Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Nelson | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Melyssa Vazquez and Spc. Aliyah Viver, public affairs specialists...... read more read more
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For Sgt. Francesca Chindemi, a combat medic with the 108th Medical Company Area Support, 213th Regional Support Group, service is about more than just training, it's about preparation, connection and purpose.
Chindemi participated in a medical field exercise at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, July 17-18, 2025. She worked through the challenges of the heat, sleeping in the field and unplanned mass casualty drills with the Soldiers in her company.
“It’s important for us to go over these exercises,” Chindemi said. “At any moment we can be called up, and we want to make sure we can fix any issues with communication in how we’re treating our casualties.”
Commitment to readiness is personal for Chindemi, who balances her military service with her civilian career.
“Outside of the military, I’m currently in nursing school and I work as a nurse extern at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital,” Chindemi said. “Through being a medic in the military, I’ve learned how to communicate really well with my patients and empathize with what they’re going through.”
Chindemi applies the skills that she learned as a combat medic to her civilian career. As she continues to serve in the Pennsylvania National Guard, she continues to obtain additional skills that allow her to further advance in the medical field and treat her patients with care and compassion.
Some of these skills were developed overseas during a nine-month deployment to the Horn of Africa, where she served in Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia.
“I loved it, it was the best experience,” Chindemi said. “It really broadened my skills and my ability to do things. My favorite part was getting to talk with the Kenyans and experiencing different cultures. It was fast-paced, and I actually got to do my job every day, which is different from just training.”
Military service runs in Chindemi’s family. Chindemi was inspired to join the military to follow her mother’s footsteps.
“My mom was in the Air Force for 20 years,” Chindemi said. “She was on active duty for four years and then did the rest in the Reserve and National Guard. She installed telephone wires.”
For Chindemi, the National Guard isn’t just a commitment, it’s a calling.
“I love the National Guard. It’s my happy place,” Chindemi said. “I love getting to interact with people, and it’s definitely broadened my horizon on a bunch of things. I think the military is what you make of it, and if you go into it with a strong attitude, you’ll find a lot of reward.”
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2025 16:29 |
| Story ID: | 543283 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Passion for Care, at Home and Abroad, by SSG Melyssa Vazquez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Fort Indiantown Gap
Army National Guard
