Sears Award Nominees 2010

CAPT WARREN KLAM, MC, USN

Captain Warren Klam attended Tulane University before being accepted into Louisiana State University Medical School where he graduated in 1971. He trained in Pediatrics at both the University of Virginia Hospital and the University of Maryland Hospital. He completed an Adolescent Medicine Fellowship at the University of Maryland Hospital in 1975. Upon completion of his training he entered the Navy at the National Naval Medical Center and served as Head of Adolescent Medicine as well as the Pediatric Clinic’s Division Officer. After serving five years in the Navy he was released from Active Duty and entered into the private practice of Adolescent and Addiction Medicine in Northern Virginia. During his time in private practice he was medical director of adult and adolescent inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs and of an adolescent residential program. He was one of the first physicians in Virginia to be certified in Addiction Medicine. In 1993 CAPT Klam left private practice to reenter the United States Navy. He trained in General Psychiatry at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and then in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Following completion of his training CAPT Klam served at the Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan as Child Psychiatrist and at various Associate Directorate positions before becoming the Senior Medical Executive. While in Yokosuka he was also the Pacific area Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Chairman, processing EFMP applications from the Pacific Rim commands. CAPT Klam returned from Japan to become the Force Medical Officer for the Third Naval Construction Brigade (Seabees), and when the entire Seabee community consolidated to become the FIRST Naval Construction Division, he became the Force Medical Officer for eight Active Duty Seabee battalions and 20 Reserve Seabee battalions. With the ‘Bees’ he wrote the definitive medical department instruction, reconfigured the AMAL and ADAL, started a series of inspections to determine battalion deployability status and instituted an intensive training curriculum. CAPT Klam transferred to Naval Medical Center San Diego in the Fall of 2003. Prior to being named the Director for Mental Health he served as a child and adolescent psychiatrist as well as the Clinical Manager and Senior Medical Officer. In February 2008 he deployed to Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait for six months as the Director for Clinical Services. CAPT Klam was the Navy’s Specialty Leader in Psychiatry from December 2004 to November 2009. He served on the DoD Mental Health Task Force that produced recommendations to change the culture and to improve and enhance psychological health and fitness for Active Duty, Reserve members and their beneficiaries. CAPT Klam is board certified in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is a Part II board examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Vote Here.

CAPT ROBERT ALONSO, MC, USN

CAPT Robert Alonso holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree cum laude from the University of Louisville, a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He completed his Family Practice Internship at Naval Hospital Charleston, then reported as Battalion Surgeon, 5th Bn, 11th Marine Artillery Regiment at 29 Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. He was ordered to Naval Hospital Portsmouth for his psychiatry residency, graduating in 1993. From 1993 to 1996 he served first as Inpatient Director, then as Department Head of the Psychiatry Department of U. S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, leading the Navy’s largest OCONUS psychiatry department. In 1996 he reported as Division Psychiatrist and Assistant Division Surgeon for the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton. He became Group Surgeon for 1st Force Service Support Group in August 1999. In 2000 he deployed with 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade to Kenya and Tanzania as the Combined-Joint Task Force Surgeon for Exercises Natural Fires/Native Fury. In 2002 after graduating from the War College, he reported as Command Surgeon with Joint Task Force-Civil Support (JTF-CS). JTF-CS is the Department of Defense’s (DOD) sole deployable headquarters command dedicated to providing command and control of all DOD resources deployed in support of civil authorities for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or High-Yield Explosive events. During this tour he became a Plank Owner of Northern Command, participating in the development of the mission scope, concept of operations, and manning requirements for the NORTHCOM Surgeon’s Directorate. In 2005 he was selected to lead Navy Psychiatry's largest clinical and training operation as Department Chairman at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. Concurrently at Portsmouth, he was appointed Department Head for Contingency Planning, developing hospital contingency plans and functioning as the hospital’s emergency manager. JCAHO surveyors cited the NMCP Emergency Plan as a “best practice.” In 2006 he reported to FIRST Naval Construction Division as Force Surgeon, responsible for the manning, training, and execution of healthcare support and medical readiness of 16,800 Seabees deployed world-wide. He traveled to Camp Moreell, Kuwait six times to execute the Seabees Warrior Transition Program for regiments and battalions redeploying from the Iraqi and Afghanistan theaters. CAPT Alonso assumed duties as Executive Officer, Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait in January 2010 for a one year deployment. He is a charter member of the Society of Uniformed Services Psychiatrists, the APA Military District Branch representing DoD and Public Health Service psychiatrists and their issues before the APA Councils and Assembly. He has served two terms as Secretary, two terms as Chairman, Membership Committee, and most recently as the Deputy Representative to Area 5 for the APA Assembly. CAPT Alonso’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), and the Global War on Terror Service and Expeditionary Medals. Vote Here.