Photo By Staff Sgt. Matthew Lumagui | U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Rivas, native of Boston, assigned to Naval Medical...... read more read more
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BOSTON – U.S. Navy Seaman Christopher Rivas calls his deployment to provide COVID-19 vaccinations at the Hynes Community Center Community Vaccination Center, a dreamlike experience.
The 22-year-old hospitalman, assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), Virginia, is serving just a short 15-minute drive away from where he grew up in the inner-city of Boston.
The Boston vaccination center is a type-1 site staffed by 220 personnel and is capable of administering up to 6,000 vaccinations a day.
Rivas said he hopes to get the chance to administer this life-saving vaccine not only to his community and beyond, but to his family and friends closest to him.
“I can’t wait until my friends and family members choose on their own to get vaccinated,” Rivas said. “When the time comes, I’ll be the first one to ask my leadership to vaccinate those whom I left to serve.”
Rivas left Boston to join the Navy in February 2019. He said his medical background as a pharmacy technician is what prompted him to enlist in the Navy as a hospital corpsman, but Rivas said he inherited his sense of duty from his mother.
“My mom was always there for me, so I want to be able to give back to her through my service,” he said.
He added his enduring perseverance came from the city he grew up in and wishes to help the community he, his mother and his friends all call home.
Rivas said his first week administering vaccines was difficult, yet very rewarding once the team refined its methods and processes.
“We ramped up from about 4,500 vaccines the first day we arrived, to the operational 6,000 to 6,500 vaccinations a day, as of April 3rd,” he said.
Rivas said the work days may be long, but he and his team consistently work together to achieve daily goals.
“Although our time in Boston has been short thus far, we've had our hands full with responsibilities,” said U.S. Navy Seaman Patton Hayden, a hospitalman assigned to NMCP. “Everyone here has been fully committed to accomplishing the mission at hand and providing the highest level of medical care the Department of Defense can provide.”
For Rivas, this is the second time he and his unit have been called forth to help the nation during its times of need in the battle against COVID-19.
During the early stages of the pandemic, the USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), based out of Naval Station Norfolk, deployed to support the overburdened hospitals in New York City.
The Comfort served 179 patients during the ship's tenure throughout the coast of New York.
Now on his second temporary deployment, Rivas said he feels excited knowing he and his fellow Sailors are serving his fellow Bostonians.
“Missions like this are why I chose to serve, and it's more than just duty.” says Rivas. “I feel like I am actually doing something great with my life, and it's all very important to me. I’m grateful to serve both my country and the community I came from.”
The military medical and support personnel in Boston joined approximately 3,000 others from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force already supporting the federal vaccination effort in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To date, these military personnel have administered approximately 1.7 million vaccines.
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: | 04.03.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.11.2021 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 393293 |
| Location: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Hometown: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Hometown: | ROXBURY, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 361 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Sailor Deploys to hometown in support of FEMA Efforts, by SSG Matthew Lumagui, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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