DVIDS – Information – Nevada Nationwide Guard acknowledged by College of Nevada Reno’s Faculty of Public Well being for COVID-19 response

Lt. Col. Catherine Grush, 152nd Mission Help Group commander, accepted the Spirit of Unity Award on the College of Nevada Reno’s Faculty of Public Well being hooding ceremony Might 13, 2022. The Spirit of Unity award acknowledges an company locally that builds bridges to public well being. Grush was the Deputy of Joint Employees Operations accountable for all home operations for the Navy Division for the State of Nevada, situated within the Joint Operations Heart in Carson Metropolis. There, she coordinated federal, state, county and native requests to make sure emergent wants have been met and likewise completed planning for the long-term necessities of supporting operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our Faculty of Public Well being is dedicated to offering high-quality schooling and analysis alternatives to public well being college students,” mentioned Dr. Muge Akpinar- Elci, Dean of the Faculty of Public Well being. “The COVID-19 pandemic confirmed the worth of partnership between completely different organizations to create a extra equitable and inclusive world. Congratulations to the Nevada Nationwide Guard! On behalf of the Faculty of Public Well being, I want to thanks to your dedication to our faculty and neighborhood.”

Greater than 1,400 guardsmen of the Nevada Nationwide Guard have been activated for 715 days to supply vital assist to the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They carried out 833,298 COVID-19 checks, administered 819,330 COVID-19 vaccinations, delivered 8.9 million kilos of non-public protecting gear and distributed greater than 2.8 million meals to the numerous geographically various populations throughout the state of Nevada, to incorporate tribal communities.

“The Troopers and Airmen do that job day-in-and-day-out with out hesitation,” Grush mentioned, “We tremendously respect the popularity from all of our companions throughout this time. The pandemic response confirmed how mandatory it’s to create and preserve the superb relationships now we have throughout so many various ranges and avenues inside our state. We respect the award and what it means.”

Retired Lt. Col. Kim Neiman, who served because the Chief Nurse of the Nevada Air Nationwide Guard for twelve years from 1992-2005, nominated the Nevada Nationwide Guard for this prestigious award.

“I do know the worth, first hand, of the Guard’s mission.” Neiman mentioned, “Within the early months of the pandemic and as an worker of Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, I labored with the guard, collectively we performed testing of tons of of Reno-Sparks tribal members and members of the Reno neighborhood. Not simply as soon as however a number of occasions. Later I used to be concerned frequently conducting testing and choosing up or delivering testing kits to the guard members working with the Nevada State Public Well being Lab.”

The guardsmen supported 62 cellular websites, seven warehouse/logistic distribution facilities, 5 meals distribution operations, 23 stationary vaccination operations, two cellular vaccination operations they usually sanitized 4 alternate care amenities.

Neiman added, “With out the Nevada Guard, our state’s efforts at controlling this pandemic would have been severely compromised.”