Navy Captain Stephen F McCartney (RHS class of S'66) is congratulated by Brig. Gen. Frank A Panter, commanding general, 3rd Force Service Support Group. McCartney, the 3rd FSSG surgeon, received a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement as 1st FSSG surgeon, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, from January to June 2003 in Operations Enduring and Iraqui Freedom. |
8/20/2004 - Kinawa (Okinawa) Marine News
By Lance Cpl. Jonathan Teslevich
Camp Kinser - A 3rd Force Service Support Group sailor was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in a ceremony here August 13 for his life-saving actions in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.
Navy Capt. Stephen F. McCartney, group surgeon, 3rd FSSG, was recognized for his achievements as the 1st FSSG surgeon, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, from January to June 2003.
During his tour, McCartney established Surgical Company A, Health Services Batallian, as the 1 MEF medical referral center. He also personally peformed 1,500 patient visits, 130 admissions, and 23 surgeries, and he coordinated 85 medical evacuations.
"The hardest part was witnessing the severity of the injuries we treated," McCartney said. "That is why I feel a sense of pride in the capabilities of Alpha Surgical Company. The expert staff and our patients showed amazing strengths of character when faced with tough situatons."
As an experienced vascular surgeon, he recognized two cases of limb-compromising arterial injuries and performed vascular reconstructive surgery on both, in each case saving the leg of the injured servicemember.
"Vascular injuries are the most dangerous because a person can quickly succumb to the loss of blood," McCartney explained. "It is essential that a surgical team goes in rapidly to repair and reconstruct the damaged parts of the vascular system."
McCartney's actions continued outside of surgery as well, working with fellow naval medical colleagues to collate data and closely analyze medical operations.
The information, findings and suggestions for improvement will greatly enhance medical care on future deployments, according to McCartney.
Receiving this award while serving with operating forces is important to McCartney because he said he has always respected Marines and taken great pride as a member of the Navy-Marines Corps team.
"I'm humbled by this and most honored by being a recipient of a Marine Corps award," McCartney said to Marines, sailors, friends and family after receiving the medal.
P.S. from Mike (we knew him as "Stan" in high school) McCartney, Stephen's twin brother:
This is from the Okinawa paper. Steve didn't know this was coming at all. A Brigadier General above him put him up for the bronze star and he found out less than 2 days before the ceremony. Steve, while in command of his medical battalion in Kuwait/Iraq, expressly forbid ANY officers to put themselves (via other officers) in for any medals, i.e., Bronze Star, Navy Commendation or Meritorius Action Medals, as he said they should not get an award for doing the jobs they are professionally trained to do (especially MD's). He said the only awards that he would approve and forward up the chain of command would be for enlisted people (corpsmen/waves) who went beyond their assigned responsibilities and made a positive or heroic difference in the operation of the battalion. When he got this award he was a bit uncomfortable about it, for the above reasons. Wish our dad was still alive to see this. Steve will be to Okinawa for another year at least, maybe 2.
Mike McCartney, mccnumber2son@yahoo.com
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