Deployment with the Incident Response Coordination Team / Patient Movement Operations, 2018 

By LT Victoria Jeisy Scott, PhD

Techinical Advisor
Office of the Associate Director for Laboratory Science and Safety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What was the mission of this deployment?

Incident Response Coordination Team/ Patient Movement operations in Atlanta within the SAT team. I was deployed from 1/2-1/21, in 2018.

What was your role during this deployment?

I was the Case Manager for 30 patients and clients evacuated from the U.S. Virgin Islands. I used interpersonal skills to strategically guide the clients towards their final destination, either returning to the Virgin Islands or establishing residency in the continental US.

Was this your first deployment?

This was my first USPHS deployment. I was deployed with my agency (CDC) to work in CDC's Emergency Operations Center during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

What was the most important thing you learned during this deployment?

Don't discredit your instincts and be patient with people.

What did you enjoy the most about this deployment?

It was great getting to know officers from across the country and to understand the broad spectrum of skills within USPHS.

What would you consider to be your major accomplishment stemming from this deployment?

I helped 6 clients safety return home.

What were some of the challenges that you experienced during this deployment?

Some clients had needs that were beyond the scope of our mission; it was hard not having the ability to help them.

How did you prepare for the deployment – personally or work-wise?

I made sure my assignments were covered for the duration.

Were there any classes, trainings that you had completed prior to your deployment that helped you in your current deployment?

I have taken several emotional intelligence classes that I think helped talk to some of the more adversarial clients; those skills helped me navigate difficult conversations so the client felt heard and understood, which I think may have been lacking with some of their previous Case Managers.

How was your post deployment/reintegration experience? Was it smooth to transition back to your daily life as experienced prior to deployment?

I returned to work the day of the temporary government shutdown, so I wasn't able to take leave. I think having a day or two off would have been good for me.  

Do you have any advice or “pearls of wisdom” for fellow officers who are being deployed/interested in deploying?

Be patient with yourself and others you are interacting with.

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