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ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

  • Published
  • 386th Expeditionary Medical Group
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Airman 1st Class Nina Valdez

Duty Title: Laboratory technician

Home Unit: 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 

How do you support the mission here? 
As the lab technician, I play a critical part in supporting the mission of the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group. I perform the testing on patient samples and provide the results to the doctors, who in turn, diagnose and treat patients.

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? 
This is my second deployment, and it is unique from the last because here I am a one-man shop. I have more responsibilities, being the only lab tech.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? 
The biggest difference in this deployed environment is that I am the sole person in charge of the lab. At my home base, I work with many lab techs and I am assigned to one specific section. Currently I perform more duties from all sections of the lab. It allows me to be a more versatile lab tech.