Sometimes things don’t go the way you anticipate or plan.  When this happens, it’s critical to have those you can count on to ensure the mission still succeeds.
 
Navy Reserve Center (NRC) Corpus Christi recently assisted Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Corpus Christi by allowing use of its facilities during a planned system outage that was delayed for an extended period.
 
The planned outage, which began May 22, was scheduled for one week to complete necessary system upgrades. However, the project was delayed by an additional two weeks.
 
“We expected to have limited operations the week of the system outage, however, once delayed, we knew we had to shift over to our contingency plan which is to use the Navy Reserve center’s facilities,” said NMRTC Commanding Officer Capt. Jessica Bain.
 
NRC Corpus Christi staff made several of their facilities available to the NMRTC medical team, and also provided internet access enabling NMRTC to resume many of its normal operations.
 
“They transferred the nurse advice line and administration team over and occupied all of our Reserve spaces,” said NRC Corpus Christi Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Zintgraff. “I relocated some of my staff, assigned escorts so the medical team could access our spaces without any issues, and ensured any other requirements the medical team had were met.”
 
Several key services including flight physicals, virtual patient care, and daily operations meetings were able to resume as a result of NRC Corpus Christi’s assistance.
 
“We got adept very well to virtual care during the pandemic, so the shift to virtual was not difficult to do. Some stuff just has to be in person though, so for that the NRC staff was very flexible and accommodating allowing us to stay mission ready,” said Bain. “Our flight surgeons used their clinical spaces to conduct flight physicals and averaged about eight per day which was critical in keeping our pilots flying.”
 
Zintgraff expressed pride in his staff’s ability to flex and respond as needed.
 
“Everyone on the team stepped up and made this happen,” said Zintgraff. “The CO and XO of the medical staff were extremely appreciative. They even brought my staff donuts a few mornings to which I jokingly replied, ‘Hey, aren’t you guys supposed to save lives?’”
 
Bain shared her thoughts as well in regard to the NRC’s assistance.
 
“Thanks to the team over there for supporting us,” said Bain. “We couldn’t have done it without them. We’ve always had a great partnership with the NRC, and because of them we were able to continue our operations and support the mission.”
 
NMRTC serves as a hub for surrounding Navy medicine readiness and training units located across the state of Texas including Fort Worth, Kingsville and San Antonio. Together, the medical facilities provide ambulatory care services to more than 13,000 enrolled patients comprised of military active duty, their family members, as well as retirees and their family members in South Texas and Dallas / Fort Worth.