A brisk wind and blue sky greeted Fort Carson soldiers as they deplaned at the Colorado Springs Airport Tuesday after helping administer more than 300,000 COVID-19 vaccinations in Los Angeles over the past 60 days.

Roughly 220 soldiers with the 1^st Brigade Combat Team, part of the 4^th Infantry Division, helped administer roughly 6,000 Pfizer vaccine shots per day at California State University, Los Angeles campus.

“It was a privilege and an honor for all of us to serve the American people in this historic effort,” said Lt. Col. Andy Olson, commander, 299^th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1^st Brigade Combat Team, 4^th Infantry Division. “They (the soldiers) exemplified professionalism, respect, and compassion, and the people of East Los Angeles were so gracious and appreciative. These human interactions are truly what made the mission special for all involved.”

The Fort Carson soldiers and National Guard troops, assisting state and federal civilian authorities, were conducting the vaccinations under the direction of U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base, which provides Pentagon help in civilian emergencies.

The site was co-operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of California through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The city of Los Angeles took control of the site Monday.

1^st Sgt. Charles Powell ensured soldiers were prepared and in the right place at the right time to make a positive difference.

“We had a great experience,” he said. “It was very humbling to see the impact we had on the community.”

Combat medic Sgt. Bryn Taylor was the non-commissioned officer in charge of the walk-up portion of the clinic, which administered between 2,000 and 3,000 vaccines daily.

“We saw hundreds of thousands of grateful Californians coming to our site and appreciating what we were doing,” she said. “We had patients who would cry, patients who would say, ‘Now I can finally see my family again,’ and that’s how we knew what we were doing was so important.”