The Public Information Office at MAMC, ever-vigilant for opportunities to justify their jobs, sent this news flash to the Napa Register, which printed it. It really must have been a slow news week.

What I didn't know was that the Surgical Dept. at Kimbrough Army Community Hospital, Ft. Meade, was going to have to close for at least 6 months for renovations the next year. The Hospital Commander had a plan to keep surgery open during that time by using field medical equipment. As the new Chief, I was going to be the go-to guy for the whole project.

In 1990 we set up a DEPMEDS (Deployable Medical Systems) surgical department in the back yard at Kimbrough Army Community Hospital while our surgical department was being renovated. As the Chief of Perioperative Nursing, I was the project officer, architect and responsible party. We did a little over 1000 surgeries in the DEPMEDS Surgical Annex (nicknamed "Ft. Berry" by my staff), including many emergencies. We didn't do surgery in tents - the modular "boxes" had climate-control and were spacious and well-equipped. Getting it off the ground required a lot of PR and umpteen tours of the facility for large and small groups, local commanders and NCOs, the media, General Officers, Congressmen, and just as importantly, the children of Ft. Meade. It was a success, and something that I am very proud of.