Navy Medicine Discusses Warrior Care with Boston Red Sox

BOSTON (NNS) (NNS) -- Navy Medicine executives visited Fenway Park to meet with the leadership and medical staff of the Boston Red Sox June 27 to highlight how the Navy's global role directly benefits the city of Boston and to thank the team for their support of the military.

Rear Adm. Elaine Wagner, Commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va., visited the ballpark while in town meeting with local corporate executives, healthcare providers, and university leadership as part of Boston Navy Week.

While at Fenway Park, Wagner explained how building partnerships with civilian organizations was important in advancing the military's capability in providing care and support to personnel wounded in combat.

"The Navy and military medicine are on the leading edge of medical care but we have much we can learn from others," said Wagner. "Meeting with medical experts in the Boston area and discussing areas of mutual interest can only help us raise our game which also provides a benefit to the US public health system."

During her visit, Wagner explained that care for those wounded in combat is a long-term commitment and thanked Red Sox Chairman Thomas C. Werner and Vice Chairman David Ginzberg for their continued support.

Ginzberg expressed appreciation for the Navy's visit and stated that the Red Sox organization works hard to express gratitude for the nation's uniformed service members.

"From our view there is an implicit contact between the military and the private sector," said Ginzberg. "We have an obligation to help and honor those who fight on our behalf and sacrifice so much for our nation."

While at the ballpark, Wagner also met with leadership of Massachusetts General hospital who have partnered with the Red Sox to create the 'Home Base Program' that provides support for military personnel and their family members throughout their deployment cycles. Founded by the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital in 2009, the program also provides care for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have combat or deployment-related stress or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

"We are striving to be a model partnership of academic medicine and Major League Baseball in service to our military veterans-and their families," said Michael Allard, chief operating officer of the Home Base Program. "It is honor to work with the Department of Defense to raise the level of awareness and productive support from the private sector to improve the lives of those who have served us."

Wagner thanked Allard and the leadership of the Red Sox and Massachusetts General hospital for their continued support of military personnel and those wounded in combat.

"The support and generosity that organizations such as the Home Base Program and numerous others provide to our men and women in uniform are critical in maintaining the morale of our people working in high stress environments around the world," said Wagner. "It reminds them that their fellow Americans have not forgotten them."

Navy Medicine is a global healthcare network of 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

Boston Navy Week is one of 15 Navy weeks across the country this year. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they make in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.>
For more news from Navy Medicine, visit www.navy.mil/local/mednews/.