is under WRJ, there can be no electronic transfer of records from Manchester.

Veterans will still have to travel to White River Junction for some services, such as seeing a cardiologist or an orthopedic specialist and the clinic will not be able to see those with no insurance, said Blackwood. Those people will still need to go to a VA medical center.

This is not the first CBOC in the area.

A clinic was recently opened in the Exit 1 Industrial Park in Brattleboro, but the Keene CBOC is the Monadnock region's first veterans health services facility.

"It is tremendous news that Keene area veterans finally have convenient access to top-quality healthcare," stated Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., in a press release. "Those who serve our country courageously deserve access to the health care benefits they've earned. I am glad that this long-standing gap in New Hampshire's veterans' services has finally been addressed."

Blackwood grew up in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and joined the Navy in 1984.

After nine years as an intelligence officer, she decided she wanted to do something else and was accepted into UVM Medical School, which the Navy paid for.

Blackwood is trained as a family physician and has a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics.

Prior to taking the job with the Veterans Administration she worked at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend, Vt., for a year-and-a-half.

Patients seeking an appointment at the Keene CBOC should call 603-358-4900.

-- 
Howie Howe
Veterans Service Officer, Patriot Guard Riders of NH
RC Coordinator, NH Help On The Homefront
Veterans Advocate, Wounded Warrior Project

To join NH HOTH: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhhoth/join

Updated News on Derry, NH Marine L/Cpl. Micheal Geary, click the photo.

Thomas Roy/Union Leader marine 12/15/10 US Marine Honor Guard's from the Bravo Company 1st Battalion 25th Marine Division in Londonderry, salute the body of LCpl Michael Geary from the airplane at Wiggins Airways in the Manchester Boston Regional Airport on Wednesday.

Click the photo for the full story...

From left, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Pete Burnham, a platoon leader from Campton, N.H.; U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Todd Gagnon, a platoon sergeant from Alexandria, N.H.; U.S. Army Spc. Tobin Hartshorn, a mortarman from Littleton, N.H.; an Afghan National Policemen, Jafary Ziaulrahman, an interpreter; U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Lincoln Barbieri, a mortar platoon sergeant; U.S. Army Spc. Brian Lucas, a food service specialist from Sugar Hill, N.H.; U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeremy Horn, a Joint Tactical Air Controller; and soldiers from the 2nd and Mortar Platoons of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry Regiment stand atop a bridge they built for the residents of Ghorband District. (U.S. ARMY STAFF SGT. WHITNEY HUGHES) <Click on photo for full story>

Marine never left

Ceremony in Londonderry honors fallen corporal for valor
Cpl. Oulette’s Mom gets Navy Cross from Dept. of the Navy
Photo by Katie Barnes / Monitor staff

Donna Ouellette, left, is comforted by her friend, Navy Captain Pete Mulcahy, after her son, Marine Corporal Michael W. Ouellette was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross by the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy at the Marine Reserve Support Center in Londonderry on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010. Corporal Michael W. Ouellette was killed by an IED in Afghanistan in March of 2009. He was 28-years-old.

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent; Wednesday, November 10, 2010

LONDONDERRY – Gravely injured by an IED, Manchester's Cpl. Michael W. Ouellette, a member of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, didn't hesitate to lead his comrades through battle, and out of harm's way. Ouellette, 28, died of his injuries on March 22, 2009, in the Helmand province of Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, the Granite State Marine, who former comrades remember as "a true Marine, through and through," one who lived by the state's motto of "Live Free or Die," was posthumously honored for his actions in a ceremony held, fittingly, on the United States Marine Corps' 235th birthday.
OUELLETTE
Donna Ouellette, the fallen Marine's mother, was presented with the Navy Cross by Naval Secretary Hon. Raymond Mabus, in front of dozens of Cpl. Ouellette's friends, relatives and former comrades at the Marine Reserve Support Center in Londonderry.
"Every so often an act of heroism comes along," Mabus said. "But the true nature of those actions is hard to put into words."
Given for outstanding acts of bravery, the Navy Cross is the highest medal to be awarded by the Department of the Navy and is second only to the Medal of Honor, according to Marine spokesman Lt. Josh Diddams.
Mabus called Ouellette "a Marine in the true spirit of the Corps," noting that despite having his left leg severed in an explosion, the young Marine managed to organize his squad's defenses and successfully arrange for reinforcement.
►Memorial graduate killed in Afghanistan (63)
►Quilts of Valor 'covers' Granite State veterans
"Even when relief came, he refused to leave until all fellow Marines were brought to safety," Mabus said. "In the midst of chaos and confusion, Michael Ouellette did what he had to do."


Donna Ouellette is hugged by 2nd Marine Div. commander Brig. Gen. Lee Miller as she is surrounded by members of her son's unit after she received the Navy Cross awarded posthumously to her son Cpl. Michael W. Ouellette on Wednesday. (BOB LAPREE)
A native of Manchester, Ouellette graduated from Manchester Memorial High School, and was described as an avid reader, cook and history buff.
Ouellette enlisted in the Marines in 2005 and served tours as a squad automatic rifleman in Ramadi, Iraq, as a fire team leader on a deployment with the 22nd MEU, and as a squad leader in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Rhode Island resident Anthony Zanni, 22, who served as a corporal in the Marines, said he considered Ouellette to be somewhat of a father figure due to their seven-year age difference. Sgt. Stephen Porter, 25, of Pennsylvania, who was with Ouellette through tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said he'll forever be inspired by his fallen friend.
"I really respected him and looked up to him," Porter said. "I still uphold those values, and look to his actions in combat as my stronghold."
"He was your normal Marine," said Sgt. Randy Moffett, 27, of North Carolina. Moffett said he'll never forget the day he heard Ouellette's voice over the radio for the last time.
"You couldn't tell anything had happened," Moffett said of his friend, who he remembers for his intimidating appearance as well as his high level of intelligence. "He didn't want to show weakness to the enemy."
Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Nolan, 28, of Tennessee, who treated Ouellette's injuries on the scene, concurred.
"He was more worried about all of us than he was worried about himself," Nolan said. "All he kept asking us was, 'Did all my Marines get out?'"

Cpl. Charte, USMC arrives in New Hampshire from New York with escort from the "Patriot Guard" Thursday, September 16, 2010 for enterment at the State Veterans Cemetery at Boscawen, NH.

KENSINGTON – Army Sgt. Andrew Nicol was respected by his peers, whether it was on a wrestling mat as a high school athlete trying to beat his opponent, or on the battlefield as a soldier fighting for his country. The 23-year-old serving with the 3rd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort Benning, Ga., grew up in Kensington and was a 2006 graduate of Exeter High School. His death came just a couple of weeks before he was expected to return home. Family and friends are now remembering Nicol as a hero after the Army Ranger was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan Sunday morning.

NEWINGTON - Updated, 1:12 a.m. The remains of Army Sgt. Andrew Nicol, 23, landed at Pease Air Force Base as hundreds of loved ones, soldiers and Gov. John Lynch looked on Saturday afternoon. Nicol's remains were taken to Amesbury, Mass., where a wake will be held Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Holy Family Parish. A funeral has been scheduled at the same location Wednesday at 10 a.m. with a 4:00PM-Nicol, Andrew-VFC/Graveside

burial at New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen.

The first thing I must emphasize is that this book is NOT a war story. It's a chronology of events of a Marine Company that attained the reputation and known as "Suicide India" 1st Platoon of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (1967-68). The events are from the daily diary of RM "Cook" Barela from the first day he become a US Marine and shipped to the unpopular war in the Republic of South Vietnam. The events are accurate and factual and backed up by all field reports. One thing you will notice once you start reading this particular book, is that you will NOT be able to put it down, except to sleep and rest your eyes. If you have never been in combat this book will give you the sensation of seeing it through the eyes, mind, heart and soul of the warrior who took some twenty plus years in the making sure that all events were researched and confirmed by the Marines who were there for it's accuracy. NO FICTION in this book. This book should be a MUST read for all High schools as a part of the history of young 20 year old Marines who went to war for his country, and all future want to be warriors. Thanks to ALL who served, and are serving...Semper Fi Marines...GN Dumont, Sgt. USMC Veteran.