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ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

  • Published
  • 386th Expeditionary Medical Group
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Staff Sgt. Pricila Martinez 

Job: Assistant NCOIC of Public Health 

Home unit: United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City Base, Texas 

How do you support the mission here? Public Health focuses on preventive medicine, meaning the less work the doctors have, the better we are at our job! We handle a wide variety of issues including deployment in-processing, occupational health, immunizations tracking, food and public facility sanitation and safety, pest and vector management and overall education of the hazards that may be present here at the Rock and how to prevent them. 

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? This is my first deployment. However, it will always be a memorable one for me, not only because it's my first, but due to the mission impact we've made as Public Health and the professional relationships I've built. I've been able to apply my expertise to a contingency environment, making me a better and more knowledgeable NCO upon my return. 

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? Public Health's wartime mission very closely mirrors our role at a garrison location. However, my current position is an instructor for the Public Health career field at the School of Aerospace Medicine. This deployment has given me the unique opportunity of gaining first-hand experiences to better prepare our future warriors for their upcoming responsibilities.