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The increasing rate of homeless women veterans in the United States is presenting new challenges to society and civilian health services. Identifying women veterans at-risk or homeless, and gaining housing stability are critical steps in addressing the cause of homelessness.
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Purpose>This paper examines how the properties and patterns of a collaborative “networked hierarchy” incident command system (ICS) archetype can provide incident command centres with extra capabilities to manage public service delivery during COVID-19.Design/methodology/approach>The paper illustrates the case of Sri Lanka's COVID-19 administration during its “first wave” (from 15 February to 1 September 2020). Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with government officials who were directly involved in the administration of the COVID-19 outbreak. Secondary data sources were government publications and web sources. The data were analysed and interpreted by using narrative analysis and archetype theory respectively.Findings>The findings highlight how Sri Lanka's public sector responses to COVID-19 have followed a collaborative “networked hierarchy” ICS archetype. More specifically, the government changed its normative ICS “properties” by incorporating a diverse group of intergovernmental agencies such as the police, the military, the health service and administrative services by articulating new patterns of collaborative working, namely, organisational values, beliefs and ideas that fit with the Sri Lankan public service context.Originality/value>In responding to high magnitude healthcare emergencies, the flexibility of a collaborative networked ICS hierarchy enables different balances of organisational properties to be incorporated, such as hierarchy and horizontal networking and “patterns” in public service provision.
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The advent of horticulture, backed by research, teaching, and extension in the State of Minnesota during the 1800s, had long-term ramifications for initiating opportunities for the newly formed University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Minnesota State Horticultural Society--all of which worked closely together. The founding of the horticulture department in 1888, then known as the Division of Horticulture and Forestry, provided long-term commitment to address the needs of the horticulture field. The integration of female students in 1897 provided inclusivity of gender perspectives in horticulture and enabled essential services during World War I (WWI), when male students, faculty, and administrators were drafted into military service. After the sudden death of Dr. Samuel Green, the first Department Head, in 1910, Dr. LeRoy Cady (who served as an Acting Department Head) instituted a novel idea at the time of having weekly departmental seminars. These formally commenced on 13 Jan. 1913, with the first seminar entitled "Organization of the Seminar." A survey across the country of horticulture or plant science-based departments revealed its uniqueness as being the oldest seminar series in the country and, undoubtedly, the world. An early seminar tradition included taste-testing of fruit. Early seminars were conducted in the department office of the newly built Horticulture Building (opened in 1899). This idea of the seminar format--as a valuable mechanism of exchanging ideas and increasing department associations--was spread by faculty and Dr. Cady at national and regional meetings of the American Society for Horticultural Science. The seminar concept stretched across the country to other universities and colleges with horticulture programs to make such a forum commonplace to convey research, teaching, and outreach findings in academic settings. Knowledge of the history of the seminar series remained obscure until the record book was discovered in 2010, which provided documentation of its founding and the early years of knowledge-sharing in seminar format. To mark this unique event in horticultural science, a centennial celebration of the seminar series occurred on 13 Jan. 2013. An estimated total of 1899 seminars have been presented during this century-long period. However, a gap in the seminars during 1916 to 1925 was unexplained in the record book. Examination of the departmental, college, and university archives during this time period revealed two primary reasons for this: WWI and the 1918 influenza epidemic. The War Department's takeover of all college and university campuses in 1918 resulted in the decimation of the faculty and student body by mandatory service (all males age 18--45 years), the institution of a wartime curriculum (which limited the number and types of horticulture classes), the takeover of essential departmental functions by nondrafted men and all female students/faculty, the building of barracks (many of which were on horticultural research plots), and the cessation of all activities, including the seminar. Concurrently, the 1918 infuenza outbreak prohibited social gatherings, thus limiting interactions such as seminars. Only a few photographs exist of students wearing masks in 1918, but the impact of the flu seriously affected the ability of students to return to the University of Minnesota after WWI. One subtle benefit in 1918 was the first-ever admission of disabled students (veterans) to horticulture classes. The deaths of students, faculty, and administrators on WWI battlefields, in training camps, or by influenza, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, devastated the department for years. Lessons learned from these tragedies resonate with the modern-day continuation of the seminar series in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of HortScience is the property of American Society for Horticultural Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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An interview with Johan Luycx, product technical support specialist for Chevron is presented. Luycx said that after my military service in the Belgian Army, stationed in Germany, I started to look for a job and was recruited by Texaco in October 1988. I obtained a bachelor of science degree in industrial chemistry at Hogeschool Gent in Belgium, where petrochemistry was part of the lesson package. Some of my schoolmates were already working at the Texaco Research Centre in Ghent, and I was invited in early October 1988 for a job interview. There are still many jobs available in the lubricants industry, but I only can speak about how I came into this industry. It does not really matter what degree you obtained--the real learning process starts when you are in the job. Preferably, you should start working in the laboratory to understand all aspects of the specification tests, then move on to product development or a technical support function.
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Background/Aims The growing prevalence of chronic pain and the recent influx of postviral fatigue (due to COVID-19) will limit the working output of the UK population. As such presentations become more common, the ability of the working population to meet the demands of their employment will depend on the effective management of chronic pain and fatigue. We investigated the working ability and outcomes of UK military personnel two years after rehabilitation for persistent pain or fatigue. Methods We collected the health data of 35 personnel presenting with primary persistent pain, fibromyalgia, or persistent fatigue during admission to the 2-week Specialist Rehabilitation Course at DMRC between November 2018 to December 2019. Participants scored their current ability to work and the work-related impact of their symptoms by completing a follow-up survey. This group also evaluated the efficacy of 14 evidence-based rehabilitation tools provided during their rehabilitation programme based on how they improved their ability to work. Results 88.2% of attendees had a history of mental health issues, whilst 82.4% had other medical comorbidities. Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel predominantly presented with fatigue rather than pain;this subgroup left the armed forces two years earlier than the service average. 62.9% of attendees responded to our survey. 63.6% of respondents no longer served in the military two years after their initial admission to the rehabilitation course. All current military personnel reported either 'good' or 'very good' symptom management and as a cohort reported better work outcomes than those who had left the military. Respondents reported mindfulness, activity pacing and education about symptoms as the most effective strategies for improving work capability. Those who found these strategies most useful had the best outcomes. 7 of the 8 retained military personnel found at least two of these strategies useful for improving their work ability compared to 4 of the 14 military leavers. Conclusion Poor working ability due to persistent pain or fatigue was not compatible with sustained military employment. Yet, the tools provided at DMRC improved the ability to work for those remaining in the military. Military personnel with persistent pain and fatigue benefitted most from mindfulness, activity pacing and education. Response to these specific strategies corresponded with both continued military service and better work capabilities. These findings are consistent with the recent literature regarding the efficacy of these rehabilitation strategies for persistent pain and fatigue. The occupational outcomes of military personnel in this study may be comparable to that of civilian populations;specifically sectors with similar demands or mental health risks as the armed forces.
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Covid-19 pandemic has changed availability of reasonable jobs. To avoid joblessness, many young adults selected military service in Hungary. The aim of this research was to study their motivation, their individual needs and the way they think about the military forces. In this study, half-structured, focus group interviews with standard questions have been qualitatively analyzed by applying the Grounded Theory (GT) method. Three levels of coding were applied: open (basic), axial and selective coding. This process resulted in fewer codes representing larger categories leading to a final concentrated overview of the interviews. Three selective codes (Enrollment, Pathfinding, Fulfillment), and many sub-codes were identified. We could establish that the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic for the military career-choice really can be detected in many individuals. The military force offers for them safe, predictable existence and career image, in which, in addition to continuous learning and development, teamwork and camaraderie provides major motivations.
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The aim of the study was to evaluate the organization of screening of conscripts for COVID-19 infection in one of the subjects of the Russian Federation — Orenburg region. Materials and methods of the study. The study of organization of examination of conscripts for COVID-19 infection included study of the experience of the Center of Military Medical Examination of the Military Commissariat of Orenburg Region in carrying out military conscription under conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic;methodological recommendations approved by the Head of the Main Military Medical Department of the Defense Ministry of Russia as well as the analysis of the activities carried out at different stages of medical sorting. Results of the study and their analysis. The results of the study of the organization of COVID-19 screening of conscripts in Orenburg Region showed that sufficient and effective barrier medical screening was organized at all stages. Conscripts in good health condition were sent to the Armed Forces for military service under conscription. No claims were received from military units about poor quality selection of conscripts. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment commissions of Orenburg Region coped successfully with the task of drafting citizens for military service. © Burnasyan FMBC FMBA.
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An interview with Dirk Drees, CEO of Falex Tribology, talks about his career in engineering and research and how he got into tribology is presented. He said as with many of us, he stumbled into the tribology world almost by accident. He graduated as a materials engineer from the University of Leuven in Belgium, and got the opportunity to temporarily replace a researcher who was working on the wear and friction of vacuum-deposited titanium nitride coatings. This researcher was doing his military service, so, in a sense, the Belgian Army was the catalyst. He had done his master's thesis on surface analyses techniques, so the jump didn't seem so big. He added that tribology is indeed a big world, and as we like to call it, "multidisciplinary." It may cover many scales of forces: teratribology of earthquakes, friction and wear in huge machines, in smaller components down to micromachines.
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BACKGROUND: A stepped-down program is one in which clients transition from the care of a health professional to self-managed care. Very little is known about the effectiveness of stepped-down physical activity (PA) programs for military service veterans. OBJECTIVE: This study will test Active Choices, a stepped-down behavioral support program designed to help Australian Defence Force veterans and their dependents who are clients of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, transition from treatment by an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to self-managed PA. METHODS: The study is a parallel-group, randomized trial, with city-based exercise physiology or physiotherapy practices that recruit eligible Department of Veterans' Affairs clients assigned to Active Choices or a comparison program. The study aims to recruit 52 participants (26 in each group). The Active Choices program will consist of 2 face-to-face (Weeks 1, 12) and 2 telephone (Weeks 4 and 8) consultations. During these sessions, the participant and Active Choices consultant will utilize an evidence-based resource booklet to review the key benefits of an active lifestyle, build an action plan for PA preferences, set and review goals, self-monitor progress relative to set goals, and discuss strategies to overcome PA barriers. Linking participants to local PA communities to overcome social isolation will be a program priority. The comparison program will consist of 2 consultations (Weeks 1 and 12) and use fewer behavioral support strategies (education, self-monitoring, and action planning only) than Active Choices. Outcome measures will be administered at baseline, end-intervention (12 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks) to assess changes in moderate intensity self-managed PA, psychological well-being, and social connectedness. We will also measure health service utilization and costs as well as PA choices across the intervention period. End-intervention interviews will capture participant experiences. RESULTS: Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on human research activities in Australia, participant recruitment will commence when it is safe and feasible to do so. CONCLUSIONS: Findings will provide valuable pilot data to support up-scaling of the program and larger effectiveness trials with regional and rural as well as city-based Australian Defence Force veterans and their dependents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12620000559910; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12620000559910.aspx. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/21911.