Page 5 - Veterans2016

By Brittany Williams
Staff Writer
EL DORADO — Mike Means, a graphic artist, found his love for the technologically driven field in the United States Navy.
Means grew up in Fayetteville, the home of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was well acquainted with the University of Arkansas through vol- unteer work, he said.
“When I grew up there, it was an amazing city ... in flux. I actually graduated from high school there in 1980,” he said. “The college life, as opposed to my local life, was inter- twined ... A lot of friends’ parents were teachers at the college. It’s a lot different now.”
In high school, he took an interest in drafting, which led him to major in architecture at the University of Arkansas. The graphic artist would attend the UofA for three years before enlisting in the Navy.
“I had a teacher in (my) third year that said ‘There is another job that’s called graphic art and there’s really starting to boom,'" he said. “I basi- cally ran out money. I joined the service to finish my degree and pay for school. I ended up staying in the Navy a little longer.”
After basic training, the then 21-year-old was assigned to a drafts- man illustrator job, where he used computers and software similar to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to make signage and briefing material.
“(My teacher) thought I was tal- ented in that regard so I checked it out. When I went into the Navy, they had a graphic arts position so I said ‘I wanted to do that,” Means said. “When I got into that work, it
was really cool because I was using some of the computers (and) stuff ... before anybody else. I was using a genigraphics system, which is the precursor to the Illustrator kind of drawing.”
To give an example of his work in the Navy, the veteran used an exam- ple readers may have seen in “Star Trek” or “House of Cards.”
“You’ve probably seen in all of the movies and all of the shows where they show ‘the briefing room,’ the slides, where the ships are. That was my job,” Means said. “That was really cool when I was stationed in Hawaii, the base I was on was the Pacific Fleet. Across the street was the Arizona Memorial Museum and we used to work with them a lot doing memorials, signage and stuff.”
For the first few years of his ser- vice, he bounced from nation to nation, living in places like Japan, the Philippines and Africa before settling at a base in Hawaii near Pearl Harbor, he said.
While visiting family in Fayetteville, he met Colleen, an El Dorado native. After “courting long distance,” they got married and the draftsman illus- trator brought her to the Islands.
One of most impressive projects he undertook while stationed there was taking care of displaced animals after the Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991. While refugees were relocated to Japan and Guam, their animals were sent to the Hawaiian Islands.
He was assigned to two Doberman Pinschers, Nina and Max, Means said. Prior to that experience, he was scared of them and knew little about the breed.
“They couldn’t be together in the same cage so it was very different
... They were very angry at first,” he said. “After a couple weeks, (Nina) finally warmed up to me and for three months these dogs called me a friend. I got to know the breed a little bit and had a bigger appreciation for that kind of dog.”
After serving in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, Means said that relocating, working and volunteering in the El Dorado community was a “no-brain- er.”
“When I got out of the Navy and moved here, my first job was with International Paper doing graphic arts,” he said. “I was one of the new kids who knew how to use a comput- er so I was helping train all the ‘old guys’ how to use the computers.”
Soon after, the Means opened Creative Means Picture Framing downtown. Colleen Means ran the shop while Mike Means worked at International Paper. She eventually started working at the South Arkansas Arts Center and the graphic artist took over the framing shop.
In addition to running a small busi- ness, the veteran teaches graphic design classes at SAAC and at area schools, volunteers at Union County Animal Protective Society, does free- lance work for non-profit organiza- tions and competes in international design competitions online.
“I’m the newest (Artist in Education) artist in south Arkansas. For the last two semesters, I’ve been going to the different elementary schools and doing projects,” he said. “You’ve probably seen my work before and didn’t know it.”
Brittany Williams may be contact- ed at 870-862-6611, extension 131 or by email at bwilliams@eldoradonews.
El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Friday, November 11, 2016 – 5
VA chiropractic residency
sites first in nation to
receive accreditation
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) chiropractic residency programs have reached a historic first by receiving accreditation from the Council of Chiropractic Education. These are the first residency programs in the nation ever to be awarded this distinction, a significant advancement in the evolution of chiropractic education.
In 2014, VA launched its chiropractic residency program as a three-year pilot project at five VA facilities located in West Haven, Conn.; Buffalo NY; Canandaigua, NY; St. Louis, Mo. and Los Angeles, Calif. The programs provide postgraduate clinical training in integrated chiropractic practice, focused on team-based care and inter-professional education.
“Along with serving our Nation’s Veterans, providing innovative training opportunities for health care profes- sionals is a key component of VA’s Mission,” said Dr. Karen Sanders, Deputy Chief Officer, VA Office of Academic Affiliations. “The accreditation of our chiropractic residen- cy programs demonstrates VA’s commitment to preparing providers who will serve Veterans and the Nation.”
As part of the program, residents provide clinical care mentored by senior VA chiropractors, participate in clinical rotations in relevant specialties such as rehabilitation, pri- mary care, and pain medicine, and participate in inter-pro- fessional scholarly activities. This advanced training gives chiropractic residents vital experience and the competen- cies needed to serve patients in VA facilities, other integrat- ed healthcare settings, and/or academia.
For more information about the VA chiropractic res- idency program, visit http://www.rehab.va.gov/chiro/ Residency_Programs.asp
VA streamlining process for medical/surgical purchases
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking a major step toward system improvement in the processes used to purchase medical and surgical sup- plies. VA is significantly enhancing the Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) program by replacing it with the Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor - Next Generation (MSPV- NG) program.
MSPV-NG purchasing capability greatly improves VA’s supply chain and aligns directly with VA Secretary Robert McDonald’s 12 Breakthrough Priorities designed to trans- form VA into a Veteran-centric organization of excellence.
“Similar to VA’s successful pharmaceutical purchasing and distribution program, MSPV-NG aims to improve acquisi- tion planning, sourcing, and delivery, which will allow the organization to benefit from the best pricing, timely access to supplies, and waste reduction,” said McDonald.
By standardizing processes, VA’s MSPV-NG program reduces excess inventories and leverages VA’s purchasing power. The program increases the involvement of clinicians in sourcing products, giving them direct input in selecting supplies that can be used across VA medical centers and clinics. Medical, surgical, dental, and select prosthetic and laboratory supplies will now be available at nationally negotiated rates. This benefit, along with flexible delivery options, positions VA to address critical medical and sur- gical supply needs, ultimately improving the quality of care for the Veterans we serve. The MSPV-NG program launches across all VA facilities December 1, 2016.
MSPV-NG will streamline VA’s purchases by working through four Prime Vendors. Contracts have been awarded to: American Medical Depot, Cardinal Health, Kreisers, and Medline. These vendors will align across VA’s five regions for more flexible delivery options and will have the ability to make multiple deliveries per delivery location.
The new program streamlines ordering, tracking, and pro- curement methods of medical and surgical supplies by pro- viding an efficient, cost-effective, just-in-time distribution process. In 2016 to date, VA’s supply chain transformation initiatives have saved $91.8 million. This figure is projected to increase significantly by the end of the calendar year.
Means: Mike Means discovered his calling in the Navy.
Graphic artist recalls experience in U.S. Navy
B.H. HARPER, JR.
Operation Iraq Freedom
Staff Sergent US Army 1985 - 2015
4842
ALFRED GENE COX
US Army 1958 TO 1965
4814
4803
2-11-1970 to 6-28-1979
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CARL
PRIDGEN
Served In Vietnam
US Army SP5 1969 - 1972
4972
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