Direct Line

Lt. Cmdr. Marlon Tingzon, NAS Sigonella PHEO

Hello Sigonella community! I am the Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Public Health Emergency Officer, or PHEO for short. I hail from San Francisco, California and I am a physician who specializes in occupational and environmental medicine. Part of my training involved earning a Master of Public Health (MPH), so although I am a physician by background, a large part of my heart lies outside clinic spaces and in the public health realm. Little did I know my experience would become so relevant in the frontlines of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Whose life has not been affected by this virus? Graduations, family visits, high school proms and many more have been postponed or even cancelled, along with trips around Europe. While these changes can be frustrating, especially since we are stationed in Europe, our health, safety, and security are paramount and must be prioritized. We all have a part to play in these trying times.

I arrived onboard Sigonella this past summer, and during my 14-day restriction of movement period, I hoped that most COVID-19 related issues would be behind us. The DoDEA Sigonella schools opened without issue, COVID-19 related phone calls were minimal, and there was a sense of normalcy, albeit with the new etiquette of wearing masks, elbow-bumps, one-way paths in the commissary, and ubiquitous hand sanitizer dispensing stations. When I did my check-in at Naval Hospital Sigonella, I quickly learned how organized, steadfast, and dedicated the staff and leadership are. I knew I was not alone in this fight, and I was given the tools and team to shoulder the responsibility as PHEO.

Unfortunately, the fall and winter have brought a growing wave of cases across Europe. We must remain vigilant to do everything we can to protect our families and our incredibly important mission at the “Hub of the Med.” In addition to hand hygiene, physical-distancing and mask-wearing measures we have been employing, one new weapon in our arsenal is the COVID-19 vaccine.

This new vaccine, which is available under an Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is being offered on a voluntary basis according to the Department of Defense phased roll-out plan. It is not possible to get COVID-19 from the vaccine, though it may cause side effects such as fever and muscle aches. The vaccine requires two doses at least 28 days apart and is not currently authorized for children. Because there is no way to tell how you, or those around you, will be affected by COVID-19 if you get sick, we encourage you to get the vaccine when it is available to you for the benefit of our entire community.

My public health team has been available around the clock to discuss COVID-19 related issues with hospital clinical staff, military members, and school principals. In the relatively short span of time that I have worked here at NAS Sigonella, I have met amazing people across the community who are passionate about their work. Although it has been challenging, I thrive in a fast-paced environment and am happy to serve as the base PHEO during this time.

While I do not think that everyone needs to always work like this, I do believe everyone plays a critical collective role in keeping our community safe. When the hard work is done and we emerge on the other side of this crisis, we can enjoy the wonders that Europe has to offer, from visiting the Matterhorn in Switzerland to Peppa Pig World in England.

At the end of the day, we, as an entire Sigonella community, can help pave the way forward. I have never felt alone in this battle, and all my colleagues have been a solid part of the COVID-19 mitigation efforts. This is the type of fellowship and camaraderie that keeps me going and even more proud to be a U.S. Navy Sailor. When this pandemic is over, it is my hope that we can look back and say it was the most fun we never want to have again.