The DJP Update

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-11-column11_ST1_N.htm

article with photo of Grandfather of Drew Brees

Read entire article about his visit to Okinawa!

EXCERPT:

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In April 1945, Okinawa became the site of one of World War II‘s bloodiest battles between invading U.S. forces and the defending Japanese. My grandfather, Ray Akins — then a 19-year-old Marine from Brady, Texas — was in the thick of it.

As I walked around the island I realized I was walking in his footsteps. I stood at the spot where my grandfather stormed the beach with the 1st Marine Division. I imagined the noise and death surrounding the soldiers as they first set foot on the island.

Listen to the vets

Suddenly, a rush of emotion came over me, and I had to know what my grandfather was thinking at that moment. So I called him, from that very spot. I told him where I was, and with tears rolling down my face, I asked him to recall that day.

“I was 19 years old on April 1, 1945, and my birthday was in May. I was just trying to live to be 20,” he told me. I will never forget that conversation, and neither will the future generations of my family. Had a Japanese bullet killed my grandfather, I would not be here. Nor would my sons.

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http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20101111/OPINION/101111002/Drew+Brees++WWII+vets+still+deserve+our+attention

Same article with photo of Drew Brees on USO tour

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The battle of Okinawa, the bloodiest battle of WWII, is of special interest to Robin and me.  Robin’s Father, Elmer Spencer, later a prosecutor and then a judge in Ohio, joined the Marines as he left the orphanage.  He was sent to Okinawa and fought in that bloody battle.  We owe all of the Veterans much.  Very much.  And let us never forget it!  Learn more about World War II when you visit New Orleans and go to the National World War II Museum.  It started as the D-Day Museum and now has the entire World War II.  It is spectacular.  Visit online at:

http://www.ddaymuseum.org/

Here is today’s home page there:

Reach out to the Greatest Generation on Veterans Day

And for those of you who remember Dr. Brobson Lutz from my book, “On Leadership…”  for his heroic work in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, check out the wonderful story about his Mom and Dad, both Veterans of WWII.  His Dad is 99 and the article below shows Brobson’s parents in the Saturday Veterans Day Parade. His Dad was Honorary Grand Marshall in the parade in Athens, Alabama.   Great genes for Brobson!

EXCERPT from article below:  Read the entire article at:  http://swampland.com/posts/view/title:saluting_our_veterans_and_my_dear_friends_frank_and_nell_lutz

Saluting Our Veterans and My Dear Friends Frank and Nell Lutz

Posted: Nov 11, 2010Today is Veterans Day–a day on which we pay tribute to all those who served this country in the armed services. Today is especially meaningful to me because it gives me an opportunity to honor two of my favorite World War II veterans: my long time friends and erstwhile neighbors Frank and Nell Lutz. World War II ended in 1945. That was sixty-five years ago. Most living veterans of WWII are in their nineties. Frank Lutz just celebrated his 99th birthday on October 4.

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day and the day was set aside to as a day of world peace to commenorate the signing of the peace treaty after WW I. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urging of the veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice”  and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars from the Revolutionary War to Operation Enduring Freedom (in Afghanistan).

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DJP Comment:  Nice to thank those who have served in the military and defended our freedoms.  Nice to take a break from the mess in Congress with the SGR and price-fixing by government that will lead to loss of access to care for patients.  Liberty is what all Veterans fought for; let’s make sure we have liberty and Free Enterprise in America so that the sacrifices of Veterans were not in vain.

Lagniappe: Had a wonderful dinner last night with the first cousin of a hero of mine.  Dr. Jim Sammarco of Cincinnati is an orthopedic surgeon who teaches and operates at Tulane 2 weeks each month since Hurricane Katrina.  His cousin is the wonderful Navy pilot Paul Galanti featured in my book.  Paul spent nearly 7 years as a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison in Vietnam.  Jim’s daughter is a senior at Tulane Medical School and was a student in my seminar course “Leadership in Medicine”.  As I started to tell Paul’s story without mentioning his name, she said, “You are talking about my uncle!”  Small world, for sure!

FYI:  More about Paul Galanti at: http://blog.usni.org/2010/09/17/from-annapolis-to-hanoi-midshipman-interview-with-vietnam-p-o-w-cdr-paul-galanti-usn-ret/

and

http://www.dvs.virginia.gov/aboutus.shtml

Finally, if you wish to view tweets occurring during the AMA Interim Meeting, check out tweets with hashtag #AMAmtg

Here are samples of the ones I sent during the meeting:

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To see all:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS

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Gov central planning & mandates in Med always results in increased costs, lower quality, & loss of access; #AMAmtg : change direction9:19 AM Nov 9th via Echofon

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DJPNEWS:

Let not AMA Interim Meeting end with a whimper; be bold-be clear-take dramatic action! Restore #Liberty; cut the chains of Gov #AMAmtg

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A listing of all tweets by individuals who added the #AMAmtg tag can be found at:   http://bit.ly/a0keQ4

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Stay well,