Applying Military Vector Control Skillset to Civilian Mosquito Control Initiatives Symposium
Applying Military Vector Control Skillset to Civilian Mosquito Control Initiatives Symposium
150 - How Serving as a Navy Entomologist Led to a Role in Mosquito Surveillance in Citrus County, Florida
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM AST
Location: 209
Abstract: Experiences gained from serving more than twenty years as a medical entomologist in the United States Navy have been leveraged for continued service in disease vector ecology and control at the state and county level, such as joining a team of public health professionals at the Citrus County Mosquito Control District in Lecanto, Florida. The coordinator of the district’s mosquito surveillance activities is responsible for monitoring seasonal mosquito populations, tracking arbovirus activity, and measuring the effectiveness of adulticides and larvicides within the county borders, duties which are well supported by the educational background and skillset developed before and during service as a military medical entomologist. The mosquito surveillance manager in Citrus County is also expected to have general knowledge of entomology, vector biology, disease transmission cycles, integrated pest management, and be familiar with the operation and calibration of equipment used in public health activities, attributes which are fundamental to the uniformed entomology community. Leadership roles of commissioned officers in the applied health care sciences field often require effective planning, organization, and supervision of departments or divisions, and these aspects go hand-in-hand with managing teams of specialists to conduct mosquito control at the local county government level. Specific examples are discussed here to illustrate the ways in which the career of a Navy Entomologist aligns with the job of being the Mosquito Surveillance Coordinator for Citrus County.
