NMRTC Twentynine Palms conducts SHOTEX to boost medical readiness at MCAGCC

Story by Christopher Jones

Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms

Sailors and medical staff from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms conducted a Shot Exercise (SHOTEX) session from Oct. 15–28, providing influenza vaccinations to personnel across various non-deployable units at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC).

This particular session of a wider SHOTEX primarily focused on supporting the Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School (MCCES), with vaccinations also being administered to the Marine Corps Logistics Operations Group (MCLOG), Tactical Training Exercise Control Group (TTECG), Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC), Headquarters Battalion, and other units.

The initiative aims to ensure efficient and timely vaccination of all permanent personnel and students, an essential element in maintaining the medical readiness of units such as MCCES, where personnel are required to meet high medical standards.

“The SHOTEX is an initiative designed to ensure that all permanent personnel and students at MCCES receive their flu vaccinations promptly and efficiently,” said Lieutenant Sherman Baskins, who helped lead the SHOTEX.

“This program is crucial for maintaining the overall medical readiness standards of MCCES,” explained Baskins. “Failure to vaccinate personnel can negatively impact MCCES’s overall medical readiness rating. The SHOTEX allows MCCES to achieve 100% vaccination coverage for both Marines and civilian staff while minimizing disruptions to training operations.”

Over the course of the SHOTEX, NMRTC Sailors administered over 1,500 vaccinations in just three days, underscoring the Navy medical team’s ability to coordinate mass vaccinations quickly to uphold readiness standards.

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Joella Pitts highlighted the program’s success, pointing to the dedication and efficiency of the staff in handling the large-scale immunization effort.

“It is a force readiness requirement to administer these vaccines,” said Pitts. “It shows our dedication to the mission and highlights the efficiency of our staff at administering vaccinations to a large number of people within a short time.”

Next, NMRTC Twentynine Palms is expected to continue administering vaccinations with deployable units to bolster the readiness and mission capability of all Marine Corps personnel and staff across Twentynine Palms.