Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Hernandez | Army Reserve Pfc. Yebin Mazza, a medical logistics specialist with the Newark, Del....... read more read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 40 Army Reserve Soldiers of the Staten Island, New York-based Northeast Medical Area Readiness Support Group and other direct reporting units from the Army Reserve Medical Command hierarchy took part in two concurrent rotations of the annual Medical Readiness Skills Sustainment Program for the Military, also known as MRSSP-MIL, in three medical centers throughout the National Capital Region, from Aug. 3, 2025, through Aug. 30, 2025. Additionally, a group of U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers under the Salt Lake City, Utah-based 807th Theater Medical Command and the Gillem Enclave, Georgia-based 3rd Theater Medical Command were also present to work in tandem with their AR-MEDCOM counterparts.
Army Reserve Master Sgt. Raheem Scott, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the second rotation of MRSSP-MIL and the NE-MARSG mobilization NCO, said the operation provides AR-MEDCOM Soldiers with a real-world training platform to build their military occupational specialties and areas of concentration – comprising of dental specialists, critical care nurses, medical-surgical nurses, medical logistical specialists, combat medics, practical nursing specialists, and radiology specialists.
“The purpose of MRSSP is to enhance or increase MOS and AOC proficiency for our Reserve Soldiers,” said Scott. “We have them fall into active-duty installations and augment or expand to increase the capabilities that these military treatment facilities provide.”
The AR-MEDCOM, 807th TMC and 3rd TMC Soldiers were dispersed into three locations within the NCR – the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia; the DiLorenzo Pentagon Health Clinic at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, Scott said.
Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Aragon Escobar-Ladynith, a unit supply specialist assigned to NE-MARSG and NCOIC of the ATAMMC group of Army Reserve Soldiers, said the MRSSP-MIL operation has been an enrichment in professional development and growth for herself and her Soldiers.
“This is a great opportunity because they are in front of real-life patients and more advanced equipment that it helps them improve the skills and be better in their jobs,” said Escobar-Ladynith.
“I have learned to be a better leader,” Escobar-Ladynith said.
Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Shawn Hayes, a radiology specialist with the Camp Parks, California-based 7234th Medical Support Unit, said despite his different career fields in his civilian and military personas, there are similarities between his two jobs.
“I’m a civilian emergency nurse and in the Army Reserve, I’m a radiology specialist,” Hayes said. “It has a lot of overlap on both sides, which it kind of helps in my military experience and my civilian experience to best help a Soldier and help with healthcare for our forces.”
Army Reserve Sgt. Alexander Ovuson, a radiology specialist with the Camp Parks, California-based 7234th Medical Support Unit, said he enjoyed the camaraderie and collaboration between himself, his fellow Army Reserve Soldiers, and active-duty Army counterparts.
“Working here at the Pentagon with other personnel has been awesome,” said Ovuson. “There’s been a lot of teamwork, and with that teamwork that’s helped improve integration between the medical side as well as the dental side and also making sure that the mission is accomplished.”
“Dental care is readiness care, and readiness care is mission success,” said Ovuson.
Army Col. Chelsea Hamilton, a physiatrist and the director of the DPHC, said the AR-MEDCOM integration into the NCR medical sites has been a phenomenal experience.
“It’s been fantastic to have them,” Hamilton said. “We have a lot of things going on in DiLorenzo, as you know, it’s a very busy and high-visibility patient population here who usually don’t have much time on their schedules to take care of their medical concerns, so it’s really helpful to have some extra hands.”
Overall, the MRSSP-MIL is an ongoing collaboration between AR-MEDCOM, the 807th TMC and the 3rd TMC to synchronize with multi-service and interagency partners through the military medical community.
Hayes said his best advisement for Army Reserve Soldiers who take part in training events such as the MRSSP-MIL is to absorb as much knowledge and skill set amplification as possible.
“A key takeaway for this type of training is learning as much as you can, especially having this opportunity in coming to this facility, as a real-world facility like our active-duty personnel get stationed at,” Hayes said.
“It provides a lot of experience that we may not get as an annual training that we generally would, so having these opportunities for Soldiers to be instrumental for their development and growth.”
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2025 17:46 |
| Story ID: | 546781 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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