MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS ENTOMOLOGIST, 2D MEDICAL BATTALION, 2D MARINE LOGISTICS GROUP FROM NOVEMBER 2021 TO JANUARY 2024. LIEUTENANT BRANCH DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS BY LEADING A TEAM OF NINE SAILORS IN THE ACQUISITION OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND VACCINES REQUIRED FOR MISSION SUCCESS, LEADING TO UNPARALLELED ONE HUNDRED PERCENT MEDICAL READINESS. HE COORDINATED WITH MARINE FORCES EUROPE AND AFRICA, CTF 61/2, AND SIXTH FLEET NAVAL FORCES EFFORTS IN CONDUCTING FOOD AND WATER RISK ASSESSMENTS DIRECTLY SUPPORTING JOINT NATO EXERCISES IN EUCOM. LIEUTENANT BRANCH'S DETERMINATION AND COMPLETE DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIM AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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AS NAVY LIAISON TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION IN ATLANTA GEORGIA FROM MARCH 2012 TO JULY 2014. AS AN ENTOMOLOGIST, LIEUTENANT FORD ADROITLY AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGED A RESEARCH PROGRAM ENGINEERING A TEST KIT FOR DEPLOYED WARFIGHTERS TO INDENTIFY CHEMICAL PESTICIDE RESISTANCE IN INSECTS VECTORING DEISEASE ORGANISMS. AS A MEMBER OF TWO MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY COMMITTEES, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROVING MILITARY QUARANTINE PROCEDURES AND INSECTICIDE DISPERSALS SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE. HANDPICKED TO SERVE ON THE NAVY'S MSC COMMITTEE FOR DETERMINING THE RIGHT SIZE AND MIX OF DEPLOYED TEAM MEMBERS, HE ENSURED QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WITH THE RIGHT SKILLS ARE ON TEAMS TO CORRECTLY COMBAT ISSUES. A SUPERB ROLE MODEL AND NAVY AMBASSADOR, HE VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST NAVY RECRUITING WITH 55 POTENTIAL MEDICAL ACCESSIONS INCREASING INTEREST IN THE NAVY BY 200%. FURTHER, HE MENTORED 11 ARMY CADETS DURING SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, FAMILIARIZING THEM WITH SCIENTIFIC PROTOCOL, MILITARY LEADERSHIP, NAVAL PROGRAMS, AND JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS IN DEPLOYED ENVIRONMENTS. BY HIS NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERSEVERANCE, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY, LIEUTENANT FORD REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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ENTOMOLOGIST ASSIGNED TO CAMP LEMONNIER DJIBOUTI 10 AUGUST 2020 TO 30 AUGUST 2020. LIEUTNANT JUNIOR GRADE SIMMONS WAS HAND SELECTED BY ENTERPRISE TO PROVIDE A RAPID AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO A CRITICAL DENGUE OUTBREAK. HE PROVIDED MOSQUITO ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFICATION AND TRAINING TO ASSIGNED PERSONNEL AND COORDINATED EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE EMERGENCY MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT MEASURES, CONDUCTING FIVE CRITICAL MOSQUITO ABATEMENT SPRAYS. HIS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND ADVICE TO LEADERS RESULTED IN A NINETY PERCENT IMPROVEMENT IN THE INSTALLATION'S MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM. BY HIS NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERSEVERANCE, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY, LIEUTNANT JUNIOR GRADE SIMMONS REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.