COVID-19 Posts | Army War College Foundation, INC. - Part 5

Army War College Foundation, INC.

Enriching, Enhancing & Encouraging

COVID-19 Posts

Steve Gandia, DDE ’20

by

 

I’ve been engaged as Brigade Commander of ARMEDCOM’s Northeast Medical Area Readiness Command as we  provide medical manpower deploying directly to support 3rd Medical Command’s efforts, as well as forming our own Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces for deployment, maintain our own readiness and support our Soldiers who’ve been infected– usually while serving in their civilian jobs.  Finally, I’ve been assisting Defense Health Agency as the FUOPS to assist in their response to the crisis. My USAWC brother, Dr. Omar Bholat (also DDE ’20), is currently fighting the disease as a civilian.  In addition to tirelessly caring for his own patients, he’s also been fighting for resources like durable equipment and PPE for his hospital as they seek to expand to meet patient need.

COL Steven ‘Steve’ Gandia
Distance Class of 2020

 

Ben Prescott, RES ‘10

by

 

I very recently took a City Manager job in Farrell, Pennsylvania. It is not a state position but obviously I deal at all levels of government and I lead a small community of 4500 citizens and have unique leadership challenges. I am fortunate to have found a position that will offer me a professional and leadership challenge and the opportunity to be able to have immediate impact during this COVID-19 crisis.

COL (Ret) W. Benjamin ‘Ben’ Prescott
Resident Class of 2010
City Manager, Farrell, PA

Rick Roig, DDE ‘17

by

 

Florida Army National Guard Colonel Ricard Roig was designated by the Adjutant General of Florida as Commander of Task Force 50th in March.  TF 50th became the Florida Guard’s main effort to fight COVID-19, with responsibility to coordinate and support state and local efforts to identify, establish, and staff COVID-19 Community Based Testing Site (CBTS) locations in the state’s largest counties: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.  As of April 7th, TF 50th has set-up four CBTS locations, staffed a total of five CBTS sites with over 600 personnel, and has conducted over 20,000 sample collections (over three quarters of all sample collections gathered in the state) in those three counties.  In addition, TF 50th has also supported the state’s mission to assist the Florida Dept. of Health screening passengers arriving at Miami International, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach airports from COVID-19 hotspots.

COL Ricardo R. ‘Rick’ Roig
Distance Class of 2017

North Charles, DDE ‘11

by

 

I am involved in the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am a Foreign Service Officer serving at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania. The Department of State has suspended routine operations worldwide; however, diplomats are still assisting U.S. citizens, extraditing criminals, and facilitating adoptions. In addition, we are approving travel for foreign workers who will support the response in the U.S. I graduated from DDE in 2011 and was a DDE faculty instructor from 2012 until 2015.

COL (Ret) North K. Charles
Distance Class of 2011
U.S. Embassy, Bucharest

Kris Lemaster, DDE ‘08

by

 

I am serving as the GS-14 team lead for the CDC-wide contracts team.  I have seen and participated in many responses to public health emergencies and outbreaks faced by the compassionate staff members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Nearing my 15th year at CDC as a contract specialist, I am used to seeing some skepticism by the public but this COVID-19 emergency is the real thing and extracts a heavy toll from those not taking the situation seriously.  Our time at the agency is often marked by the emerging threats and situations faced.  I completed the Army War College between the post-Hurricane Katrina cleanup in 2006 and the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009, graduating in 2008. I credit the course focus on strategic thinking for enabling me to look outside of the norms and enhance planning for the worst conditions to be faced in the future.

COL (Ret) Kristopher D. ‘Kris’ Lemaster
Lead Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer
Office of Acquisition Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Alicia Tate-Nadeau, DDE ‘03

by

 

As the dual-hatted Illinois Director of Homeland Security and Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency since January 2019, BG (Ret) Alicia Tate-Nadeau assumed executive responsibility for executing Illinois government response to COVID-19, under the auspices of the Governor and in concert with the Illinois and Federal public health and emergency management agencies.

BG (Ret) Alicia A. Tate-Nadeau
Distance Class of 2003