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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – “We’re trying to get as many people through as we can. Yesterday we estimated about 600. Today we’re over 300,” said South Webster, Ohio native, Sgt. Ryan Osborne, a medic with the 343rd Medical Company (Ground Ambulance) from Richmond, Va.
Osborne and his unit administered the immunizations and looked at the event as a practice in preventative health.
“As medics we’re tasked with preventative health, and that’s what this falls under,” Osborne said. “We don’t want to get some kind of thing going where one person gets sick then three people are sick, then 10 people. Before you know it a third of your unit is down. Immunizations protect the force.”
Soldiers realize immunizations are just a part of military life like training and physical fitness.
“It seems like I get shots about three or four times a year, but it was good,” said Spc. Andrew Phillips, 589th Port Management Team, 1189th Deployment Distribution Support Battalion, a transportation coordinator from Manhattan, Kan.
Phillips walked away with a positive experience, in part, because of the efficiency of the immunization process.
“It’s set up pretty well. It’s really efficient. If people are afraid of coming here and having to wait a long time — don’t worry.” Osborne said. “We’re really getting people through here fast.”
To ensure a shorter waiting time, Service members are encouraged to attend after the beginning of the day — preferably in the afternoon.
“We’re getting big crowds in the morning, but then it’s ‘onezees’ and ‘twozees’ the rest of the day,” Osborne said. “By the end of the day we’ll be well over a thousand [immunizations] for the first two days.”
Service members who want to take advantage of the event can have their immunizations administered from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2010 05:39 |
| Story ID: | 55941 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 8 |
This work, Service members practice preventative health, by Daniel Rangel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
