Photo By Staff Sgt. Andrew Greenwood | U.S. Army Spc. Bryan Rafanan, a Manila, Philippines native and health care specialist...... read more read more
U.S. Army Soldiers and U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Medical Detachment Team 3, deployed to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency in COVID-19 vaccine efforts with joint services at the Thomas Dunn Sports Center Community Vaccination Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and the Maureen Collier Senior Center Community Vaccination Center in Jersey city, New Jersey. The team arrived in New Jersey February 18 and is now ending their deployment two months later on April 18, 2021.
Team Three’s support at local community vaccination centers made it easier for community members who weren’t able to reach the bigger sites to get vaccinated. Team three started vaccinating community members February 21, 2021, and has administered 16,133 vaccines in conjunction with FEMA and joint service members from each branch.
“It was really great to work with FEMA and AmeriCorps, and it was nice to see the impact they had on the local community,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Madrid a Las Cruces, New Mexico native, and health care specialist assigned to the 528th Hospital Center, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Team Three has worked with multiple agencies. In the process they’ve learned how each entity operates and how to function in cohesion with each service.
“Successful operation of the CVC took overall teamwork and meshing people from seven different organizations, who never met each other, into a team that performed well,” said Lt. Col. James Phillips, an Athens, Georgia native and Medical Detachment Team 3 Officer in Charge, 627th Hospital Center, at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The training and combination of joint efforts from each branch and organization has given soldiers a better understanding of their mission.
“The hands-on training that these guys are getting every single day, you can’t replace,” Madrid said.
Team Three’s major role in supporting the local community has taught the soldiers skills they’ve never used before. Helping the local community and supporting FEMA has taught them lessons they won’t forget.
“My perspective on this mission is it was a blessing and an opportunity,” said Spc. Bryan Rafanan, a Manila, Philippines, native and health care specialist assigned to the 528th Hospital Center, Fort Bliss, Texas. “You’re doing it for the greater good of people by trying to prevent the worst thing from happening.”
U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2021 12:00 |
| Story ID: | 394129 |
| Location: | NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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