Photo By Mark Getman | New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral Warren Smith, the commander of the 2,800- member...... read more read more
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The head of the New York Naval Militia, Rear Admiral Warren Smith, visited the state vaccination site at Yankee Stadium on March 25, to recognize 40 Naval Militia members supporting the site.
The Sailors and Marines work at the ballpark vaccination center alongside 81 members of the New York Army and Air National Guard, and New York Guard, the state’s volunteer self-defense force.
Naval Militia members provided access control, medical support, logistical support for the medical stations, and patient flow control and observation support in the post vaccination observation areas at Yankee Stadium.
The New York Naval Militia is a force of 2,500 members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve who also agree to serve concurrently in the state military force. They put the skills and military knowledge they gain in their federal mission to work for the people of New York.
There are currently 233 New York Naval Militia members involved in the state’s response to the COVID-19 mission.
Along with supporting vaccination sites, Naval Militia Members are working in command posts, conducting logistics support as well as assisting the Division of Military and Naval Affairs budget office account for the millions of dollars being spent on the COVID response mission.
The Naval Militia members, many of whom live in the Bronx, are key players in the support New York’s military forces provide at the site, said Army National Guard Capt. Abraham Lee, the site Officer In Charge.
The Yankee Stadium vaccination site opened on Feb. 5 to serve residents of the Bronx. As of March 25 the site staff have administered close to 74,000 shots.
The Yankee vaccination site has been administering the Pfizer vaccinations during the days, and overnight operations for seven days, when only the Johnson and Johnson vaccination was administered.
On March 22nd, the Yankee Stadium site began administering the Johnson and Johnson vaccine during the day for the first time.
“Many of our members have been part of the COVID-19 mission since March of last year,” Smith said. “We are all heartened by the fact that the focus of the mission has shifted from testing to vaccination along with continued testing at other sites.”
Smith chatted with the Sailors and Marines, recognized significant performers with challenge coins, and agreed to do push-ups with the younger service members.
One of those he spoke with was Lance Cpl. Jesus Almonte, a Bronx resident, who distributes syringes to the nurses who do the actual vaccinating.
“It is especially important that I pay close attention to the nurses’ supplies because it helps to keep the lines flowing and minimize wait times,” Almonte said.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Damion Maxwell, an equipment operator who also lives in the Bronx, said he gets a lot of satisfaction from the mission.
Maxwell is one of the service members who plays traffic cop for residents coming for shots. He also monitors people after they get their vaccinations to make sure they have no adverse effects.
“Being part of the covid mission in the area I grew up and live is especially important to my community. The residents are so happy to see us helping them anyway we can. It always great to hear, ‘Thank you for what you do’,” Maxwell said.
“It’s important to get people vaccinated, “said Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Taotao Ren, a Queens resident. “ The quicker we can get our country back to pre-COVID times.”
“It was great to meet our Naval Militia commander on site at Yankee Stadium and show him what we are doing,” Ren said.
Smith said he was impressed by the organization and management at Yankee Stadium, “especially given the sheer numbers of people involved, those working at the site and those being processed through for vaccinations.”
“Bravo Zulu to everyone working at Yankee Stadium,” he added, using a Navy term for “well done.”
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2021 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 392493 |
| Location: | THE BRONX, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 393 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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