Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Dingle, surgeon general of the U.S. Army (left), and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Diamond Hough, command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Medical Command (right) visit 627th Hospital Center soldiers providing medical support at BB&T Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey, in support of the Department of Defense COVID-19 response March 18, 2021 (Photo by: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Zachary Zephir, Combat Logistics Battalion 22).

"As one of the largest and most deployed hospital centers during the pandemic, the (627th HC) has deployed five times in support of U.S. Army North and FEMA, supporting the American people across four different states," said Army Col. Hope Williamson-Younce, 627th HC commander. "The nurses deployed with the 627th Hospital Center's Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force (UAMTF)."

The UAMTF was tasked to support DOD COVID-19 operations in Seattle, Washington; San Antonio, Texas; Camden, New Jersey and Riverside, California.

Army Capt. Joseph Hargrave, the EACH Post Anesthesia Care Unit clinical nurse officer in charge, deployed three times with the 627th HC during this past year.

"San Antonio was the first mission (I had) where military personnel fell in on civilian hospitals and their staff," said Hargrave. "I was assigned to a 60-bed medical/surgical floor that was all COVID-19."

Hargrave was assigned three patients per shift in Texas and five patients per shift in California. He worked four, 12-hour shifts a week while on assignment in both locations.

"During both the San Antonio and Riverside deployments, staff and patients were extremely appreciative of our presence," said Hargrave.

Department of Inpatient Services Clinical Nurse Specialist at EACH, Army Maj. Wendy Hamilton, volunteered to recognize the nursing staff and build esprit de corps within the profession as this year's Nurses' Week chair.

"We have been meeting monthly (since October) to plan fundraising events as well activities for Nurses' Week," said Hamilton. "Our committee was dedicated to offering a wide spread of activities, at a variety of times, to hopefully encompass all of our nursing staff."

The week began with an opening ceremony on Thursday and will end with a closing ceremony Wednesday. The activities planned for the week include a scavenger hunt, meditation classes and a nursing Olympics event.

"Nurses are our tireless frontline heroes," said Hamilton. "They bring compassion and personal touch to medical care and they deserve to know that they make a difference."