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EL PASO, Texas - Staff Sergeant Michael Pate is an Aerospace Medical Technician with the Texas Air National Guard’s 136th Airlift Wing Medical Group. He is currently mobilized with the Texas Military Department’s Mobile Testing Team operations in El Paso, Texas to provide the latest COVID-19 testing across the state.
“My job here is to facilitate COVID-19 testing,” said Sergeant Pate. "The testing moved from medics performing the tests to overseeing the patients performing the tests themselves and we’re here to ensure they do it correctly.”
Sergeant Pate knew the mission would be demanding but he was more than willing to accept the task.
“It’s hot. I’m not used to such dry weather but it’s rewarding to be able to do my job and see the fruits of my labor,” he said. "I enjoy what I do and I enjoy helping out the citizens of El Paso.”
Sergeant Pate has an imbued history in the medical field that prepared him for the COVID-19 response.
“As a full-time Emergency Medical Technician in the civilian sector, my job is to assess patients and provide care to whatever their ailments may be. I’m able to apply those skills along with those I’ve acquired from my military career.”
This year marks Sergeant Pate’s seventh year as a TMD Citizen Airman. He sees the current status of the nation as an opportunity to employ his professional experience to administer aid to those in need.
“I was previously activated for Hurricane Harvey where my team distributed food and cleaning supplies to the citizens of Port Aransas. We were able to provide an essential service to Texans there but this is the first time to be activated for a medical mission where I can apply my specific job skills.”
His continuing service to the state molded him into a valuable guardsman ready to overcome unforeseen obstacles.
“This activation provides all new challenges because I’m in a leadership role now. I was a Senior Airman during Hurrican Harvey and now as a Staff Sergeant, I’m able to lead my airmen and utilize their input to improve testing processes.”
Sergeant Pate understands the weight of the COVID-19 response and will continue to stand ready for whatever the citizens of Texas ask of him.
“We’re Texans serving Texans and we will see this crisis to the end."
Staff Sergeant Pate enlisted into the United States Army in 2009 as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Specialist. In 2013, he joined the 136th Airlift Wing, Texas Air National Guard, where he continues to serve the citizens of the Lone Star State.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2020 15:47 |
| Story ID: | 373759 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Texas Citizen Airman supports COVID-19 testing in El Paso, by SSgt Sean Kornegay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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