DVIDS – Information – Navy drugs heroes acknowledged for COVID-19 pandemic response

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lifelong impact on the conduct of military medicine, Defense Health Authority director general (Dr.) Ronald Place told the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) for the advancement of military medicine “Heroes” award for military medicine on May 6th in Washington, DC

“Last year’s events will have profound implications for medicine and military medicine in the years to come, how we prepare for threats, how we organize, who we partner with to make the system better for everyone,” said Place.

Speaking of the awardees and efforts across America to recognize and mitigate the effects of the virus, he said, “Success requires shared commitments and shared responsibilities.” Readiness, he said, “means being ready for anything. This is our future.”

“That’s what the military health system does best,” said Place. “Medical teams come together to improve health care for those we serve, whether it’s a wounded soldier in Afghanistan or a retired Marine fighting a novel infectious disease.”

Dr. Terry Adirim, deputy assistant secretary of defense for health, told attendees, “As the complexity of healthcare for all military personnel around the world has increased, so has our appreciation for the wide range of skills that make up military medicine. Really world class. Tonight we just realize no clinicians, we recognize laboratory skills, logistics specialists and acquisition specialists. “

“This is an overall performance by the team that illustrates the potential of military medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Adirim said. “Perhaps more than ever, we’ve pushed laboratories to get more results faster. We’ve asked acquisition systems to make wartime and war-time equipment, and we’ve relied on our logisticians to figure out how to get vaccines. ” the world. These are unprecedented facts. “

The foundation has been recognized as the senior chairman of Army General Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of the federal COVID-19 vaccine / therapeutic operation (Operation Warp Speed). He is co-leading the partnership to accelerate the development, manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

The President and CEO of HJF, Dr. Joseph Caravalho of Perna said: “There was no person in this country better placed to direct the state-run public-private logistics to ensure that every legitimate American has access to the newly developed vaccines.” History will show that this critical aspect of supply chain logistics has been done with precision. For this, the nation is indebted to this senior leader and his management team. “

In his previous role, Perna was the 19th General Commander of the US Army Materiel Command (AMC), one of the Army’s largest commands.

Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army, introduced Perna and said if AMC was a private company it would be a Fortune 100.

He called Perna “the most talented logistician who has ever worn the uniform”. And added: “Nobody shows personal perseverance and organizational logistics management better than General Perna.”

Perna said the situation with COVID-19 was very similar to that of the war and deployment in World War II. “The situation is very similar. While we are at different times, our ‘All-America’ response has harnessed the power and abilities of government, academia and industry. Without it, it has delivered safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics in under Year would not have been possible. “

He recognized “the dedication and hard work of our entire team, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, industry partners, and the true unsung heroes – the 100,000+ Americans who supported clinical trials and produced hundreds of millions of vaccines possible. “

Lt. Col. Michelle Colacicco-Mayhugh is the Military Assistant Principal Acquisition Assistant with the U.S. Medical Research and Development Command. Since April 2019, she has been Product Leader for the COVID-19 Joint Acquisition Task Force and the Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell and supports the Interagent Response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Army Brig. Gen. Mary Kreuger introduced Colacicco-Mayhugh as “an incredible influence on our nation’s efforts to fight COVID-19 last year”. Krueger, the US Army Medical Command’s assistant chief of staff, said Colacicco-Mayhugh “provided critical solutions to the nationwide vaccination campaigns, and their input and leadership were instrumental in developing the initial strategy to ensure supplies were made for the manufacturer.” required are.” Packaging and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines were readily available. “

Colacicco-Mayhugh credited “a huge team of people” putting in more work to work for the first-line teams. “These people are nowhere near enough recognized, but their contributions are just as critical as any of the people who ultimately supported a particular pandemic response,” she said.

Lt. Col. Patrick Kennedy was Major General in the Air Force, while Dorothy Hogg was Air Force Surgeon General. Quoting poet / writer Maya Angelou about who a hero is – “a person who is really concerned about making this a better place” – she said, “That’s exactly what Lt. Col. Patrick Kennedy did.”

Kennedy is the director of the Clinical Investigation Facility for the 60th Medical Group at Travis Air Force Base, California. He supports the research needs of the Air Force Medical Service Line and the Readiness Mission by filling gaps in medical skills to improve health outcomes.

Speaking of the pandemic, Kennedy said, “The ambiguity of COVID-19 has led my team on every front to learn more.”

After working on the Ebola crisis, Kennedy said, “I was aware from the start of the potential for a large-scale respiratory pandemic. Of particular concern was the high transmission rate.”

Kennedy manages more than 50 human and animal research protocols, a budget of $ 31.8 million, and 45 employees, including doctors, nurses, scientists, and support staff, according to the HJF. In addition, he monitors compliance with the research guidelines of the federal government, the DOD and the Air Force.

He was recognized for his work on the Ebola outbreak, for improving the outcomes of wounded soldiers at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, and for his work on an advisory committee that brokered nuclear, biological, and biological security risks to the Deputy Secretary of Defense rated. and chemical units, said HJF.

Navy Honoree Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Matthew Hall is serving as preventive medicine and health policy advisor to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery during the pandemic. His initial work in coordinating logistical and medical policy efforts across the Department of the Navy and across the joint force was instrumental in the successful implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program, HJF said. As a public health emergency officer, he has conducted numerous COVID contact investigations, monitored outbreak responses, and advised on the safe operation of marine facilities around the world under pandemic precautions, HJF said.

He is also instrumental in developing the Navy’s COVID-19 containment policy and overseeing the Navy Department’s influenza vaccination program, which is responsible for vaccinating more than 500,000 service members and loved ones.

Bruce Gillingham, Administrator General of the Navy Surgeon, said of Hall, “I have had him as one of my closest advisor on speed dial throughout the pandemic … so that I can provide the best possible guidance to the fleet’s fleet as it operates.” around the world.”

The Annual Awards “recognize outstanding contributions by senior military leaders and medical professionals, as well as civilians, who have distinguished themselves with excellence and dedication to advancing military medicine and improving the life and health of the wounded, sick and injured veterans of our country your families. “

COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Pasteur were also honored during the ceremony.

Recording date: 05/17/2021
Release Date: 05/26/2021 11:44 AM
Story ID: 397451
Place: US
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