The Backbone of Readiness: Immunizations Published April 4, 2025 By Staff Sgt. Gage Daniel 94th Airlift Wing DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- “Immunizations backup technicians are the backbone of readiness when it comes to immunization,” said Staff Sgt. Dezmone Musgrove, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron immunizations backup technician. “Any Airman who requires vaccinations for deployment or medical deferment comes here, so we make sure that we have readiness for the entire wing.” Operational readiness is crucial in an era of strategic competition, requiring rapid deployment and seamless immunization operations. Clinics must balance efficiency with accuracy, as improper documentation or vaccine errors can have serious consequences, especially for those with medical restrictions. Adhering to the rights of immunization ensures Airmen are protected, minimizing risks and maintaining force readiness. “We have the seven rights,” said SSgt. Centerrion Moton, 94th ASTS immunizations backup technician. “Right person, right time, right vaccine, right route and right dosage. You also have to make sure you have the right documentation, that’s a really big thing, and the right reason.” Resilience in military healthcare is crucial. The ability to function under pressure with limited personnel is what keeps the immunization clinic running. “Our clinic opens at 8 o’clock so we immediately hit the ground running because nine times out of ten, there’s already a line after we get out of formation,” Musgrove said. “We’ll make sure our system is up and running and our officer-in-charge will take care of inventory while we’re taking care of the patients. She’ll [OIC] make sure that what we have on paper we have in our refrigerator and then we start processing, giving immunizations all day.” Many Airmen don’t always see the direct impact of their work, but for immunization technicians, their role in mission success is clear. Ensuring a fully vaccinated force means keeping Airmen healthy, allowing them to focus on their operational duties without the risk of illness hindering their performance. “To me, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing how much of an impact that you make on the wing,” Musgrove said. “Wing readiness is a huge thing for the Wing Commander, and we're a really, really big essential part of wing readiness. So every UTA [unit training assembly] we see deployers, and not everybody can say that they see deployers coming in and out, and honestly, our job requires us to know where they're going. So we know where these deployers are headed. That kind of gives us an idea of what the mission is for the Air Force right now, so us being able to contribute to the big picture, to the big Air Force, you know, it's a rewarding job in itself.” A shortage of trained personnel or critical vaccines can delay deployment schedules, forcing immunization teams to adapt quickly to ensure continuous operations. “Imagine four people having to give 400 people a vaccine,” Moton said. In the Air Force, readiness isn’t just about physical training, equipment maintenance or aircraft; it’s also about medical preparedness. Immunization clinics bridge the gap between healthcare and military strategy, ensuring Airmen can deploy safely and effectively. Without them, the force's ability to respond to global threats would be severely compromised. “Yes, staffing is a big issue, and having to rely on other people to help you manage things in this area, things that you can't necessarily manage because you're only a TR [traditional reservist] and things that you cannot manage because they're out of your hands, but they’re still a part of your section,” said Musgrove. “Those are the two hardest things, having enough manpower and having enough resources, those are the two things that we struggle with the most. It’s our job to maintain the readiness of Airmen. If units aren’t medically ready, they won’t deploy. We have to make sure that our inventory is always up to par, that we have enough, that our expiration dates are correct, and that we're not coming up on anything that will expire anytime soon so that we can be ready for the numbers that we're going to receive."