TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Acting Secretary of the Air Force John P. Roth visited Airmen tracked by First Air Force’s 335th Air Expeditionary Group supporting a federally-supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center in Tampa, April 15.
Roth was on site to show appreciation to the approximately 140 Airmen, deployed from 25 different bases, serving as part of the whole-of-government vaccination effort for the communities in and around Tampa.
“One of the reasons I leave the Pentagon for opportunities like this is to visit Airmen and Guardians and see the great work they are doing,” Roth said. “To get out and see Airmen and Guardians is always refreshing and I always come back very optimistic with the state of the force, the morale of the force and the talent we have out there.”
Roth toured the federally-supported Type 2 facility accompanied by state and federal officials involved in the site’s operations. By design, a Type 2 facility is capable of distributing 3,000 doses daily; the Airmen-augmented, whole-of-government team in Tampa repeatedly eclipsed 5,000 doses per day at their peak.
Tampa is one of five vaccination centers staffed by Airmen managed by 335th AEG. Airmen from the 335th AEG are also supporting CVC’s in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Maryland, while Airmen tracked by First Air Force’s 64th AEG are assisting CVC’s in Texas, Michigan, Indiana, and Minnesota.
“Our Airmen are committed to COVID-19 response efforts in our communities nationwide,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, 1AF-AFNORTH. “We are appreciative of the positive feedback our Airmen receive from our fellow citizens as we work in their communities.”
Approximately 4,900 medical and support personnel nationwide from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force are supporting 39 community vaccination centers spread across 34 cities, 19 states, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To date, these military personnel have administered approximately 3.3 million vaccine doses.
Staff Sgt. Christian Sullivan contributed to this story.