Behind the Uniform: Spc. Kayla Bailey

Spc. Bailey a dental specialist.

Spc. Kayla Bailey, a dental specialist in the 104th Medical Company Area Support, who has served about four years in the military.

Why did you join the Maryland National Guard?

“I needed help with college and I wanted to stay home and see what I could do to support Maryland. So both ended up working out well.”

How does it feel to work in the community during this time?

“Good, I like actually getting in and being involved with anything that comes up. Such as the riots, and being here for the vaccinations and meeting different people has been awesome.”

What part of your training has prepared you most for this activation?

“Honestly, I guess the leadership protocol. So the leadership would definitely pass a lot of stuff down for training, whether it be online or in person. We do a lot of table aids so that helps.

Also handling people, so we learned what to do in situations such as going downtown, someone could have a seizure. You learn to scope out the scene you know, get help and just be of assistance.”

What is your favorite part about being a service member?

“My favorite part of being a Soldier is getting to meet congressmen or politicians, because we’re never involved with what they’re doing. So when they come out to meet and greet us and thank us for our service, it’s amazing to actually be involved with them in a firsthand almost personal experience.”

What are you doing to deal with stress?

“I want to say I rely heavily on my team so they’re very awesome. In our down time, they’re there to support me. So I definitely want to say thank you to my team for taking all of that pressure off.”

What is the next thing for you after this mission is over?

“Back to school, I want to get my doctorate degree. I still have a long way to go. Right now, I’m just going to community college, you have to take it one step at a time.”