A Patriotic Doctor with Pin Point Precision

ATLANTIC OCEAN

01.29.2017

Courtesy Story

USS Bataan (LHD 5)

Onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), there are a multitude of professionals with skill sets that range from practicing medicine to maintaining turbine engines, some even know how to prepare a proper beef wellington.
Lt. (Dr.) Joseph Bush, an Osteopathic physician, has quickly developed a reputation as the go–to doc. Osteopathic physicians, also known as DOs, provide all the benefits of modern medicine with an emphasize on massage and other physical manipulation of muscle tissue and bones. In other words he is a fully trained chiropractor.
“I can do everything a chiropractor can do plus everything a MD can do,” said Bush. “It allows me more variety for my patients.”
Bush serves with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which is embarked onboard the Bataan as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which is preparing to go on a scheduled deployment later in the month.
After discovering he could be a doctor and serve his country at the same time, Bush, a native of Frankfort, Illinois, graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and joined the Navy; commissioning as a medical officer in August of 2010.
“I was a freshman in high school when 9/11 happened,” said Bush. “I knew I wanted to join and to have an opportunity to be a part of the U.S. Marine Corps. I also knew I wanted to be a doctor, I found out about a Navy program that was bringing doctors in, and I took advantage of the opportunity.”
Not only is Bush one of four doctors’ onboard Bataan, he is the only doctor with his specialization embarked with the integrated fighting force. He is also one of the few certified acupuncturist in Navy medicine.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Trevor Fajardo was a patient of Bush.
“I was having some back pain; I wasn’t able to get my full range of motion,” said Fajardo. “With the skills he has, he was able to relax the muscle through massaging then cracked specific parts of my spine back to normal.”
Fajardo went on to praise Bush saying he has good bedside manner with patients, and is able to explain to them what’s going on with them medically in common terminology.
“Having these extra skills that do not require medication or make people drowsy [when treated] helps keep everyone in the fight,” said Bush.
Bataan is Bush’s first ship he’s served aboard since joining the Navy and Bataan’s upcoming deployment will be his first.
“The Bataan is interesting, you have to get use to the rhythm,” said Bush. “I enjoy being on a ship, rocking back and forth is actually pretty soothing.”
Bush is thankful for the experience he has had so far in the Navy.
“I appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given, the Navy has been really good to me,” said Bush. “I enjoy being here on a ship because I get to learn from people with different backgrounds and each of them has different specialties.”
Bush thinks it is awesome to witness all the elements that are brought together and work in sync with each other.
“I’ve worked in several hospitals and this is probably as close as you can get without it actually being a hospital,” said Bush. “It’s nice to have these sorts of capabilities.”
Bataan is the primary casualty receiving ship afloat for the Bataan ARG (BATARG), and the medical staff aboard covers a wide variety of medical and dental specialties such as; general surgery, anesthesiology, x-ray, laboratory, pharmacy, preventive medicine, and medical equipment repair.
The BATARG consist of the USS Bataan (LHD 5) and the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), both homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and the USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) homeported in Little Creek, Virginia. During deployment the medical departments will be augmented with an additional eight doctors, three nurses and 75 corpsman spread across the ships.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2017
• Date Posted: 01.29.2017 14:35
• Story ID: 221762
• Location: ATLANTIC OCEAN
• Hometown: FRANKFORT, IL, US