(photo by Hospitalman Dustin Perry) In conjunction with Warrior Care Month, Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam Robinson Jr. receives a personal tour of the construction for the future Traumatic Brain Injury Impatient Ward on the seventh floor of the National Naval Medical Center’s Building 10 Wednesday.

The sneak peek was presented in conjunction with Warrior Care Month. Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam Robinson, Jr., and Bethesda Commander Rear Adm. Matthew Nathan took part in the tour.

The unit is still under construction and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009.

Dr. Maria Mouratidis, Bethesda’s command subject matter expert on Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health, said future patients will find the ward beneficial to their treatment and recovery. Creating a medical ward specifically for traumatic brain injury shows that Bethesda understands the importance of treating psychological wounds with the same level of importance as physical injuries, she said.

‘‘Military medicine is advancing health care for the world, the advances that we are making with traumatic brain injury have the capacity to shape the millions of patients that are suffering from traumatic brain injury both in this country and abroad,” Mouratidis said.

The new unit will help to continue the effort of military medicine in the treatment and care of TBI. For the last several years, military medicine has been on the cutting edge of TBI treatment. This unit will continue to advance the Navy’s concept of patient- and family-centered care, Robinson said.

‘‘This has been not only our honor, but it is what we have to do,” Robinson said. ‘‘It’s what we pledge to do for our wounded warriors.”

‘‘This is an exciting glimpse in to the future – a look at how traumatic brain injuries will be treated in the future,” Nathan said. ‘‘This new ward will provide unparalleled care to America’s most precious asset: the men and women who don the nation’s cloth to defend this country.”

Both Mouratidis and Robinson said the new unit will work ‘‘hand-in-glove” with the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, an advanced facility dedicated to research, diagnosis and treatment of military personnel and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and psychological health issues. The National Intrepid Center of Excellence will be built on the Bethesda campus, at the former site of Building 12.

‘‘The Center of Excellence will serve as strategic oversight of what we are doing throughout the country with traumatic brain injury and psychological health ... this unit will share that responsibility with the center,” Robinson said.

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence is anticipated to be completed in late 2009.