Photo By Benjamin Bolton | U.S. Army Col. Mark E. Stackle, Brooke Army Medical Center commander, and Command Sgt....... read more read more
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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Aug. 19, 2024 – Brooke Army Medical Center recognized the contributions of their Summer Youth Volunteer Program participants during a ceremony in the Carolyn D. Putnam Auditorium, Aug. 2, 2024.
Each year during the summer break from school, BAMC provides opportunities for teens between the ages of 14-18 to work in various areas of the organization to gain hands-on perspectives about the military - more specifically, military medicine.
These opportunities can provide valuable insight for youth who are on the cusp of making a career decision.
Thirty-nine teens work at BAMC during the summer, and they willfully volunteered thousands of hours to assist staff in providing high quality health care the organization is known for.
“Congratulations to all of you,” said Col. Mark Stackle, BAMC commander. “You, as a group, have spent about 3,000 hours this summer at Brooke Army Medical Center. I appreciate you were willing to do that with your summer instead of going to the swimming pool or playing video games.”
Stackle talked about how passionate and invested the staff and mentors were to the Summer Youth Volunteer Program.
“This is something they were really excited about,” he stated. “I think if you end up going into a career in the health care field as a doctor, nurse, technician, pharmacist, or any of the number of fields you had a chance to spend some time in, you will have a chance at having a very rewarding career.”
Teenagers like Jessica Maani, a sophomore in high school, is considering a career in the health care profession. She is looking to attend the University of Texas, San Antonio in the future, but made being a summer youth volunteer her first choice down that path.
Maani worked in the Center for Nursing Science and Clinical Inquiry. “I chose to go to work in CNSCI,” she explained. “My brother (also a summer youth volunteer at BAMC) got the sheet for the different locations you could go to and then I read about it, and it said research, so I wanted to go there.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Dedraf Blash, BAMC command sergeant major, expressed how the hospital staff were happy the teens spent their summer taking care of people and helping them get better.
“You could have done anything you wanted to, but you decided to spend your summer right here in BAMC with us; at the number one hospital in the military,” said Blash.
Maani got to do more than expected during her time spent in the Summer Youth Volunteer Program. “I was expecting to just do data entry, but I got to see how people took care of patients,” she said.
“We’ve been doing this at BAMC for a little over 20 years,” Stackle added. “It is something I think has really become a part of our fabric.”
Teen participants were individually recognized during the ceremony and cheered on by the departments and clinics where they worked during the summer.
“I think this is a fitting opportunity that we get to celebrate what each of you have done during your summer here and give you a small token of appreciation by presenting you with a certificate,” said Stackle.
With aspirations of becoming a doctor and researcher, Maani, whose father works at BAMC, seems to be following in his footsteps. “They’re big shoes, but hopefully I can fill them,” she added.
Blash said she began her journey into the health care profession as a candy striper, volunteering during the summertime working in a hospital. She ended up fulfilling her dream working in the medical field.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much,” said Blash. “We really hope to see you in these white coats or in these scrubs taking care of us as patients.”
Both Stackle and Blash thanked the parents for providing their children an opportunity to serve in the program.
“Parents, thank you for enduring all the paperwork that I know goes along with any government program and for investing in your children to give them this opportunity,” said Stackle. “I will tell you on behalf of my staff, this is something we really take a lot of great pride in delivering.”
| Date Taken: | 08.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2024 15:14 |
| Story ID: | 478961 |
| Location: | FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 199 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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