By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 2nd Class Travis Curlee, a native of Winnsboro, South Carolina, is serving aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort as part of the efforts by the U.S Navy in response to COVID-19.
Comfort arrived in New York with Navy medical personnel and support staff aboard the afloat medical treatment facility (MTF). Although initially tasked to serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients, as of April 6 the ship is now taking patients regardless of their COVID-19 status. The ship provides a full spectrum of medical care to include general surgeries, critical care and ward care for adults.
Curlee is serving as a Navy operations specialist who is responsible for the navigation and maneuvering of Navy ships.
“The USNS Comfort arrived in New York City with more than 1,000 medical professionals who are ready to provide safe, high-quality health care to the city of New York,” said Capt. Patrick Amersbach, commanding officer of the USNS Comfort Military Treatment Facility. “We are grateful to serve the needs of our nation.”
“This is a different mission because we’re helping combat a world crisis,” said Curlee.
Comfort’s primary mission is to provide an afloat, mobile, acute surgical medical facility to the U.S. military that is flexible, capable and uniquely adaptable to support expeditionary warfare, according to Navy officials. Comfort’s secondary mission is to provide full hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
“Our impact will be remembered for generations to come because we all came together as a team to combat a growing virus throughout the world,” added Curlee. “This mission is very significant to me because I can look back and know that I made a difference in people’s lives.”
Photo: US Navy
