Photo By Sgt. Adam Erlewein | Pvt. Jonathan Bowen (Left), a South Point, Ohio native health care specialist with the...... read more read more
Health care specialists with the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade administered flu vaccinations at the 1st Special Troops Battalion October 6th.
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness that has a potential to impact unit readiness and mission capabilities, and the ‘Wagonmasters’ have begun to provide flu vaccinations to prevent Soldiers from getting sick.
Medics administered vaccinations to approximately 900 Soldiers to prevent them from contracting or spreading the virus to other Soldiers or Family members.
Pvt. Jonathan D. Bowen, a Southpoint, Ohio, native assigned to the 1STB, 1CDSB has been providing vaccinations for about 12 days, ensuring Soldiers could safely take the vaccination, administer the vaccination and ensured Soldiers did not have any allergic reactions to the influenza vaccination.
‘We are trying to prevent future illnesses that would degrade the ability for the brigade to do its job,” said Bowen. “It keeps Soldiers in the fight.”
The influenza vaccination that was administered to Soldiers was an inactive virus that allows the body to develop the antibodies to prevent illness.
“The inactive virus is injected into the deltoid muscle, then the body’s white blood cells destroy any type of infection or virus that enters the body,” said Bowen. “By introducing a small dead sample of the flu virus, it gives your body a game plan to know how to defeat the virus.”
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Lopez-Bonaglia, a Brookline, New Hampshire, native with the 1STB, 1CDSB explained the vaccination and how the flu vaccination is a tool that is being provided to Soldiers.
“We just want Soldiers to be healthy during this flu season,” said Lopez-Bonaglia. “The flu vaccine is just like a piece of equipment for Soldiers just like their body armor, weapon and helmet. It’s just another tool.”
According to Lopez-Bonaglia, the flu season lasts from October all the way to May and depending on how serious the flu is, those who get sick could be out for up to two weeks.
The 1CDSB had begun providing vaccinations to their Soldiers in support of the 2015 Influenza Vaccination Campaign that is being held across the Department Of Defense to maintain medical readiness. If Soldiers wish to know where they need to go in order to receive their flu vaccination, they must contact their unit’s medical sections to receive their flu vaccinations.
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.20.2015 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 179386 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | BROOKLINE, NH, US |
| Hometown: | SOUTH POINT, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 94 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ‘Wagonmasters’ maintain medical readiness, by SGT Adam Erlewein, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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