1. “I served in the United States Navy.”
NAVY OPTOMETRY
I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
“I served in the United States Navy.”
Welcome remarks (ad lib)
Quote is excerpt from speech given by President John F. Kennedy to Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy – August 1, 1963
Optional sound bit attached: If you want to play the original sound bit, click on the sound icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen during presentation.
President John F. Kennedy

2. Why sit through this presentation?
Debt-free Future
Exotic “Beachfront” Locales
Unlimited Professional Growth
Excellent Benefits
Continuing Education Opportunities
Excellent Working Environment
Enjoy Greater Pride and Respect as a Navy Officer
Greater opportunity to begin career with a Debt-free future
Exotic “beachfront” locales: Many Navy locations are in highly desirable coastal cities. San Diego, Honolulu, Jacksonville, Portsmouth, Pensacola, etc.
Unlimited professional opportunities – Full-scope optometry, Navy leadership courses, certification process
Excellent benefits - Medical, dental, liability insurance, commissary and exchange privileges, numerous “military” discounts at participating businesses
Continuing education: Time and funding to attend continuing education conferences to meet state licensing requirements
Excellent working environment: State-of-the-art equipment; competency-based credentialing process
Military uniforms: Admired and respected by general public; a lot to be said for the old saying “There’s just something about a man (or woman) in uniform”

3. Agenda The Money The Benefits The Job The Career…
The Scholarship (HPSP)
The Loan Repayment (HPLRP)
Overview - the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Navy Lifestyle.
The Money: Illusions Dispelled
The Benefits: Its all covered
The Job: The opportunity to practice in varied settings.
The Career…(one assignment at a time, 2-4 yrs in length per assignment)
The Scholarships: The reason you are here. Average value is $37,000 per year for each student.
The Loan Repayment: $38,300/year for up to 3 years

4. ACTIVE DUTY RETIREMENT
Each year of service worth 2.5% toward retirement multiplier
50% of base pay at 20-years up to 75% at 30 years
Must do minimum 20 years to get a retirement benefit
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) applied annually based on Consumer Price Index
Example 1: Navy Commander (O-5):
Retiring with 20 years would receive $42,875.00/yr
Retiring with 28 years (max for rank) would receive $64,101.00/yr
Example 2: Navy Captain (O-6)
Retiring with 20 years would receive $47,668.00/yr
Retiring with 30 years would receive $84,167.00/yr
Figures from DoD Military Compensation Web Site:
Figures are in “today’s” dollars for an officer retiring in 2009.
Retirement benefit will have an ANNUAL COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT applied to it to maintain pace with inflation.
This is money you will be receiving EVERY YEAR, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
For more information on Military Compensation Benefits visit:

5. OTHER BENEFITS 30-days paid vacation annually (2.5 days accrued/mo)
Free medical care for family
Low cost dental care for family
No clinic on weekends/holidays - Quality of Life!
Thrift Savings Plan (tax-deferred retirement and savings plan)
Retirement Benefit
50% of Base Pay at 20 years; 75% at 30 years
Commissary and Exchange Benefit
20 to 25% average savings over civilian counterparts
Paid Continuing Medical Education
GI Bill/Tuition Assistance to obtain Masters Degree
Residency/MBA programs/PhD programs
Self-explanatory bullets
Many other benefits…..VA Loan, Discounts on a wide variety of products and services including travel, entertainment

6. Mission / Opportunities
Humanitarian Missions
Expeditionary Medical Facilities
Instruct Flight Surgeons
Refractive Surgery Center Director
Research (PhD programs)
Residency Programs
Adjunct Faculty Positions
Humanitarian Missions: Deploy with USNS Mercy, USNS Comfort, or other Navy ships on humanitarian missions.
Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait: Opportunity to be sole eye care provider at the tip of the spear
Opportunity to teach Flight Surgeons as an Aerospace Optometrist.
Opportunity to be Director at one of several Navy Refractive Surgery Centers
DUINS training for Masters/PhD/Residency
Instruct Optometry student externs as Adjunct Clinical Faculty for several schools of optometry

7. Professional Opportunity
Leadership Opportunities - There are NO similar civilian pathways or experiences that will give you the management and leadership skills you will obtain as a Naval Officer.
Serve 3-30 years – The skills you learn and practice during your Naval career will assure your integration and acceptance into the civilian world of health care whenever that time comes

8. Navy Optometry Integrated Hospital-Based Care
Specialty Contact Lens Fittings
Pre/Post Refractive Surgery Care
Glaucoma Management
Patient Load = 2 pts/hr
Electronic Medical Records
Adjunct Faculty Positions
Deck Plate (afloat) Optometry
Aerospace Optometry
Research Optometry
As a Navy Optometrist….

9. Unique Opportunities OCONUS LOCATIONS CUBA (GUANTANAMO BAY)
GUAM (AGANA HEIGHTS)
HAWAII (PEARL HARBOR)
ITALY (NAPLES AND SIGONELLA)
JAPAN (YOKOSUKA, IWAKUNI, OKINAWA)
KUWAIT (KUWAIT CITY)
SPAIN (ROTA)
Small Bases you are only Eye Specialist on Staff (will work with Critical Care, etc)
Large Bases have an MD to work with and provide more opportunities for sub-specialty collaboration

10. Unique Opportunities CONUS LOCATIONS ARIZONA MISSISSIPPI CALIFORNIA
CONNECTICUT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
ILLINOIS
MAINE
MARYLAND
MISSISSIPPI
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NORTH CAROLINA
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
Arizona – Yuma
California – Camp Pendleton, Lemoore, Port Hueneme, San Diego, Twenty Nine Palms
Connecticut – Groton
District of Columbia – Arlington Annex, Bethesda, Washington D.C.
Florida – Jacksonville, Key West, Mayport, Pensacola
Georgia – Albany, King’s Bay
Illinois – Great Lakes
Maine – Brunswick
Maryland – Annapolis, Patuxent River
Mississippi – Meridian
New Hampshire – Portsmouth
North Carolina – Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point
Rhode Island – Newport
South Carolina – Beaufort, Charleston, Parris Island
Tennessee – Millington
Texas – Corpus Christi
Virginia – Norfolk, Portsmouth, Quantico, Virginia Beach, Yorktown
Washington – Bremerton, Everett, Oak Harbor, Silverdale

11. Career Navy Optometrist
Challenging Clinical Assignments
Leadership Opportunities
Integration Into a Multidisciplinary Medical System
A Life of Variety
The Military Retirement System
Summary of Positives…..As a career Navy optometrist….
You will have the opportunity to work in CHALLENGING CLINICAL ASSIGNMENTS
You will be challenged with a myriad of LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
You will have the experience of INTEGRATION INTO A MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL SYSTEM with an ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM working closely with a variety of medical professionals in the treatment of your patients.
You will definitely experience a LIFE OF VARIETY….embrace it! You will not regret the experiences!
And, when all is said and done and you have completed a rewarding career, you will be able to sit back and enjoy the MILITARY RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
Pictured– Naval Medical Center San Diego

12. Examples of Leadership Positions held by Navy Optometrists
Command Surgeon, U.S. Joint Forces Command (Rear Admiral)
Director, Medical Service Corps (Rear Admiral)
Deputy Director, Medical Service Corps
Commanding Officer
U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa
Naval Ophthalmic Support and Training Activity
Naval Operational Medicine Institute
Executive Officer
NavMed Manpower, Personnel, Education, and Training Command
Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory
Specialty Leader for Navy Optometry
Director/Officer-in-Charge, Branch Health Clinic
Director for Administration, Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait
Department Head, Optometry Clinic
President, Armed Forces Optometric Society
Chairman, Admissions Committee, American Academy of Optometry
Self Explanatory

13. Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
START YOUR OPTOMETRY CAREER DEBT FREE
Full Tuition at Public or Private Optometry School
Reimbursement for:
required books and equipment
required school fees (except housing and meals)
Monthly stipend of at least $
Stipend effective 01 July 2008

14. Scholarship Requirements
Enrolled in Accredited Optometry School
Minimum GPA of 3.0
Able to complete Degree prior to 42nd birthday
US Citizen (Birth or Naturalized)
Meet physical qualifications of a Commissioned Officer
Age limit is waiverable

15. Obligation of Scholarship Students
No uniforms or drilling during Optometry School
During the summer, you will be paid to attend Officer Development School, study for exams, or attend externship opportunities at Naval Medical Facilities
Serve one year of Active Duty for each year of scholarship participation. (minimum 3 years)

16. Factors Considered in Selection
OAT + GPA
Evidence of Leadership
Prior Eye Care Experience
Good Recommendations
Prior Military Service
OAT (Optometry Admissions Test) + GPA
Evidence of Leadership
Prior Eye Care Experience
Good Recommendations
Prior Military Service

17. Health Professions Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
Accession/Retention incentive program
FY10 authorized 1 Direct Accession candidate (to date)
Repayment of qualified loans in exchange for an obligated period of active duty service.
Total obligated service for Direct Accession is 8 years
3 years Active Duty; 5 Years Immediate Ready Reserve
Receive loan repayment up to a maximum of $40,000 per year (up to 3 years)
Total 3-year amount: $120,000
Funds used in HPLRP are taxable income
Tax deducted (28%) prior to disbursement of funds to lending institution
Participant responsible for any unpaid loan balance
Additional information available at HPLRP website:
Qualified Loans: Government or commercial loans for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses relating to the attainment of a degree in a health care profession (Optometry).
Participant only has to do 3 years of Active Service. Balance of obligation can be served in IRR (basically on a list)
The maximum annual repayment that the Navy may award an FY09 program participant is $40,000. The award will be equal to the participant's validated debt up to the $40,000 ceiling. HPLRP awards are considered taxable income and will be treated as part of the participant's gross income for the taxable year in which payments are made. The participant is individually responsible for the tax liability on the repayment amount. The participant is also responsible for any unpaid loan balances. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) will withhold 28% from the award as federal income tax withholding, this amount will be reflected on the W-2. A separate W-2 will be sent from DFAS in January to the participant's home address on file with HPLRP. DFAS will send the payment directly to the lender listed on the approved HPLRP application following completion of selection package processing. Following this schema, HPLRP cannot pay off any "single" loan. However, we have a methodology in place that can allow us to pay off one or more of multiple loans. Keep in mind that the participant has received 100% of the validated debt, up to the annual ceiling, but 72% has gone against the loan and 28% to withholding

18. Navy Optometry Points of Contact
Specialty Leader for
Navy Optometry
Michael D. Pattison, OD, MS, FAAO
CAPT, MSC, USN
Assistant Specialty Leader for Navy Optometry
Rick Zeber, OD, MBA, FAAO
LCDR, MSC, USN
Note: World War I recruiting poster transitions from “ I wish I were a man…… Be a man and do it” to “I wish I were an O.D.” …… Be an O.D. and do it”