Secretary of Defense reaffirms vaccine mission at Cal State LA

by Spc. Simone Lara
California National Guard Public Affairs

Feb. 25, 2021

LOS ANGELES – The mission to vaccinate 6,000 Californians a day is no easy task. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, observed this immediately upon his visit to the community vaccination center at Cal State University Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2021.

“What the military brings to this equation is discipline, organizational skills and effectiveness,” said Austin.

The visit to the site is one of Austin's first official visits since being sworn into office on Jan. 25. The visit began with a meeting with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, military officers, and representatives from California Office of Emergency Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Cal State LA.

Austin then received a tour of the walk-up site which allows community members to utilize the nearby metro, ride-share or drop-off to receive vaccine services. Cal Guardsmen serve the location by confirming appointments and organizing visitors into lanes before receiving the vaccine from active-duty Army medical personnel.

The tour concluded with Austin observing the drive-thru lanes where community members can stay in their cars from check-in to receiving the vaccine. Cal Guardsmen are located throughout the lanes confirming appointments, providing traffic control and organizing thousands of vehicles per day into lanes according to their needs, such as language services.

Throughout the tour, Austin, who is a retired four-star Army general, met several service members contributing to the site’s mission. In a press conference following the tour, he shared his emotional reaction to meeting so many dedicated Soldiers and Airmen.

“I asked a number of our troops today how they feel about being able to come here and help in America, ” said Austin. “They feel really good about what they’ve been doing and the people that they've been helping feel really good about having them here as well.”

Several Cal Guardsmen received coins from Austin in recognition of their hard work contributing to the site’s effectiveness. U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Samantha Campos, an aircraft mechanic with the California Air National Guard's 163rd Attack Wing, and Senior Airman Yaima Montes de Oca, a public health technician in the same wing, were both recognized. Austin also coined U.S. Army Sgt. Hannah Fors, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with the California Army National Guard's 40th Infantry Division.

Currently, more than 230 Cal Guard Soldiers and Airmen are providing support to the Cal State LA community vaccination center.