Robust Plan Helps Deployed Guardsmen Avoid COVID-19

 Sept. 9, 2020 | BY JULIE SHEA, AIR FORCE , 158th Fighter Wing

When they returned from last month's deployment to the Northern Lightning training exercise in Volk Field, Wisconsin, members of the Vermont Air National Guard all tested negative for COVID-19.

To accomplish this, the 158th Fighter Wing leadership followed strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Vermont Department of Health risk mitigation measures, including: screening, restricting movement, social distancing, mask wearing and asymptomatic testing.

"Overall, the testing was a resounding success. It was an effort between the state of Vermont, Vermont Department of Health, the SNS warehouse, our Joint Force Headquarters team, as well as the Wing and the medical folks at Volk Field," Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Romp, officer in charge of public health for the Vermont Air National Guard, said.

The decision to test all members came after concern that the guardsmen were to travel to Wisconsin, where COVID-19 cases were more prevalent than Vermont, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, which records all COVID-19 cases reported to the CDC since Jan. 21, 2020.

About 100 airmen assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard were tested at varying times throughout the two-week exercise at Volk Field, to ensure any potential outbreaks could be tracked. All the guardsmen tested both on-site in Wisconsin and in Vermont have tested negative for COVID-19.

"We had a robust plan in place before they even arrived in Wisconsin," Romp said. "We screened everybody on the way out, with questions and temperature checks before they got on the plane. All of the units coming into the exercise had those requirements. When they arrived at Volk Field, all of the pilots, basically all of the operators, were tested. They had a pretty robust quarantine and isolation plan, if somebody needed to be treated. Luckily, we didn't have to execute that plan at all."

While the guardsmen were there, access off base was limited for essential travel only and on-base lodging was separated by sections, limiting contact with both the public and other Northern Lightning participants. Both social distancing and mask wearing were enforced, and there were daily screenings and temperature checks for all participants. After returning to Vermont on Aug. 21, airmen were immediately tested for COVID-19, twelve of whom had also taken a test before leaving Volk Field.

"We were in constant contact with [Volk Field] before the exercise until well after, to make sure that folks safely arrived there, are safe while they are at the exercise, and then ensuring that they were safe — and their families were safe — when they returned," Romp said.

"Airmen, soldiers, civilians — it was definitely an intra- and inter-organizational success. And that has been the wing commander's policy from the beginning is to do the best we can: best mitigation, best preventative, following the CDC and state guidelines while still getting the mission done," Romp continued.

Until there is an effective COVID-19 vaccine available, similar precautions and screening will continue for upcoming Vermont Air National Guard training movements and deployments, according to Romp.