The Armed Forces Optometric Society

As a year comes to a close we give

thanks, reflect over the past and speculate

on the future. First, we must thank our

dedicated colleagues, deployed and at

home, that care for the sight of our war-

fighers and their families.

At the end of the year, we are also called

to renew our professional memberships.

In these challenging economic times, we

tend to assess the value of where our hard

earned dollars are spent. What is value?

By definition, it is ―an amount, as of

goods, services, or money, considered to

be a fair and suitable equivalent for some-

thing else; a fair price or return.‖

What is the value of membership in

AFOS and AOA? As a member of both

organizations, we are a part of a coalition

that works tirelessly on behalf of our pro-

fession, both internal and external to fed-

eral service optometry. That representa-

tion is what will help shape the future of

our profession as health care reform con-

tinues to evolve.

One of the values strong membership

numbers brings to AFOS is stronger rep-

resentation in the AOA House of Dele-

gates by increasing our share of votes.

Ever patient safety conscious, AFOS was

key in getting an online contact lens re-

tailer stop offering overseas military per-

sonnel the Web option to purchase contact

lenses without a prescription. Closer to

home, members enjoy great CE at an eco-

nomical price. The recent AAO meeting

in Orlando, Florida included 8 hours CE

covering ―Ocular Urgencies: The Best of

the Worst, The Current State And Future

of Refractive Surgery in the U.S. military,

Medical Contact Lens Grand Rounds:

Size Matters and a Therapeutic Update.‖

The value of membership in the AOA is

the connection to federal and state legisla-

tion. Take the broad scoped H.R. 3962

legislative proposal that includes state pro-

hibition on discrimination against health

care providers, health care benefit includ-

ing children’s vision, a state requirement

for Medicaid programs to cover services

furnished by optometrists and exempts sup-

pliers of eyewear from the surety bond re-

quirement. As Dr. Brooks, AOA Presi-

dent, stated ―The inclusion of optometry

and our patient-centered, pro-access

agenda in several key portions of that bill

was the result of hard work by grassroots

optometrists on the front lines as well as

continuous efforts by our Washington of-

fice staff to make patient choice and access

a key element of our national agenda.‖

Dr. Brooks also emphasized that once the

health care reform bill is enacted into law,

the AOA will need to be continue full en-

gagement in regulatory arenas, as many

implementation decisions will likely fall to

federal agencies and panels.

The several items mentioned above barely

touch upon the vast impact AFOS and

AOA has and will make on our profession.

Thus, as the year wraps up and we tend to

our daily business, remember to thank a

federal service member for their dedica-

tion, take a moment to think about the

value of membership and pledge to con-

tribute value to federal service optometry

and optometry as a whole.

January 2010

OFFICERS

*Penny Walter, OD, MPA President

*Donovan Green, OD, MBA President Elect

*Keith Cespon, OD Vice President

*Mike Sunman, OD Secretary-Treasurer

*Daniel E. Reiser, OD Immediate Past President

COUNCIL MEMBERS *Adrienne Ari, OD

*Jeffrey Autry, OD

*Jennifer Camp, OD

*John Kim, OD

*Margaret Read, OD, MBA

*Jeffrey Weaver, OD, MBA, MS

*Alyon Wasik, OD

Christopher Alferez (student)

__________________________

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dave Simpson, OD

* Denotes FAAO

Inside this issue:

The Armed Forces Optometric Society

President’s Column

Penny Walter, OD, MPA, FAAO

Proudly Serving Federal Service Optometrists Since 1970

USAF Update 2

Army Update 3

PHS/IHS Update 4

Navy Update 5

VA Update 6

Executive Director 8

CE Committee 9

Awards & Abstracts 10

Membership 11

Committees. 12

Want to enjoy the AFOS Newsletter in

―living color‖ and larger print? Go to

our Home Page and click on 2009

Newsletters

Ø A huge congratulation to our newest Colonels!

Lt Col(s) Dan Reiser and Jim Dienst have been se-

lected for promotion to colonel. This is a great ac-

complishment for these fine officers. Lt Col Dienst

was the only BSC officer selected for promotion

below the zone.

Ø The MAJCOM Optometry award winners

have been announced: For ACC, Maj Jeff Autrey

and Capt Michael Tommolino; AF Element, Maj

Tony Jarecke; AFMC, Lt Col Annette Williamson;

AMC Maj Richard Baird and Capt Chris Putnam;

AFSPC, Capt Brian Blanchard; AETC, Maj Darren

Rhoton and Capt Scott Martin; PACAF, Maj Cang

Bui and Capt Erich Wanagat; USAFA, Lt Col Tim

Nelson and Capt Kerry Phelan; USAFE, Capt Justin

Sandholm. I want to wish everyone nominated the

very best of luck in the competition for the Colonel

Floyd Morris and Colonel P Timothy Ray annual

award. We are extremely fortunate to have such

outstanding colleagues in our career field.

Ø The MAJCOM Ophthalmic technician award

winners have been announced: For ACC, TSgt

Jose Diaz, A1C Kristy Overton, Ms. Carol

McNulty; AFDW, SSgt Kelly Carter, SrA Shirley

Taylor; AFSOC, Ms. Kelli Schwall; AFMC, MSgt

Wilfrdo Cisneros, TSgt Richard Baugh, SrA Jenni-

fer Harris, Ms. Tera Hale; AMC, MSgt Alicia Ste-

venson, TSgt April Dickson, SrA Petsamone Soun-

talavong, Ms. Jennifer Freeman; AFSPC, MSgt

Kelli Remmert, SSgt Nathan Rocha, SrA Larissa

Labarbera, Mr. Joseph Krizon; AETC, MSgt Patrick

Holena, SSgt Benjamin Lemus, SrA Ross Farneth,

Ms. Terri Craig; PACAF, MSgt Rickey Mann, TSgt

Adam Saul, AIC Keisha Eanes; USAFA; TSgt Sean

Standifer; USAFE, MSgt Constance Dangerfield,

TSgt Kevin Wood, SrA Christopher Stone

Ø Air Force OD featured in Women In Optome-

try magazine: Maj Tara Jayne is featured in the

November issue of Women In Optometry. The link

to this great article is http://www.revoptom.com/

supplement_toc/s/109/

Ø Births: Capt Jesus Barrios is proud to announce

the birth of Jaiden Krishna Barrios on 23 Sep 2009

in Morristown NJ

PAGE 2 THE ARMED FORCES OPTOMETRIC SOCIETY

Ø Retirements: Col Jim Chapman has retired after

28 years of dedicated service. Jim was very active in

mentoring our junior officers and career counseling.

He was someone I could always count on for advice

and will be missed. All the best to Jim and his family

and on behalf of AF optometry, thanks for all you

have done!

Dr. Jayne featured in the November is-

sue of Women in Optometry

The Perks of Military Practice

Dr. Tara Jayne shares some perks of practicing

optometry in the military. Quotes from her article.

� Covered expenses. In addition to travel, Dr.

Jayne’s malpractice insurance premium, admission to

academy meetings and CE credits are paid for, wher-

ever she is.

� Help with school loans. Dr. Jayne received

$40,000 towards her loans, and O.D.s earn a $5,000

annual bonus if they serve.

� Early-morning convenience. Selecting an outfit

for work requires no consideration. Uniform? Check.

� Easily accessible help. If a situation takes a turn

for the worse, she can put the patient on a helicopter

for emergency assistance.

� Trained staff. Every staff member arrives as a

certified ophthalmic technician. ―They are supporting

me from the beginning, and I’m not teaching them

how to fit glasses because they already know.‖

� Work is all about patient care. Dr. Jayne doesn’t

worry about the business side of her office, and she’s

home by 5 p.m. She appreciates the time to spend

with her 2-year-old twins.

� Humanitarian missions. As a part of her job, Dr.

Jayne can help people around the world. Life-altering

moments, such as giving eyeglasses to a young child

in the Dominican Republic who ―couldn’t see past

his eyelashes,‖ have become the highlights of these

tripss ―WO

http://www.revoptom.com/cmsdocuments/2009/11/1109_wo4lo.pdf


Five New Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry

At the recently completed American Academy of Optometry

(AAO) Meeting in Orlando, our Army ranks gained five new

academy Fellows. Gaining their Fellowship in the American

Academy of Optometry (FAAO) were MAJ David Meltzer, CPT

MattGeiman, CPT Ina Lee, CPT Anne-Marie Konshak and CPT

Ann Rudick.

This final step toward being a Fellow of the AAO required the

officers to defend a series of case presentations through oral

examination. The oral examination was the culmination of the

Fellowship process. To sit for the oral examination, these can-

didates had attained 50 points through a variety of means: case

reports, poster presentations, residency, Master's degree, published work, etc.

The oral examination is conducted by regionally appointed Fellows of the Academy. Federal Service constitutes its

own region (Region 6) that fields three teams of military and federal service optometrists to conduct the interviews.

Currently, the three teams are composed of a mix of optometrists from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Public Health

Services, and Department of Veteran’s Affairs. LTC Adrienne Ari is currently our representative to this board proc-

ess.

New Fellows to the Academy will now add Board Certification Pay to their monthly military pay. Board Certifica-

tion Pay is scaled based on the number of years an officer has been an optometrist within the military.

SRTS vs. SRTS II: Quite a tale For several years, the new Spectacle Request Transmission System II (SRTS II) had

been touted as the next-generation electronic spectacle order management system that

would ―greatly improve the efficiency and tracking of all tasks associated with spectacle

ordering.‖ But, in recent years, leaders within military optometry and opticianry could

see that promise was hollow. The new system had critical flaws that prevented its launch,

and with each passing year the new system fell farther behind the continued development

of our customary system, the original SRTS that has served the military so well for the

past 20 years.

Thus, October 14th was an exciting day for military optometry. After, a series of high

level meetings and briefings, the Clinical Proponency Steering Committee (CPSC)

unanimously decided to terminate SRTS II and throw support to the continuation and

further development of SRTS. The CPSC is the decision authority, being composed of the Deputy Secretary of De-

fense for Health Affairs and the Deputy Surgeon Generals of the three services.

The story of SRTS vs. SRTSII is somewhat of a ―David and Goliath‖ tale, where the four-man SRTS team was pit-

ted against the massive DoD information system ―Enterprise‖ that built and promoted the military’s electronic health

record, AHLTA, and had a mission to consume every other health-related information system in the military. But,

with all its political and financial support, the Enterprise could not match the dexterity of the four-man SRTS team,

so intimately familiar with their unique system and who tenaciously forging forward with enhancements, such as G-

Eyes and a Web-enabled version of SRTS. As it happened, SRTS II never stood a chance… As we rolled into the

CPSC meeting, it was obvious that SRTS II was years (and perhaps millions of dollars in development) behind

SRTS, and by the time SRTS II caught-up, SRTS would very likely have created more products that would perpetu-

ally keep the original system in the forefront (Continued on page 13)

Dr. Regina Benjamin was unanimously confirmed as the

18th U.S. Surgeon General by the full United States Sen-

ate.

Assignment Incentive Pay

To date 197 optometry billets have been registered and are

now eligible for AIP. Of those registered, 17% are encum-

bered by an optometrist and 18%, of those encumbered po-

sitions have entered into contracts with their respective Ser-

vice Units. AIP contracts have ranged from $1,500 to

$3,000/month.

AAO

Congratulations to CAPT Sharyn Healy, CDR Chris Nield

and LCDR Sarah Stienbarger on successfully attaining their

AAO Fellowship.

IHS Biennial Eye Care Meeting

Please pencil May 10–13, 2010 into your schedule. Dr.

Garber has organized approximately 29 hours of excellent

CME, which will once again be held at Southern California

College of Optometry.

COA

The next Commissioned Officer Association Symposium

is May 24-27, 2010 in San Diego. This is an excellent

meeting in which Officers get first hand information on cur-

rent Corps issues and future goals.

Transformation

The billets transformation process has begun and will re-

sult in the creation of unique billets for all non-flag posi-

tions in the Corps. The goals of billets transformation are

twofold. In the short-term, to create unique, position-

specific billets for all positions currently encumbered by

Commissioned Officers. In the long-term, to create unique,

position-specific billets for all positions that could possibly

be encumbered by Commissioned Officers. Optometry Of-

ficers are earmarked for on-line billet transformation in

March 2010.

GI Bill Transferability12/01/2009. Post-9/11 GI Bill

'transferability' for PHS officers? Congressman Ciro Rodri-

guez of Texas has introduced a bill to include PHS and

NOAA officers in this popular entitlement. It is H.R. 3657,


MOVING? Please notify our office so we can continue to keep you informed without interruption. If you are an AOA member, we will automatically notify the AOA of the change.

PHONE: (805) 226-8292 E-MAIL: [email protected]

WEB: www.afos2020.org

and it is now before the Veterans' Affairs Committee

in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Direct Access’ Self Service, E-resume, and Readi-

ness Functions are up and running and available to

officers. The new Billet System is well into develop-

ment and Transformation will be initiating the Billet

Collection System starting in January 2010. There

will be a separate billet that matches each officer’s

individual position. Direct Access is the tool that will

merge the new Billet System and Officer Profile Sys-

tem data. Direct Access enables officers to disclose

their accomplishments and OPDIVs/STAFFDIVs to

match officer qualifications with OPDIV/STAFFDIV

needs.

The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation's third book has been published!! Caring & Curing: A

History of the Indian Health Service is written by

James P. Rife, a senior historian with History Associ-

ates, and CAPT Alan J. Dellapenna, Jr., USPHS of

the Indian Health Service. This thoroughly re-

searched volume chronicles the history of Indian

Heath Service (IHS) from its earliest beginnings, as

part of the Department of the Interior, through multi-

ple reorganizations including the 1955 transfer to the

U.S. Public Health Service.


CAPT Mike Pattison

● First and foremost, I hope that all of you had a won-

derful holiday season and are now safely back on the job.

As for the Navy and what has been going on, the good

news is that just about every one is back home from their

respective missions with the exception of LCDR Tyson

Brunstetter who should be in Kuwait replacing CDR

Carl Ruoff by the time that you read this.

● This coming year promises to be even more eventful.

If you look at all that is going on in the world you will

see that the opportunities for more humanitarian missions

and deployments seem to be continuing to expand. We

already are anticipating missions again to the Pacific the

Caribbean, and Africa and it appears that we can antici-

pate optometry being assigned to go elsewhere in the

world as well. And all of this is before the inauguration

which may change the priorities of where we will be

heading.

● I think that the key word for all of us for this year is

the word ―Joint.‖ For those who are not aware, the Navy

Hospital in Illinois is in the process of merging with the

VA hospital there. And here we are in the process of

merging the National Naval Medical Center here in Be-

thesda with its counterpart for the Army, Walter Reed.

We will be working as one team providing the best possi-

ble care to all of our patients. This one is most evident to

me because of all of the construction going on around

here. We have around one billion square feet of renova-

tion or construction occurring around here with the open-

ing of the new facility on the 10th anniversary of Septem-

ber 11, 2001. Finally, many of the missions that we do

are joint. We had an member from the Air Force and

USPHS working with us this past year and I would an-

ticipate something similar this year.

● And the most important new project for all of us is the

congressionally mandated Vision Center of Excellence

(VCE). The VCE represents a huge step for all of us. It

is a collaborative effort between the services and the VA

and includes both Optometry and Ophthalmology

working as one team in order to provide care and

develop research initiatives for taking care of and

tracking our patients as they migrate throughout our

system

● For those that are not aware, this program is still in its

infancy but the headquarters for the administrative portion

will be here at Bethesda with a 4000 square foot office

being built adjacent to our new Optometry Clinic. In ad-

dition, four Clinical VCEs are being established, here at

Bethesda/Walter Reed, at Madigan in Washington, at San

Diego in California, and at Brook Army in Texas. The

clinical sites will be set up with specialized equipment so

that we can do specialty contact lens work; binocular as-

sessments combined with vision training; low vision ser-

vices and other specialty care so that we can properly take

care of folks who have suffered injuries. Exciting

times!!!

● The good news for Optometry is that, thanks to AFOS,

we have been meeting together for years so we are well

ahead of the learning curve on working together. Our

ability to meet our counterparts and discuss what is hap-

pening and how we take care of patients sets us apart.

This is just another benefit of being a member of AFOS

and attending the educational meetings that they provide.

I look forward to seeing all of you in Atlanta in February.

● Enjoy!!!

Drs. Tyson Brunstetter and Richard Zeber

after delivering their salient lecture on “State

of Refractive Surgery in the US Military”


Congratulations to the new NAVAO Board Members! Another two year term has come to a close and the

new NAVAO officers have taken the helm. We welcome and congratulate Dr. Brian Kawasaki as presi-

dent, Dr. Dave Storer as vice-president, Dr. Janel Chou as secretary, and Dr. Makesha Sink as treasurer.

Changes are already starting to take place, including a new web host and newsletter design. We thank the

previous board members for their service and look forward to the progress of the NAVAO.

Dr. Brian Kawasaki, incoming president, pre-

sents Dr. Gay Tokumaru, immediate past presi-

dent with a plaque We also congratulate Dr. Kara Gagnon for successfully

coordinating the VA/DoD conference on Sensory Impair-

ment Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury held in Chicago in

early December. Dr. Tokumaru was fortunate enough to

attend and provided us with the following summary:

The National VHA/DOD Conference on Sensory Impair-

ment Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury was held Dec 8-10

at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, Illi-

nois. This conference was sponsored by the Dept of Vet-

erans Affairs Employee Education System and the VA Vi-

sion, Eye Care and Rehabilitation Services. The conference was well attended by representatives of the

VA --including optometrists, ophthalmologists, audiologist, and blind rehabilitation and low vision special-

ists.

The conference included a wide range of speakers, including optometrists, audiologists, ophthalmolo-

gists, DOD surgeons, VHA researchers, Wounded Warrior veterans, and members of multidisciplinary

teams.

The program commenced with an inspiring address by Keynote Speaker, the Honorable Tammy

Duckworth, who currently serves as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Assistant Secretary for Pub-

lic and Intergovernmental Affairs. Ms. Duckworth lost both of her legs and partial use of one arm during a

mission north of Baghdad in 2004, and previously served as Director of Illinois Department of Veterans'

Affairs from 2006-2008. See her biography below:

http://www1.va.gov/opa/bios/biography.asp?id=90

Day 1: included talks on State of the Art neuroimaging, as well as the neuropsychiatry of TBI. Highly rec-

ommended is the web cast entitled, TBI: Clinical Updates from Neuropsychiatry - by Robin Hurley, MD,

which can be found here:

http://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn6/TBI_education.asp

Also a trauma panel comprised of an ENT surgeon, neurosurgeon, and OMD discussed the implications of

trauma in the field.

The day was rounded out by presentations by the multidisciplinary teams from Hines in Chicago, Kansas

City VAMC, and Northport (NY) VAMC (Continued on page 7)

http://www1.va.gov/opa/bios/biography.asp?id=90

http://mireccweb.biac.duke.edu/Mediasite/Viewer/?peid=eb66c563-72fc-4e20-a8a2-ac7482ad7447

http://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn6/TBI_education.asp


VA (Continued from page 6)

Day2: Commenced with presentations from Wounded Warriors: Glenn Miney and Tim Maxwell. Dr.

Mitchell Scheiman discussed treatment for visual problems with vision therapy techniques with an evidence

-based review, followed by a panel presentation on sensory impairment in older adults with both audiology

and optometry contributing.

The day concluded with discussions on current research, including information on the Boston Retinal Im-

plant Project (http://www.bostonretinalimplant.org/), as well as presentations by Randy Kardon, M.D.,

Ph.D.,, who is the Director of the newly opened Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical

Center VA Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss.

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/News/2009/0910VAResear\chCtr.htmThis Center was opened un-

der the VA Research and Development program of the Rehabilitation Research and Development (RR&D)

Service, with $5 million in federal funding over the next five years, for research focused on prevention and

treatment of visual impairments.

The section on Research was wrapped up with presentations from Atlanta R&D and the Rehabilitative Audi-

tory research group from Portland.

The afternoon session reviewed the visual, ocular, and auditory consequences of blast-related TBI. The fi-

nal afternoon sessions were special topic breakout sessions on vision, hearing, and simulated sensory im-

pairments.

Day 3: Started the morning with Wounded Warrior Jeffrey Mittman and a presentation by Tom Miller from

the Blinded Veterans Association. Dr. James Elledge discussed DoD efforts to provide protective eyewear

followed by reports from the Defense Centers of Excellence, including discussions of Psychological Health

and TBI, the Vision Center of Excellence, and Hearing Loss Center of Excellence.

Discussions regarding the Continuum of Care (Polytrauma and Blind Rehabilitation Service) and the Palo

Alto TBI and Richmond Polytrauma teams concluded the meeting.

Drs. Michael Johnson & Bruce Baldwin Drs. Fred Barja & James Forrest

The FSO

In

Orlando

2009

http://www.bostonretinalimplant.org/

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/BIOGRAPH/kardon.htm

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/BIOGRAPH/kardon.htm

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/News/2009/0910VAResear/chCtr.htm


We are in the process of upgrading our AFOS website. It will have a public and private section and the pri-

vate section will have a forum and a directory with the ability for you to enter and update your profile to in-

clude photos. You will also be able to view your dues balances for both AFOS and the AOA. You will also

be able to continue making dues payments online and you will also be notified quarterly via email of your

dues balances. The quarterly newsletter will continue to be available on the website and we hope over a short

period of time to phase out the printing and mailing of the newsletter. The ―launch‖ date will be on or about

March after the Annual AFOS Meeting. I request your patience as we develop and work out any ―bugs‖ —

this is a ―giant step forward‖ for our Society.

If you didn’t notice, I have inserted a few pictures from the past regarding AFOS historical information. I feel

it is important for you to know that Life Members comprise 33% of our membership. This historical number

has not changed over time — we are retaining far too few members in AFOS as Life Members on their retire-

ment. I feel this is because our newsletters have focused almost strictly on our ―active membership‖. I want

to change this and I will strive to convert all active members to Life Members on their retirement. To facili-

tate that goal, you will notice more Life Member information in our newsletters. I am soliciting for a Life

Member who would like to be our ―chair‖ for our Life Member Column in future newsletters and more impor-

tantly, I am hoping that we can put in a separate Life Member section in our new website. All Life Members

will be able to update their profiles along with the active members to include photos.

An important addition to our committees is the Communication/Marketing Committee. Our plan is to have

these members assist with the new website and they will be valuable because we have so much potential for

our new website.

Our CE Committee chair Dr. Angela Musick and her co-chair Dr. Scott Slagle and their colleagues have an

action packed day planned for you at the SECO in Atlanta. Page 18 outlines the schedule with specific details.

Go to our website and download the CE course handouts from the ―Annual AFOS Meeting.

Your Executive Council proposed 2 changes to your Constitution and Bylaws at the Annual Meeting in At-

lanta in March 2009 – Page 16 has the specific details and the background for these proposed changes: (1)

Changing the Annual Meeting from the SECO to the Academy and (2) Increasing your ―at large‖ Council

Members from seven (7) to eleven (11) and increasing the maximum tenure from six (6) to seven (7) years.

You will have the opportunity to vote on these changes at the SECO in February.

The AOA Board of Trustees approved a dues increase of $32 for 2010. With this increase, the full annual

dues amount will be $768 effective January 1, 2010. The best news is that AFOS absolutely has no inten-

tion of raising dues and it is imperative for you to know that the last time AFOS raised dues was 2002.

Please go to page 20 and review the new ascending dues scale.

The October Newsletter was mailed without the balance of dues being inserted on each member’s newsletter.

That omission has been corrected. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Please be advised that for our members who need LSP information for their orders regarding our Annual

Meeting — The Group/Event Non-availability Number is: 136221. If you need any additional information

regarding the LSP or need a copy of the letter to include with your orders, please call or email the AFOS Of-

fice.

And lastly, I wish to thank all of our members who have supported me this year in the transition of my tenure

as your new Executive Director. It has been greatly appreciated and I promise that 2010 will be a ―dynamite‖

and exciting year for AFOS.

Greetings from the Continuing Education Committee

Committee Chairs: Angela N Musick, OD, FAAO (VA) ([email protected])

Wm. Scott Slagle, OD, FAAO (VA) ([email protected])

Thank you to all of the members in attendance at the FSO meeting in Orlando who turned in an evaluation. The

overall results for this past meeting were positive. We tabulate all of the results and read every comment. The CE

Committee appreciates your input. Many of the members have offered novel ideas over the years, some of which

have recently been put into place. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate every request, as time, resources,

and other factors limit our ability to make certain changes; though we welcome the exchange of ideas.

The continuing education schedule for the 2010 AFOS Annual meeting is as follows:

0800-0945 Steven Ferrucci, OD

COPE# 24677-SD (2H) CLINICAL GRAND ROUNDS

1400-1545 Carlo J. Pelino, OD

COPE# 25918-PS (2H) OUCH! THAT’S GOTTA HURT…UNDERSTANDING OCULAR TRAUMA

Outlines and handouts will be posted on the web as they are finalized by the speakers, so please keep checking the

AFOS website.

We are not planning to use the ARBO scanners for the 2010 AFOS Annual Meeting. For the upcoming meeting,

attendees should sign the attendance sheets as they go around. A sign-in sheet will be sent down both sides of the

room during each lecture, and each sheet should remain on the side of the room where it begins in order to enhance

speed of travel.

There will be additional sign-in sheets in the back for those who are unable to sign the traveling sheets. Hard copy

CE attendance certificates will be traded for evaluation certificates near the door at the end of each lecture. AFOS

will supply the sign-in sheets to ARBO, so that those who signed will get credit on the website.

Planning for the 2010 FSO Meeting in San Francisco is currently underway, and the CE committee is already work-

ing on speakers and topics. Please keep checking the AFOS website (www.afos2020.org) for updates.


CONTINUING EDUCATION

Dr. Angela Musick

Branch Members

Air Force MAJ Anthony Jarecke, OD, MBA, FAAO

MAJ John J Kim, OD, FAAO (Council Member)

Army MAJ Jason Hales, OD, FAAO

CAPT Ina Lee, OD

Navy LCDR Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, MBA, FAAO

CDR Kevin Jackson, OD, MPH, FAAO

Public Health LCDR Michael Davis, OD, FAAO

LT Christopher Cordes, OD, FAAO

VA **Wm. Scott Slagle, OD, FAAO—Committee Co-Chair

**Angela Musick, OD, FAAO—Committee Chair

Past Chair LtCOL (Ret) Brian Meier, OD—Retired/Civilian

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.afos2020.org/


AWARD NOMINATIONS!! Nominations have been submitted for the 2009 awards. Announcement of the winners

will take place during the annual AFOS meeting which will precede the SECO 2010 in Atlanta, GA. GOOD LUCK to

all the nominees! And a very special THANK YOU to those who took the time to recognize your colleagues!!

DON’T WAIT: Why wait until the last minute? You may submit a packet anytime up until midnight (EST) on 15 No-

vember 2010. Start working on next year’s applications NOW! Please see the AFOS website for more details on the

nomination process: www.afos2020.org Feel free to contact the Award Chair, Dr. Carol Rymer at

[email protected] or Co-Chair, Dr. Marrie Read at [email protected] for any questions.

AWARDS

Dr. Carol Rymer

Dr. Margaret Read

Nhung Xuan Nguyen, Malte Weismann and S Trauzettel-Klosinski. Improvement of reading speed after providing of

low vision aids in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol. 2009: 87: 849–853

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of severe visual impairment, includ-

ing loss of reading ability, among elderly persons in developed countries. This study evaluates how reading speed

improves with use of adequate low vision aids in patients with vision impairment secondary to Age-related macular

degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Five hundred and thirty patients with different stages of AMD were included in this retrospective

study. Patients ranged in age from 52 to 98 with 73% between 75 and 90 years of age. Patients were referred to

the low vision clinic for their first low vision aid or because their current reading aids were inadequate. Magnifica-

tion power required for fluent reading was determined from how much newspaper text in standard print size had to

be magnified in order to be read at a distance of 25 cm. All patients underwent a standardized ophthalmological

examination including evaluation of magnification requirement and careful providing of low vision aids. Before

and after the provision of low vision aids, reading speed [words per minute (wpm)] was evaluated using standard-

ized reading texts in Times New Roman 10 pt print.

Results: Reading speed improved significantly through the use of appropriate low vision aids. 42% required closed

circuit TV systems while 58% achieved visual rehabilitation with optical visual aids. Entering visual acuity ranged

from 0.03 to 0.60 (decimal notation : 0.1 = 20/200) with 69% of patients having an acuity of 0.1 or better. The

mean magnification requirement was 7.4 ± 6.3-fold (range 2–25). Between patients with visual acuity < 0.1 and

patients with visual acuity of 0.1 or better, there are highly significant differences in reading speed before (0.4 ±

3.8 versus 20 ± 28 wpm) and after providing of visual aids (40 ± 13 versus 84 ± 30 wpm). Before providing of low

vision aids, only 16% of patients were able to read (had reading speed > 30 wpm), all of whom had entering acui-

ties between 0.4 and 0.6; whereas after the provision of low vision aids 94% of all patient enrolled were able to

read.

Conclusion: Disruption of macular function as a result of AMD results in decreased reading ability and need for

appropriate low vision aids to regain reading fluency. The results indicate the great value of low vision rehabilita-

tion through adequate providing of vision aids for the improvement of reading ability, with a highly significant in-

crease of reading speed without training of eccentric viewing in patients with retained central fixation. The prompt

implementation of low vision aids in patients with macular degeneration will help them to maintain and regain

http://www.afos2020.org/




Greetings fellow AFOS members!

Greetings fellow AFOS members! Thank you to all of our members who attended the FSO meeting this year. It was

great to catch up with many of you. We had a record number of attendees. Specials thanks to Dave Simpson for orga-

nizing such a great meeting and also to Angel Musick and Scott Slagle for putting together a very informative CE pro-

gram.

While at the meeting other members of the membership committee and I noticed that there is some confusion among

prospective members regarding AFOS and the AOA. Please help spread the word that membership in AFOS without

joining the AOA is not possible. By joining AFOS you are joining the AOA and are responsible for the AOA dues cor-

responding to your year of graduation. The $100 in AFOS dues are quite the bargain allowing a member to go to two

great meetings for a very low price and to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow armed forces, veteran affairs, and in Indian

health services optometrists. Personally, I can attest that I learn the most about the future of optometry in the VA at our

breakout sessions during the FSO and AFOS meetings.

We had a huge response by Navy optometrists for the open position on our committee and I am happy to report that

Robert Senko OD, FAAO has joined. Dr. Senko has many great ideas for membership recruitment and retention and we

all look forward to working with him.

Amazingly, the AFOS meeting is just around the corner. You can now register on our website. I look forward to seeing

you in Atlanta. Our plans for 2010 are to increase membership so please continue to spread the word about our great

organization. Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year!

MEMBERSHIP

Dr. Megan Hunter

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Air Force Luanne Danes, OD

Brian Blanchard, OD

Army David Meltzer, OD

Denis Descarreaux, OD

Navy Andy Archila, OD

Robert Senko, OD

Public

Health

Keith Cespon, OD

Vacant

VA Megan Hunter, OD (Chair), Aly Wasik, OD

Janel Chou, OD, and Nancy Wong, OD

Past Presidents (left to right)

Dr. David Johnson (1974)

Dr. Larry Friedman (1984)

Dr. Dan Yoshii (1985)

Dr. Luke Solverson (1991)

Dr. Fred Sparks (1986)

Dr. Elliott Alter (member at large 1985)

Dr. Agnes Palys (1980)

Dr. Jim Kluckman (1983)

AFOS COMMITTEES — These are the 7 AFOS Committees with our current membership — if you see a vacancy and

wish to volunteer, please contact the committee chair — the future is bright with volunteerism!


MARKETING/COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE

Air Force John Kim Vacant

Army Vacant Vacant

Navy Vacant Vacant

Public Health Vacant Vacant

VA Vacant Vacant

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Air Force Luanne Danes, OD Brian Blanchard, OD

Army David Meltzer, OD Denis Descarreaux, OD

Navy Michael Sunman, OD Vacant

Public

Health

Keith Cespon, OD Vacant

VA Megan Hunter, OD (Chair), David Shen, OD Janel Chou, OD, and Nancy Hunter, OD

FACILITY SUPPORT

Air Force Wilun Hsu, OD Scott Mckim, OD

Army Vacant Vacant

Navy Paul Andre, OD Larry Schmiege, OD

Public

Health Vacant Vacant

VA Nancy Wong, OD John Dziadul, OD (Chair)

PARAOPTOMETRIC COMMITTEE

Air Force Darren Rhoton, OD Vacant

Army Patricia Allen, OD (Chair) Kenny Wells, OD

Navy Samuel Jarvis, OD Vacant

Public

Health

Vacant Vacant

VA Robert Hillsgrove, OD, Susan Yee, OD Jenette Cantrell, OD

EXHIBITS/POSTERS COMMITTEE

Air Force Annette Williamson, OD Luanne Danes, OD

Army Gregory Hutcheson, OD (Chair) Jennifer Ramey, OD

Navy Albert Licup, OD Tyson Brunstetter, OD and Randy Birt, OD

Public

Health

Vacant Vacant

VA Huen-Fen Song, OD Melissa Walters

AWARDS COMMITTEE

Air Force Erich Wanagat, OD Peter Carra, OD

Army Carol Rymer, OD (Co-Chair) Vacant

Navy Marrie Read, OD (Co-Chair) Matt Behil

Public Health Vacant Cliff Brown, OD

VA Carla Engelke, OD Joe Molinari, OD

CE COMMITTEE

Air Force MAJ Anthony Jarecke, OD, MBA, FAAO MAJ John J Kim, OD, FAAO

Army MAJ Jason Hales, OD, FAAO CAPT Ina Lee, OD

Navy LCDR Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, FAAO CDR Kevin Jackson, OD, MPH, FAAO

Public Health LCDR Michael Davis, OD, FAAO LT Christopher Cordes, OD, FAAO

VA Wm. Scott Slagle, OD, FAAO (Co-Chair) **Angela Musick, OD, FAAO (Co-Chair)

Past Chair LtCOL (Ret) Brian Meier, OD—Retired/Civilian

THE ARMED FORCES OPTOMETRIC SOCIETY PAGE 13

Army (Continued from page 3)

Congratulations to Tom Brannon and his small team, for creating a marvelous system that

precisely manages the millions of optical orders that are relayed to our 24 military optical

laboratories around the World. Your SRTS clearly delivered a knockout punch

If not a Pulitzer Prize novel, our story of the difficulty with SRTS II, portraying the years of

trials and tribulations of a failed system, and the final outcome, can be portrayed in cartoons.

Romania & Bulgaria: A continuing mission for Army Optometry

CPT John Cary, CPT John Stehulak and SPC Albert Penarejo recently completed missions

into Eastern Europe as part of Task Force East. Our two optometrists were assigned to

separate missions that followed in sequence with the 212th CSH as part of a Humanitarian

and Civic Assistance team, providing vision screenings and spectacles for the citizens of Ro-

mania and Bulgaria.

CPT Cary spent seven weeks in Romania, seeing over 1700 patients in eight villages. Imme-

diately following upon another seven week mission, CPT Stehulak saw 1500 patients spread

across nine small villages. All combined, they dispensed over

4000 pair of glasses. SPC Penarejo served the missions within

both countries, present for the entire 14 weeks of the mission.

CPT Stehulak was joined by a Bulgarian ophthalmologist dur-

ing a fair portion of the deployment, enabling the team to add

surgical consults to the provided services. CPT

Cary relates that, ―Most of those served needed

reading glasses, with a sprinkling of myopes to keep it interesting…. Both of us

enjoyed our time meeting people and providing this goodwill in Eastern

Europe.‖

Over There MAJ Susan Sloan reports:

The 166th Med Det Optometry Team is home at Fort Lewis, Washington, having passed the torch to their replacement,

the 33rd Med Det, Fort Polk Optometry Team. Photos here show the Fort Lewis

team striking a pose, and an article about the Fort Polk Team’s deployment.

MAJ Susan Sloan (out of Fort Jackson) joined the team as a Professional filler,

and she praises the work of CPT Harris Abbasi who set-up the team and lead the

very smooth transition with the 166th. The Fort Polk team’s unofficial motto is

―GSD‖, short for their bottom-line mission to ―Get Stuff Done‖.

MAJ Sloan says: “We have settled in and the clinic is 100% functioning to my

satisfaction. I see between 5-15 patients. Which is convenient for right now and it looks like the clinic is picking up. To

be honest, I really am fortunate to have this tour. I have a very reliable staff with great dispositions, the clinic is big and

clean, and our lead unit has been very friendly and eager to help out. They are quick to reinforce that we are "one of

their own". It will be PVT VanAusdall's birthday at the end of October, so we are trying to set up a palace tour.”

The Fort Carson Team reports:

Into their fifth month in Iraq, the Fort Carson Team (lead by MAJ Randall Rhees and

CPT Jennifer Meadows) was the first team to arrive among the cluster of new teams

that rotated into theater over the past few months.

CPT Meadows reports that: “Things here are not bad at all and we seem to be

making the most of our deployment. As you probably already know, MAJ Rhees is the

acting Theater Consultant, I am acting as the XO for the combined Optometry

(Continued on page 14)

CPT Cary & SPC Penarejo provide a high hyperope his first pair of glasses.


Army (Continued from page 13)

Teams and SSG Smith is acting as the 68W liaison for Optometry Teams. We seem to be handling the added respon-

sibilities well and are certainly learning quite a bit about the administrative side of Army Optometry. We are now 5

months down and time seems to passing very quickly.”

From the team’s newsletter, we learn they are nicknamed the ―Hawkeyes‖, which may simply mean their work

makes Soldiers’ eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, but I assume the nickname must surely be a clever reference to Captain

Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, the lead protagonist in the M*A*S*H novels, film, and television series. Alan

Alda played the character on television, and was the only character to appear in every episode of the famous televi-

sion series.

Army optometry currently has five Optometry Teams in Iraq, each with two optometrists, two ophthalmic techni-

cians (68WP3 or ―Whisky Papa Threes‖), and two opticians (68H or ―Hotels‖). This includes a team composed of

Individual Augmentees, optometrists and supporting technicians that care for enemy combatants at two detainment

facilities. All five teams are split into two 3-man teams that are spread across ten different locations. The list below

provides the full list of deployed military Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard optometrists.

In the coming year, we anticipate the number of Optometry Teams in Iraq will begin to decrease as the US military

moves toward a drawdown. The drawdown will also include consolidation of the remaining teams. The expecta-

tions will be reviewed at future Federal Service Optometry meetings and one-on-one consultations.

The Patriarchs of Federal Service Optometrists meeting in

1969 to discuss the creation of AFOS

(left to right) Colonel Floyd Morris—Colonel Billy Greene

Capt Ralph Vasa —Capt Aldo Bartolomei — Tony Mahlman

THE ARMED FORCE S OPTOMETRIC SOCIETY PAGE 15

● ARMY RESERVE SOLDIER COMPLETES MEDRETE

● LTC Judith Driscoll, our fellow USAR optometrist who is currently Commander of the 7221st Medical Support Unit

(MSU) participated in a Medical Training and Readiness Exercises (MEDRETE) in Jacmel, Haiti, September 8 – 23.

The MEDRETE was at the request of the government of Haiti. Orchestrated by U.S. Army South, members of the

USAR, NE-MARSG, from New York, and the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion from Texas, conducted the exercise focused

humanitarian assistance. Overall, LTC Driscoll treated more than 2,600 patients, with more than 600 pairs of glasses

dispensed.

Congratulation to LTC Driscoll on this successful mission! These opportunities present to Reserve ODs on occasion, so

please pass the word if you are contacted about one and are unable to participate.

● ASSOCIATION OF MILTARY SURGEONS OF THE UNITED STATES (AMSUS)

This year’s AMSUS meeting in St. Louis November 15-20 was a relative success. While optometry participation was

not exceptional, the Optometry and Pharmacy Sections conducted a joint symposium that allowed interprofessional dis-

cussions on many issues including implications of Latisse®, new ophthalmic medications, and prevention of medical

errors. In addition, the group had the opportunity for close interaction with Rear Admiral Mike Mittelman, OD, during a

luncheon presentation on Military Medicine in the Joint Fight. Special thanks to RADM Mittelman, as well as COL Joe

Molinari (USAFR, Ret.) for their participation in the program. Also, kudos to COL Neil Glenesk, our Active Duty Con-

sultant, who chaired the overall AMSUS program. We hope to have a greater presence of ODs next year, as AMSUS

moves to beautiful Phoenix, AX, October 31- November 5. Mark your calendars

● ATTENDANCE AT AFOS/SECO

I would like to encourage Reserve Forces ODs to attend the AFOS Annual Meeting February 9-10 and SECO February

10-14 in Atlanta. There is no other meeting that treats Federal Service optometrists so well. February is usually a great

time of year to procure CHE orders, but even if that is not successful, this is a relatively low-cost meeting, especially the

AFOS portion. Please let me know if you are planning to attend or have any questions! (You can best reach me at (314)

983-4244 or [email protected])

FSO/SECO Meeting

SECO offers zero registration fees to AFOS members returning from deployment

SECO offers $50 off for AFOS Members

The combined FSO/SECO meeting will start almost a month earlier this year,

extending from Tuesday, February 9th until February 14th, 2010 in Atlanta, Geor-

gia. The FSO portion of the meeting begins with service breakout sessions on the afternoon of

February 9th. On the 10th, the FSO meeting will bring Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Health,

and Veterans Administration optometrists into one room for a full day of continuing educa-

tion. On the following day, all attendees may join the SECO Conference. Registration for the

FSO portion for AFOS members is $50, while non-members have a fee of $150. HPSP

Scholarship students are not charged for attending the FSO portions of the meeting, and are

not expected to wear a military uniform.

FSO Annual Meeting link: http://www.afos2020.org/Meetings/Annual/AnnualMeeting.htm

For the SECO Conference, the applicable link is: http://www.seco2010.com/

SPECIAL FEE NOTICE: SECO is offering complimentary registration to any AFOS member who has served

within the past six to seven months (or has orders to serve) in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, or associated locations in

the Middle East in support of the war effort.

SECO also offers a $50 discount for all AFOS members that you can implement by simply entering the code

"AFOS" for that discount.

http://www.afos2020.org/Meetings/Annual/AnnualMeeting.htm

http://www.seco2010.com/

AFOS members can now pay their AFOS and AOA dues on our website.

PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE AFOS CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

The Executive Council approved two (2) proposed changes to our Constitution & Bylaws at the Annual Meeting in

March of this year. According to our Bylaws, ―Proposals to amend the Constitution must be made to the member-

ship in writing at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting.”

BACKGROUND

The Council recognized that uniformed authorizations have been quite static over the last 15 years and that VA au-

thorizations have ―skyrocketed‖. The Council in recognizing that VA ODs target the American Academy of Op-

tometry as their primary meeting of the year, moved to change Article II Section 1 and 1(a) of the Bylaws and Arti-

cle VII Section 1 of the Constitution. The Council felt these changes would promote increased VA membership,

enhance VA membership on the Council, and create a more uniformed balance on the Council among the sections.

ARTICLE II. SECTION 1 and 1(a) of the Bylaws PRESENTLY READS:

―Section 1. The Executive Council will consist of the officers, and seven (7) members elected in the same manner as

the officers. Six (6) members will be Active members of the Society (Article III, 2.a.) and serve a maximum of six

(6) consecutive years on the Council unless elected to serve as an officer.‖

ARTICLE II. SECTION 1 and 1 (a) of the Bylaws PROPOSED CHANGE:

―Section 1. The Executive Council will consist of the officers, and eleven (11) members elected in the

same manner as the officers. Ten (10) members will be active members of the Society (Article III,

2.a.) to include two (2) members from each service and one associate and serve a maximum of seven

(7) consecutive years on the Council unless elected to serve as an officer.‖

ARTICLE VII. SECTION 1 of the Constitution PRESENTLY READS:

―Section 1. Regular meetings will be held annually at the time and place of the Southern Educational Congress of

Optometry.‖

ARTICLE VII. SECTION 1 of the Constitution PROPOSED CHANGE:

―Section 1. Regular meetings will be held annually at the time and place of the annual American

Academy of Optometry meeting.‖

The AFOS membership will have the opportunity to vote on these proposed changes at the General

Membership Meeting on Wednesday February 10 in Atlanta.


https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_home


Humanitarian health care will remain a high priority for Navy Reserve Medicine into the foreseeable fu-

ture, and this year will be no exception. Planning is well underway for MEDRETES to Guatemala, Nicara-

gua, Panama and two separate missions to Haiti for the third quarter of this fiscal year. Manpower for

these missions will be globally sourced to allow personnel to be represented from each Navy Region (Navy

Medicine East, Navy Medicine West, and the National Capital Area). As you can imagine, being selected

to participate on one of these rewarding missions is extremely coveted and the selection process is very

competitive. We anticipate at least one to two Navy Reserve optometrists will be assigned to each ME-

DRETE. I look forward to sharing their experiences with you when their missions are completed.

Optometry continues to be a key component in the delivery of humanitarian health care abroad. Optomet-

ric services are always in high demand, often the last clinic running at the end of a long day in the village.

We can all certainly be proud of the quality care we deliver as optometrists in our daily practices, but the

positive impressions and goodwill that we leave behind in the villages are priceless.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Joint Humanitarian Operations Course (JHOC) at the Naval

Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. This two day course is offered by the US Agency for International

Development (USAID) throughout the year at various military installations across the Country.

The USAID and the US military routinely respond to overseas disasters and participate in humanitarian

missions alongside each other. This course, designed and conducted by USAID, provides a forum for us to

discuss the relationships between Government Agencies, including the military, and Non Governmental

Agencies and to enhance our abilities to work collaboratively during humanitarian assistance abroad. This

course is open to all US military personnel who are interested. I would highly recommend this course! To

get more information about US AID and JHOC, you can contact Steve Catlin at [email protected].

Happy New Year!

AFOS Past Presidents

(Left to right)

Dr. Jim Hartley (1976)

Dr. Donald Robinson (1974)

Dr. John Leddy (1978)


p Tuesday February 9, 2010

Wednesday February 10, 2010

Wednesday

February 10, 2010

Registration-- Plaza Ballroom A & B

Coffee, Teas, Danish, Fruit

SECO

0715

0730

0745 Announcements

0800

Continuing Education 0800-0945

―Clinical Grand Rounds‖

Steven Ferrucci, OD

Plaza Ballroom A & B

0815

0830

0845

0900

0915

0930

0945

Break for Refreshments (Plaza Ballroom C)

1000

Annual Meeting 1000-1200 Session I


1015

1030

1045

1100

Registration 1100-1300

International B

1115

1130

1145 Luncheon 1215-1345

International B & C 1200

1300

Service Breakouts

1300-1700 VA –Internatinal C

NAVY-International D

ARMY –Internatinal G

USAF-International E

PHS-International H

1315 Filter back to seats by 1355 for start

1330

Continuing Education 1400-1545

―Ouch That’s Gotta Hurt‖

―Understanding Ocular Trauma‖

Carlo J. Pelino, OD


1345

1400

1415

1430

1445

1500

1515 Break for Refreshments (Plaza Ballroom C)

1530

Annual Meeting 1600-1700 Session II


1600-1700: Session II


1545

1600

1615

1630

1645

1700

1715

Executive Council Meeting

1800-2100

(International Room B)

Reception 1700-1900

International Rooms B & C

1730

1745

1800

1900

AFOS ANNUAL MEETING FEBRUARY 9-10 ATLANTA GEORGIA



http://www.alcon.com/en

THE ARMED FORCES

OPTOMETRIC SOCIETY

904 VISTA GRANDE STREET

PASO ROBLES, CA 93446

805-226-8292

FAX 805-226-8362

TOLL FREE 866-940-7941

*******************************************************************************************************

2009 DUES STRUCTURE AFOS AOA

<2 yrs Service………..…..$45 1st full yr after grad…..….$76.80

>2 yrs Service………..…$100 2nd full yr after grad…….$153.60

Associate……………..….$40 3rd full yr after grad…….$384.00

Student…………………..$15 4th full yr after grad……$576.00

Life (Ret.) (1 time pay)..$250 5th full yr after grad… ..$768.00

NOTE: AFOS dues are due in full on 1 Jan. AOA dues may be paid in full or quarterly. Quarterly AOA payments of $184.00

are due on 1 Jan, 1 April, 1 July and 1 Oct. DO NOT SEND DUES PAYMENTS TO THE AOA. Make

checks payable to AFOS and send all payments to: AFOS, 904 Vista Grande St., Paso Robles, CA 93446-1830.

―Contributions or gifts to the American Optometric Association are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for

income tax purposes. However, they may be tax deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses subject to

restrictions imposed as a result of association lobbying activities. The American Optometric Association estimates

that the non-deductible portion of your AOA 2008 dues - the portion that is allocable to lobbying - is 13.5%. ―

The dues owed by each member (if any) are printed at the top of your mailing label.

* Amounts reflect payments received by Dec 25, 2009 and do not reflect payments made since then. If this is incorrect, please

notify the Executive Director immediately at the address, phone number or e-mail above.

Presorted Standard

US Postage

PAID

Permit 550

Paso Robles, CA

REMEMBER:

2010 AFOS

Annual Meeting

Atlanta Georgia

February 9-10, 2010

Top quality 4 hours,

COPE approved continuing education.

Service-specific breakout sessions.

Register now on our website at

www.AFOS2020.org

Documents

The Armed Forces Optometric Society