TRACY, Calif. –
Mission essential workers at Defense Logistics Agency Distribution San Joaquin, California, continue to work on-site during the pandemic, providing mission and COVID-19 support to the warfighter and federal partners. In a move toward normalcy, over 480 of them received their first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine March 16-18.
“COVID-19 hit the San Joaquin valley counties and our workforce particularly hard. Unlike most of the distribution sites in the network, we are about two hours away from any supporting military treatment facility,” said DLA Distribution San Joaquin Installation Commander Marine Col. Tiffany Harris.
The vaccines were made possible for mission essential employees after DLA Distribution officials coordinated with the Dave Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base. A military member from the San Joaquin installation picked up the vaccines at the medical center and drove them back so a member of the local medical clinic could administer them.
Thomas Marinos, a distribution process worker on the Mission Group team, was the first DDJC recipient to be vaccinated.
“I am grateful that the installation was able to provide the vaccine to us employees,” Marinos said. “I have underlying medical conditions and welcomed this vaccination.”
Protecting people has been a Defense Department priority throughout the pandemic. DOD and DLA officials have coordinated with the Defense Health Agency, state and local leaders, host nation officials and public health experts to ensure safety while providing personal protective equipment and vaccines.
“We are grateful to DLA Distribution Headquarters and the U.S. Air Force for recognizing the need at our site and the effort put into making this happen,” Harris added.
San Joaquin County is currently in the most restrictive tier in California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy plan with many non-essential businesses still closed. Employees’ second dose of the vaccine is currently being scheduled.