For the last five years, Jessica has gone above and beyond working with the United States Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) and the Services Life Extension Program (SLEP). Her consistent dedication has set the tone for success in the workplace.
Jessica’s initial role was as an Order Filler for the SLEP Program at Perry Point VA Medical Center. When the program reached a standstill, she became a valued team member at USAMMA. Her role involved identifying and verifying expired medication taken to her station after being pulled from tri-walls from the warehouse. She would then use Theater Enterprise-Wide Logistics System (TEWLS), an Army database, to find and remove the item from the inventory before staging it for later destruction. Jessica’s efficiency and computer skills were crucial to this process. “It is a very important job, and Jessica took that over and ran with it. She did a phenomenal job,” says Director of Contract Operations Richard Hightower.
When SLEP was reinstated by the pharmacy, Jessica was the first person called. Her expertise and hard work led to her promotion as a Shipper Packer. Now, Jessica works alongside other team members, taking on a very meticulous role. The process begins with Health & Human Services (HHS) staff sending a small number of medication bottles to the manufacturers for efficacy testing. Once it is determined the medication is still effective, the team pulls the full pallets from storage and labels every bottle over the old expiration date. The medication is then repacked and repalletized for future use. According to Richard, anyone who works with Jessica recognizes how much of an efficient and dependable worker she is, as she “literally set the standard… she is the target that everybody tries to emulate.” He goes on to say, “I wish I could replicate Jessica’s to all of our projects!”
A typical day for Jessica includes heading to the pharmacy, taking the temperature of the room, and starting her labeling process. She works with others within the warehouse, typically completing about a pallet a day. “We’re constantly on the ball, work, work, working,” she says. While her role is strenuous, she enjoys gaining new experiences through different projects and interacting with colleagues. Richard states, “She shows up every day and is a happy person who gets along with everyone.” Whenever he is at Perry Point and comes across her workstation, he is always greeted with a friendly smile.
Being employed has given Jessica the opportunity to fulfill one of her passions: travel. So far, she’s been all over the Caribbean, Grand Turk, Bermuda, Jamaica and the Bahamas! She participates in her community when she’s not at work or traveling. Jessica currently volunteers for a local fire company, helping organize their bingo nights and even recently helped them celebrate their 100th anniversary. She also enjoys spending time with her grandmother and nieces.
