The course consisted of approximately thirty-four hours of instruction and practical application, conducted on Friday, Dec 12, Saturday, Dec 13, and Sunday, Dec 14.
The course included the following subjects:
• Treatment of Penetrating Chest Trauma
Decompression of a Tension Pneumothoraz (A Sucking Chest Wound)
• Initiating a Saline Lock and Intravenous Infusion
• Performance of Tactical Combat Casualty Care
• Controlling Bleeding
• Initiation of a Field Medical Card
• Evacuation of Casualties
• Evaluating a Casualty
All phases included practical exercises, where all soldiers were required to demonstrate techniques learned. All agreed that the most challenging exercise they faced was the requirement to successfully insert an IV, or intravenous, needle into a classmate’s vein, install a catheter in that vein, and then attach a saline lock, and IV drip to that catheter.
Specialist Tiffany Palacios Tudela was the course honor graduate.
Other graduates of the course were:
• Private First Class Aloysius K. Atalig
• Specialist Mollie N. Atinison
• Sergeant Jonas M. Barcinas
• Private Michael Richer Berbes
• Specialist Alvin Jesse Y. Borja
• Specialist Rosa Jean Camacho
• Specialist Shuai Chen
• Sergeant Elden Dela Cruz
• Private First Class Roland Dowai
• Private first Class Jordan Jucutan
• Specialist George T. Lieto
• Chief Warrant Officer Ronald H. Mandell
• Specialist Charles Nicholas
• Specialist Jack Anthony L. Pangelinan
• Specialist Ricardo Segotier Quichocho
• Private First Class Noel E. Santos
Sablan opens applications for the US Naval Academy
DELEGATE-ELECT Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan is encouraging young men and women from the CNMI to apply to the U.S. Naval Academy, a media release from his office stated.
There is one slot open for the Northern Marianas. But act fast — the deadline is Jan. 15.
“Attending the Naval Academy is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who wants to serve their country and receive a top notch education,” said Sablan. “I am looking forward to nominating committed young people who will do the Northern Marianas and our country proud.”
The congressional delegate can select up to 10 nominees.
The Naval Academy then makes the final selection for the one position open to the Northern Marianas. The student will begin his or her education in the fall of 2009.
To begin the application process go to the Naval Academy Web site: http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/steps.htm.
Applicants should also submit a letter of request to Sablan by Jan. 15, 2009.
Letters of request may be mailed to Sablan at either P.O. Box 500379, Saipan, MP 96950 or 423 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.
Only U.S. citizens and legal residents of the CNMI are eligible for nomination. They must be at least 17 years old and not older than 23 by July 1 of the year of entry to the academy. High school graduation is required. The complete application requires a student essay and SAT or Act test scores.
“It is not an easy process,” said Sablan. “But we have had a number of CNMI students successfully apply and graduate from the U.S. military academies. I know we have the talent.”
At the Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland, students get a first-rate, and entirely free, college education.
The federal government invests approximately $250,000 in educating each academy cadet. Graduates become commissioned officers in the Navy.
“I’m very, very excited to be able to nominate students from the CNMI to the Naval Academy as one of my first acts in office,” said Sablan. “And I am encouraging all interested students to contact my office as soon as possible. I don’t want anyone to miss out.”
Defendants in UMDA lawsuit convicted in NY trial
(UMDA) — Robert Pfaff and John Larson, two primary defendants in an ongoing civil case brought by United Micronesia Development Corp. in Saipan, were convicted on multiple counts of tax evasion by a federal jury in New York in a verdict announced on Dev. 16, 2008.
Jose Lifoifoi, chairman of the UMDA board of directors, said: “UMDA is pleased to see that the jury held Mr. Pfaff and Mr. Larson accountable for their federal crimes. These two men also have caused millions of dollars in harm to UMDA, to its shareholders, and to the people of Micronesia, and we look forward to the upcoming trial for these acts in Saipan.”
Pfaff and Larson had been on trial in federal court in New York for the past two months on charges of fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy in U.S. v. Stein — a case that was once characterized as the largest criminal inquiry into tax fraud in the history of the United States.
In April 2007 UMDA filed a civil suit against Pfaff, Larson, and a number of their associates in CNMI Superior Court to recover millions of dollars for harm done to the company over a 10-year period ending in 2006. The court recently scheduled trial to begin in August 2009.
Pfaff is also under separate criminal indictment in the New York federal court in a case that is not yet scheduled for trial. This second indictment relates to Pfaff’s alleged global criminal activities that include the misuse of UMDA accounts and assets. It corroborates many of the key allegations made by UMDA against Pfaff and his co-defendants in the civil suit.
According to Lifoifoi: “UMDA looks forward to going to trial next year and recovering the assets that rightly belong to UMDA shareholders. Defendants’ attempts to delay the trial based on Mr. Pfaff’s and Mr. Larson’s criminal problems are a smokescreen to keep the truth from coming out and to avoid being held accountable for their actions.”
(DEQ) — The Division of Environmental Quality cleanup brigade will be at it again, this time picking up trash at San Antonio Beach in San Antonio, south of the Pacific Islands Club.
If you would like to volunteer, be at the site on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 8 a.m.
Volunteers will clean until 10 a.m. and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.
This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least 10 monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three cleanups will receive a green brigade t-shirt.
On Dec. 6, 29 volunteers removed 440 pounds of debris from Marine Beach. The DEQ cleanup brigade began in 1996 and continues to maintain clean, healthy beaches.
For more information, contact 664-8500.
NMC students recognized for community projects
(NMC) — Students of Northern Marianas College were recently recognized for their efforts in conducting community presentations on topics ranging from federalization to the delegate race.
The group included students from the political science and current issues classes of Sam McPhetres, as well as from various classes of NMC’s School of Education and nursing department.
Collectively, there were a total of about 205 students involved in the community projects.
Students from McPhetres’s classes presented on various topics, such as the commonwealth’s energy crisis, the impacts of the federal takeover, and the proposal for the Marine Monument.
The college’s nursing students volunteered at during the Disaster Preparedness Month and administered free blood sugar and blood pressure checks.
School of Education students engaged in many tutoring and teaching practicum activities at the public elementary schools.
The Service Learning Program at NMC combines academic instruction with service to the community.
The program provides students the opportunities to conduct service to their community as part of their academic experience; students can earn classroom credits while serving in a variety of agencies and organizations.
