CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A U.S. Marine from 1st Marine Logistics Group recently developed and constructed an oxygen manifold able to provide oxygen to multiple patients from one oxygen tank.
Staff Sgt. Victor Cervantes and his Marines tackled the task of finding an efficient and affordable solution to construct an oxygen manifold prototype in 72 hours. Traditionally, oxygen manifolds only accommodate single patients requiring an oxygen bottle for each patient.
“To be able to find a solution we split up into two teams,” said Cervantes, the staff non-commissioned officer in charge of Digital Manufacturing Platoon, Ordnance Maintenance Company, 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st MLG. “We were able to produce four different prototypes for the manifold, which resulted in the fastest solution. This manifold allows up to eight patients to be supplied oxygen in a crisis environment from one source.”
Cervantes received an $800 1st MLG Innovation Challenge award for his leadership role in the creation of the manifold.
“To solve this challenge, I knew we needed two things: leadership and a spirit of innovation,” said Brig. Gen. Bobbi Shea, commanding general of 1st MLG, during an award ceremony. “I said, ‘Get Maintenance Battalion on it.’ They have a track record of taking on the most complex problems, problems we’ve never seen before, and coming up with practical solutions fast.”
Staff Sgt. Cervantes’ team constructed the manifold, which will enable support to patients and medical personnel aboard Camp Pendleton. Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Tucso, a biomedical equipment technician with Medical Logistics Company, 1st Supply Battalion, performed the first trial run on the newly developed manifold.
“We experienced leakage during the first trial run. We then had the Marines from Maintenance Battalion step in, and they were able to resolve the issue before the end of the day,” said Tucso. “It’s a great solution to an issue that we never expected.”
In February, Shea began 1st MLG’s Innovation Challenge to recognize Marines and Sailors in her command who streamline, economize and simplify everyday tasks within 1st MLG. To submit an idea, service members should talk with their Innovation Challenge representative within their unit.