Southcom Donates Field Hospital to Jamaica in Support of COVID-19 Response

 Sept. 25, 2020

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft transported a large mobile field hospital from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, to Kingston, Jamaica, to be donated to health care providers and used to support the Caribbean nation's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sept. 19, 2020.

The donation, made on behalf of the American people, cost $753,000 and was purchased as part of U.S. Southern Command's ongoing assistance to nations responding to the global pandemic in the Caribbean, Central America and South America and funded by the command's humanitarian assistance program, or HAP.

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The Southcom-funded hospital can house up to 70 patient beds and will support health and public-safety professionals caring for patients, saving lives and mitigating suffering. The modular hospital is equipped to operate autonomously and includes a HEPA and ultraviolet-light air-scrubber system, two diesel generators and eight air conditioning units. Medical teams using the hospital can configure it to isolate patients and conduct surgery, if needed.

The field hospital was set up Sept. 21-23 and delivered ready for the Jamaican government to staff, equip and operate. A team of civilian trainers instructed Jamaican medical and support teams chosen to run the mobile hospital on its assembly, set up, use, disassembly, transportation and storage.

Ambassador Donald Tapia, U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, accompanied by Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of Southcom, officially handed over the field hospital Sept. 24, at a ceremony at the National Chest Hospital in Kingston. Dr. Horace Chang, Jamaica's deputy prime minister and minister of national security, and Dr. Christopher Tufton, Jamaica's minister of health and wellness, were also in attendance.

In addition to the field hospital, Southcom has also funded the donation of hand-held thermometers and patient beds, at a cost of approximately $86,000. Overall, the U.S. government has provided Jamaica with $2 million in foreign assistance funding to support the country's ongoing COVID-19 response, and efforts to prevent and control infectious diseases.

The command has also delivered mobile field hospitals to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

In total, Southcom will donate 24 field hospitals to 11 countries.

Southcom's support to COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts began in late March, as the first signs of COVID-19 infections emerged and nations requested assistance from the U.S. government.

The first phase of Southcom's assistance focused on supporting the countries' immediate response to the pandemic by providing much-needed resources, procured locally, to first responders and health care providers on the front lines. During that initial phase, more than 80 HAP projects donated personal protective equipment, consisting of N-95 masks, gloves, face shields, protective coveralls and disposable aprons. Medical supplies, medical equipment and COVID-19 testing supplies were also donated during the initial phase.

The field hospitals are among the donations funded in the second phase of Southcom's assistance to the region, which is focused on supporting the region's long-term preparedness and prevention efforts.

To date, the command has funded more than 320 HAP projects, purchasing more than $17 million in supplies, equipment and other vital resources to support the COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts in 28 nations. In total, the U.S. government has provided more than $135 million in COVID-19 response assistance to the region.

HAP helps partner nations build their disaster readiness, response and mitigation capabilities. The program funds infrastructure, equipment and training to help nations prepare before disasters and crises strike, but also supports countries who request assistance from the U.S. government when they experience health- and weather-related emergencies.

COVID-19 assistance projects are funded under HAP to support requests from partner nations for supplies and equipment needed to respond to the virus outbreak, treat infected patients and prevent additional exposures. The U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development review the projects and concur with their proposed assistance before they are approved. All COVID-19 assistance items donated under the program were purchased from host-nation or regional suppliers with no impact on the Defense Department's force health protection supply chain.

To date, the countries that have been assisted under HAP include Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay.

(U.S. Southern Command Courtesy Story).

Schofield Shot

 

A soldier participates in engineer reconnaissance training at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Sept. 22, 2020.

Collection Site

 

Nevada National Guard soldiers help support a community-based collection site at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 21, 2020. Army Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, adjutant general for the state of Nevada, came by to see the operation.

Care Packages

 

Air Force 1st Lt. Erica Chambers, assigned to the 86th Maintenance Squadron, helps the Red Cross assemble care packages at Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 22, 2020. The Red Cross partners with Operation Gratitude to help prepare and distribute care packages for first responders in the community.

Soldier Squad

 

Soldiers practice squad battle tactics at Fort Benning, Ga., Sept. 16, 2020.

Sailor Salute

 

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alex Heineman salutes Cmdr. Dan Reiher after receiving an accomplishment medal during an all-hands call at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Sept. 24, 2020

Aerial Ops

 

Airmen operate radar and navigation controls inside a B-52H Stratofortress during a task force mission over the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Sept. 16, 2020.

Nebraska Guard Innovates Firefighter Training Following COVID Restrictions

 Sept. 24, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE TECH. SGT. R. DENISE MOMMENS

For the better part of six months, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous unforeseen impacts across the nation and locally in Nebraska.

One of those impacts that had the potential to cause a significant effect on the Nebraska National Guard air base has been the closing down of formal firefighting schools. This, in turn, made it difficult for the Nebraska Air Guard Base Fire Department to fill openings as members of the team either deployed, retired or transferred to new jobs or departments.

That's when members of the fire department decided to try a novel approach to solving its problem. Instead of waiting for the formal firefighting schools to reopen, they would train their own firefighters.

According to Bruce Craig, Nebraska Air National Guard Fire Department assistant chief, by training newly-hired firefighters locally in Lincoln and at Offutt Air Force Base, they were able to meet the critical shortage of trained and qualified firefighters, while also providing the crucial training they need to respond to both aviation emergencies and the multitude of other duties they're responsible for.

"The amount of people out on the streets to be able to do this job with prerequisites, [those] numbers were way down," Craig said, prior to a 3-day progressive training at Offutt Air Force Base, Aug. 24-26, 2020. "So we opened it up with no prerequisites."

Typically, Craig said, there are standard prerequisites that a potential Nebraska Air Guard firefighter must meet before he or she is hired. For example, selected individuals normally have already attended firefighter schools, or they are sent to a formal school shortly after being hired. COVID-19, however, forced schools to limit the number of students who could attend or they simply cancelled courses altogether.

"With schools being closed, we are having to teach them to be a firefighter," Craig said.

The training covers skills like vehicle extrication, putting on protective gear, correct ladder techniques, licensing on various vehicles and how to successfully rescue people trapped in a building or an aircraft fire.

"Our fires are usually hotter for the most part, because a fuel fire is hotter than regular combustible material fire," Craig said, adding that base firefighters must know how to deal with hazardous materials, and provide medical care to people injured in such fires.

Probably the most important skill, though, is the ability to know how to quickly and accurately respond to an aircraft fire, Craig said.

"We respond out onto an airfield. We don't have hydrants out there, so our distance for hydrants are a lot larger," he said. "Most of our trucks carry large quantities of water, [along with special fire retardant material], because we fight fuel fires."

According to the new firefighters, the training has been a great way to learn under realistic conditions.

"Everything that has to do with the aircraft, engines, the fuel, makes it a bigger challenge. Which makes it more exciting," said Rob Rector, one of the five new firefighters. "There is that element of aircraft and being on base that makes it a little different."

"We have different instructors every day," said Adam Braun, new-hire firefighter. "Our overall task here is: you make sure the airplanes on the runways coming in, if they have any emergencies, we are the first responders."

Craig said there was a second advantage to conducting the training  themselves. While teaching the new firefighters, the more experienced team members had the opportunity to re-learn some skills.

"It gave us a huge opportunity to get people that were already here back to the basics by allowing them to instruct it," Craig said. "They really had to get back into it, get back to the basics to teach the basics."

"While they're teaching, they are learning it all over again," he added.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. R Denise Mommens is assigned to the 155th Air Refueling Wing).

Fort McCoy Leader Reviews Installation's Pandemic Response

 Sept. 24, 2020 | BY Scott Sturkol, Army

When Army Col. Michael D. Poss took command of the Fort McCoy (Wisconsin) Garrison, June 10, 2020, he was likely the first to assume that role while the country was responding to a global pandemic.

"I was experiencing the pandemic like everyone else this spring," Poss said, who was the chief of staff for the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command at the Army Reserve Center in Wichita, Kansas, prior to coming to Fort McCoy. "We were undergoing probably the same thing that everyone else was dealing with. We were trying to figure out how to operate in this new environment."

"I was coming in every day, working 12 hours with a small team, and we were trying to plan out the training requirements that were coming up," Poss said. "In addition, I was simultaneously planning my transition to Fort McCoy that was certainly unique with some challenges from COVID."

Pandemic Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic had been ongoing for more than two months when Poss took the reins of the Garrison. Many services and facilities were closed at that time, and training was at a standstill. However, he said, the Fort McCoy team did a great job bringing many important services and capabilities back online.

"I think it helped us as an Army, collectively, to learn that we can operate in an environment such as this," Poss said. "We have been trained in the Army that sometimes you have to operate in less-than-perfect conditions. Sometimes you have to operate at night. Sometimes you have to operate with degraded communications or cyber capability. Sometimes you have to operate in a chemical environment. So this was a new situation where we had to learn how to operate in the COVID environment. When I arrived at Fort McCoy, one of the first questions I started asking 'was what sort of services here on Fort McCoy can we look to open up in a safe and effective manner?'"

One of the first places to reopen on post was Pine View Campground, which resumed operations May 22.

"The installation first opened the campground for recreation," Poss said. "It's a place that is outdoors, so you can socially distance fairly easily out there."

Then Poss said the installation needed to reopen the Child Development Center, or CDC, and the School Age Center/Youth Center because those facilities directly support military and civilian workforce members on post.

"We wanted to look at opening up the CDC, and I was there on opening day to see how it would go. Prior to that, we had visited the center quite extensively and talked with the staff... It was great to see the employees bringing the children. It was a new environment, but we adapted with new procedures. The children seemed to be excited. The parents seemed to be excited. That did help us in our goal of starting to bring back employees to the workplace in a safe and effective manner."

As services began to reopen, strong COVID-19 protective measures had to be installed. The post already had policy letter 37 in place, which enforced sanitation and hygiene procedures for the Fort McCoy community and workforce. Next, the Fort McCoy team worked to create policy letter 38.

"Policy 38 spells out how we will operate and train in a COVID-19 environment," Poss said.

With the policies in place, chapel services operated by the religious support office resumed, and Rumpel Fitness Center reopened as well.

"I asked the chaplain if there was a way we could build spiritual resilience by opening up the chapel services," Poss said. "Then he came up with a plan, we talked about it, and soon after, those services were resumed, and a week later Bishop Richard Spencer of the Archdioceses of Military Services visited us."

"The next thing we considered was opening Rumpel Fitness Center in order to build physical resilience," Poss said. "The staff there did a great job and effort to come up with a very detailed plan to open up, and it's been highly successful. We have received a lot of good feedback from people assigned here and those who are visiting that the setup we have with all the safety protocols is working. People are excited about being able to use the facility."

The policy letters also addressed the return of training activities at Fort McCoy, which resumed July 7 after stopping in early April.

"We had to look at how we can train in a very safe and effective manner in order to build readiness," Poss said. "That's important because, as the Army, that is what we're all about. It's about conducting training and being ready."

"One of the first examples of training returning to pre-COVID levels was the mobilization of a large medical unit here — the 228th Combat Support Hospital," he said. "We have great facilities and subject matter experts. So, we welcomed the opportunity to do that in a safe and effective manner, and it was successful. The unit just recently deployed to a theater, and they were appreciative of the training they received at Fort McCoy."

"It was a great test for our mobilization force training partners on Fort McCoy, and they did a terrific job," Poss continued. "This included the 88th Readiness Division, 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade, Regional Training Site-Medical and the mission-support forces here. And we also didn't stop there. We recently had the commander of Army ROTC stop by Fort McCoy for a visit. ROTC had their annual six-week summer camp canceled, but they still needed to conduct some training for their cadets. They came up with a two-week condensed version of training, and the 3rd ROTC Brigade held it at Fort McCoy. That was also very successful."

Fort McCoy started receiving requests from other units to use ranges for qualification purposes and other collective training. In addition, we recently hosted the U.S. Army Reserve Command Best Warrior Competition.

"We had requests from Marines this summer to perform field training," Poss said. "We had a large request from the Navy to help them out with the quarantine of their recruits for the first two weeks of basic training. All of it has been supported by Team McCoy with great success."

"Also, the Army Reserve asked us to support training," he continued. "Normally we would be hosting several large exercises for the Army Reserve. Unfortunately those events got canceled in spring and early summer because of COVID.

But the Army Reserve still wanted to do something in order to train and build readiness. That's how they came up with Operation Ready Warrior. We were the first installation to host an iteration. More than 1,000 soldiers were trained here so they could build readiness."

It Takes a Team

The response to the pandemic caused many changes at Fort McCoy, but he said the Fort McCoy team or "Team McCoy" — which includes Garrison and tenant organizations on post — really stepped up to be successful in operating in a pandemic environment.

"Every morning I remind myself to be a humble servant as a leader and to continue to balance family and work commitments," Poss said. "When I go about my day, there are so many opportunities where I thank people for what they are doing. I am so proud of this workforce here at Fort McCoy."

Poss said he remembers having mobilized through Fort McCoy with his unit.

"I remember mobilizing here for a deployment to Iraq as a captain," Poss said. "I remember the fantastic, dedicated people here at Fort McCoy. We were going to a tough area in Iraq on a difficult assignment, but the amount of training we received here set us up for success. So, in addition to the training and the resources, it's the dedication of the people."

"From day one, after I arrived and assumed garrison command, I pursued a very aggressive circulation plan where I would get out every day and meet as many people as possible" he said. "I'm the first one to admit that I am not an expert in their areas, but I want to learn more. Their expertise and dedication make Team McCoy successful."

Poss has also spent significant time holding community engagements with the mayors of Tomah and Sparta — both cities close to the installation — to build and strengthen those inter-community relationships.

"I have established a tremendous working relationship with them as well as with many others, including local government representatives, city police chiefs, chamber of commerce executives, business owners, city council members, community members and school leaders to include superintendents, principals, school board members and teachers," he said.

The Garrison commander added he is looking forward to continued success in the future.

"Fort McCoy is always looking at lessons learned and ways to improve," Poss said. "This is a learning organization and a thinking organization. And it's been great. We have such a remarkable team in place. I just continue to empower them, show my appreciation, and I learn from them every day. We are continuing to demonstrate that we value diversity and inclusion for strong Army teams."

Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.

The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services each year since 1984.

(Scott Sturkol is assigned to Fort McCoy).

Starlit Sterett

 

The USS Sterett steams through the night in the Gulf of Oman, Sept. 17, 2020.

Practice Partners

 

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Ware participates in a nonlethal weapons training course aboard the USS Ralph Johnson in the Persian Gulf, Sept. 16, 2020.

Globemaster Delivery

 

Ramp service technicians, who work for the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, unload a mobile field hospital from a C-17 Globemaster III at the airport in Kingston, Sept. 19, 2020. Aircrew, assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., transported the hospital from Charleston to Kingston, where it will be donated to health care providers and used to support the Caribbean nation’s ongoing COVID-19 response. The donation, made on behalf of the American people, cost $753,000 and was purchased as a part of U.S. Southern Command’s ongoing assistance to nations responding to the global pandemic in the Caribbean and Latin America and funded by the command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program. The command has also delivered mobile field hospitals to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. In total, HAP will donate 24 field hospitals to 11 countries.

Perfect Positions

 

Soldiers move positions during training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Sept. 22, 2020

Harbor Help

 

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Eli Arwood prepares sheet pile for measurement within the Tinian Harbor in the Northern Mariana Islands, Sept. 23, 2020, while supporting an infrastructure assessment of the harbor.

Tests Transport

 

Army Spc. Dorian Sonneman, a crew chief assigned to Alpha Company, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, passes by Neuschwanstein Castle while transporting COVID-19 tests to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center during Combined Resolve XIV at Hohenfels Training Area in Hohenfels, Germany, Sept. 15, 2020. Combined Resolve XIV is a Headquarters Department of the Army directed Multinational exercise designed to build 2nd ABCT, 3rd Infantry Division's readiness and enhance interoperability with allied forces to fight and win against any adversary.

New Recruit

 

A recruit assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, receives his initial gear after arriving at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Sept. 21, 2020. As recruits arrive at the depot in the future, they will enter a staging period of 14 days during which they will be medically screened, monitored, and provided classes to prepare and orient them to begin recruit training. All recruits will be screened and tested for COVID-19 prior to beginning recruit training.

Dog Departure

 

Marines exit a landing craft during a simulated exercise in Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 9, 2020.

Pacific Vanguard

 

Navy warships sail in formation with Australian, Korean and Japanese vessels during Pacific Vanguard in the Pacific Ocean, Sept. 14, 2020. The exercise is designed to improve multinational interoperability.

Honor Guard

 

A member of the honor guard participates in a welcome ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Sept. 22, 2020.

Free Fall

 

Army Special Operation Forces operators and Ukrainian counterparts conduct military free fall operations from a U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey during Exercise Fiction Urchin near Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Sept. 18, 2020. The bilateral training helped enhance the U.S.-Ukraine relationship.

U.S. Works With Allies, Partners to Minimize Civilian Casualties

 Sept. 23, 2020 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

The U.S. government is working with allies and partner nations to mitigate civilian casualties during military operations by partners, government officials said during a recent background briefing.

"Harm by U.S. security partners undertaking military operations has long been an issue of serious concern for those of us administering security cooperation and defense trade policy," a State Department official said.

Highlighting the problem were Saudi strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen in which civilian casualties ensued. The United States — alone among all arms exporters — has put in place policies that will mitigate this danger.

Both the departments of  State and Defense have been working for over two years to better integrate civilian protection into arms transfers.

"The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, in close cooperation with the Department of State, has expanded its efforts to include promotion of civilian protection in both foreign military sales and security cooperation," a Defense Department official said. "And this includes expanding training for partners and providing additional advisory support with a specific emphasis on mitigation of civilian harm." 

The program is worldwide and in line with U.S. efforts to share the security burden. This means building strong security institutions that respect the rule of law and human rights. "Civilian harm caused by U.S.-supported partner forces pose[s] a risk to the reputation of the United States and to our strategic objectives," the State official said.

The process involves sharing best practices with foreign partners and runs the gamut from new processes to new equipment to training. 

While the State Department oversees foreign military sales policy, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency must put in place the processes needed to minimize civilian deaths. The agency has expanded the scope of what it can offer partners, ranging from new curriculum for civilian harm mitigation training, to the development of advisory materials and services, to technical solutions to help partners more effectively and responsibly conduct operations.

"We've also been working on conducting assessments of a partner's risk of causing civilian harm during military operations, and identifying the means to help mitigate such risks," the State Department official said. 

The emphasis on preventing civilian deaths is part of the process [in deciding] whether a potential military sale or grant should even be made, the State Department  official said.

U.S. efforts in Saudi Arabia pre-dated the conventional arms transfer policy and can be used to inform approaches with other partners moving forward. The United States established a comprehensive plan to work with the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebels to reduce the risk of civilian harm. This has included law of armed conflict targeting training, regular key leader engagement, training seminars for the entire targeting lifecycle, including U.S. advisors, officials said. The U.S. also recently sold  additional technical capabilities to allow more precise and effective deployment of munitions.

A good specific example is the collateral damage estimation methodology the U.S. offers that was also adopted by NATO. "It is something that the U.S. develops and updates and releases," the Defense official said. "It's something that the U.S. focuses on that you wouldn't have the ability to get through other arms partners."

The United States needs partner nations to be responsible with U.S.-supplied weapons systems, and the partners also want this. "We want to give them the tools … to succeed and the tools to be effective," the State Department official said. "The partners themselves really put a premium on being … effective and having effective and professional militaries."

Cadet Course

 

Tuskegee University Army ROTC cadet navigates a rope obstacle during training at Fort Benning, Ga., Sept. 19, 2020.

CATCH a Serial Offender Program Available for Sexual Assault Victims Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Sept. 23, 2020

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The CATCH a Serial Offender program continues to be available for sexual assault victims amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although social distancing and other safety measures continue to be implemented across the nation, victims may still call their local sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) or sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) victim advocate to file a confidential report, known as a restricted report, and participate in the CATCH program. CATCH program entries can be filled in online after being provided a user name and password. 

The CATCH program provides Service members and their adult dependents who have filed a restricted report of sexual assault a new confidential way to provide information about the alleged offender and incident to DOD criminal investigators without initiating an investigation in an effort to identify repeat offenders.

“We encourage anyone who is about to file a restricted report or who has already done so in the past to consider signing up for the CATCH program,” said Dr. Nate Galbreath, acting director of the DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. “It’s still an available option even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, takes a short amount of time, and can lead to justice for you and others.” 

Investigators from each Military Criminal Investigative Organization headquarters review entries in the CATCH system and compare them against other CATCH entries and unrestricted reports in other law enforcement databases to identify potential matches.

When a potential match is identified, a specially-trained CATCH point of contact privately notifies the victim, who is given the option to convert his or her restricted report to an unrestricted report and participate in the investigative and military justice process, as appropriate.

Those contributing a report to CATCH decide their level of involvement in the program and can decline to participate anytime, even after a match is identified.

For more information about the CATCH program please visit https://www.sapr.mil/catch.

For support, the DOD Safe Helpline is a hotline dedicated to members of the DOD community affected by sexual assault.  The Safe Helpline offers completely anonymous, confidential, 24/7 support available online at www.safehelpline.org or by calling 877-995-5247.  In addition, the Safe Helpline Mobile App provides access to one-on-one support, peer-to-peer support, information, resources and also access self-care exercises 24/7, worldwide on a mobile device.  Safe Helpline personnel can provide crisis intervention support and refer members to long-term care resources within their local community or via the local SARC or SAPR VA.

Meet some of the sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) victim advocates from each military service who are ready to assist sexual assault survivors. Learn more here. 

Fire Shelter

 

Marine Corps Cpl. Robert Rosa conducts training with a practice fire shelter at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 18, 2020. Marines and sailors assisted the U.S. Forest Service with fires in California.

Vet Visit

 

Army Cpt. Yesenia Stablehaus checks the heartbeat of an injured falcon at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sept. 21, 2020.

Sally Supplies

 

Sailors arrive with equipment and supplies at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Sept. 19, 2020, while supporting disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Sally.

Birthday Gift

 

An airman presents World War II veteran Charles Dever with an American flag from the Vandenberg Air Force Base Honor Guard for Dever’s 105th birthday in Goleta, Calif., Sept. 20, 2020.

Fire Line

 

A Marine practices digging a fire line near the Sierra National Forest, Calif., Sep. 21, 2020. Marines and sailors assisted the U.S. Forest Service with fires in California.

Sailor Support

 

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Arthur Phillips collects care packages from the family and friends of sailors assigned to USS Lake Erie before departing San Diego, Aug. 9, 2020.

Norfolk Shipyard Sheet Metal Shop Works to Combat COVID-19

 Sept. 23, 2020 | BY Allison Conti, Navy

In early 2020, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, along with the rest of the country, found itself facing an unprecedented and unpredictable opponent: COVID-19. The shipyard began its efforts to combat the virus in March, quickly looking for new and innovative ideas to help aid in the fight and keep its workforce safe. One of those ideas was to install personnel guards in spaces where physical distancing wasn't always possible.

Since April, NNSY's Nuclear Sheet metal Shop, or Shop 17, has installed more than 6,000 square feet of protective personnel guards at NNSY, its satellite locations at Naval Station Norfolk and Nuclear Power Training Unit-Charleston, South Carolina. The idea first came about when the shop received a call from the radiation training team asking if there were any safety protections that would allow classroom training to resume. According to NNSY’s Structural Group (Code 920) Nuclear Director Brandon Williams, the team began brainstorming ideas that would use materials the shop already had on hand.

"We built several prototypes to ensure sightlines were maintained for the user while maximizing their protection from others" Williams said.

While working on their initial prototypes, the team quickly determined that there was not a one-size-fits-all solution for the barriers.

"Rather than produce standard-sized personnel guards, we decided that the most effective approach would be to take orders, go directly to the site requesting a personnel guard to take measurements and customize the item for the space where it would be installed," Williams added.

Five months later, Shop 17 has the process down to a science. Employees who are in need of a personnel guard send an email to the shop with the employee's contact information and location. Within 24 hours, a team member contacts the requesting employee via telephone and schedules an appointment to measure the space. Once the space is measured, the shop begins the fabrication process. This process takes approximately five working days, after which the lead team member will contact the requesting employee to schedule a delivery and installation time. The installation takes about an hour, according to Williams, but the timing can vary depending on the nature of the job.

While all of Shop 17 works to fabricate and install the personnel guards, the primary team behind the effort includes Nuclear Inside Shop (Shop 17) Supervisor James Wilkins and Sheet metal Mechanics Matthew Legg, Brian Nipper, Monica Cooper, Tom Deller and Steven Myers.

The work being completed by the Shop 17 team is in direct support of guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"These guidelines indicate the importance of keeping the workforce healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic," Williams said. "One of the engineering controls recommended by the CDC is the installation of physical barriers where feasible. These personnel guards serve as physical barriers in an attempt to keep the workforce healthy and able to serve the fleet."

The personnel guards are especially important in spaces where physical distancing can be difficult, such as locations on the NNSY waterfront. The project is one of many innovative measures NNSY has used to keep its workforce protected and safe -- a task directly tied to the shipyard's mission, according to Williams.

"By improving our mitigation measures against COVID-19, our workforce can remain healthier, which results in increased man-hours, production and ultimately the readiness of the fleet," he said.

Williams said he has an immense gratitude for his team members and the continued dedication, hard work and commitment they've shown in the battle against COVID-19. He said that the work being done by Shop 17 Nuclear is "true to the C.O.R.E. values of NNSY helping to keep coworkers safe."

(Allison Conti is assigned to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard).

Washington Air National Guard Mobilizes Student Flight, Historic First

 Sept. 23, 2020 | BY Air Force Capt. Hans Zeiger

Six newly-enlisted members of the Washington Air National Guard are serving in a domestic operations support role for the first time in state history, working at food banks alongside soldiers and airmen in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The enlistees are members of the 194th Wing's student flight, which helps to prepare future airmen as they await basic military training and technical training.

"It's the first time this has ever happened in Washington State," said Air Force Senior Master Sgt. John Austin, superintendent of the Washington Air National Guard's 194th Force Support Squadron, who oversees the student flight.

As a result of intensive tasking for guard members in food bank support, voluntary COVID-19 mapping support to the Washington State Department of Health, military assistance for civil disturbances and other training and deployment requirements, Washington Air National Guard leaders recognized a need for additional personnel.

"Our volunteer pool was dwindling," Austin said.

While new enlistees cannot serve on federal missions before they have completed formal training, there is an allowance for them to serve in a state active duty status, Austin said.

After Washington National Guard leadership authorized new enlistees to volunteer for the food bank support mission, Austin put out the word to his student flight members in early August.

Christine Krysiak of Parkland came onto state active duty in August, just weeks after graduating from Franklin Pierce High School. She follows her father, grandfather and great uncle in joining the Air National Guard, and Krysiak's sister serves on active duty in the Air Force. Krysiak was assigned to the Bonney Lake Food Bank, where she helps to pack food and make home deliveries.

"We're helping out the community, and that's what matters," said Krysiak. "Everybody has been impacted by COVID-19. We don't know their situation, and we can't judge. We can only imagine what they could be going through."

Krysiak has seen the impact of her work on community members.

"It's cool to see people come in and say thank you for everything that we do," Krysiak said.

For Air Force Airman Sara Mark, the opportunity to serve at the Nourish Pierce County warehouse in her hometown of Lakewood came as she awaits technical training to be a personnel specialist in the 194th Force Support Squadron. With reduced hours in her civilian job, it worked well for her to join the guard's food bank mission.

"I did want to help out the community during this pandemic," Mark said. "A lot of people can't afford food, so it's nice to be a helping hand."

Eric Cunningham of Shelton enlisted in the guard over the summer to become a member of the 194th Security Forces Flight. Two years out of high school, Cunningham worked in construction but he was able to take on a role with the guard at a food packing facility in Lakewood shortly after swearing into the military. Cunningham works with other members of the 194th Wing to make boxes that are used for packing.

"We make 2,000 boxes a day, which is 40 pallets worth," Cunningham said. "We're pretty efficient I'd say."

Cunningham said he sees value in his time on state active duty as he prepares for formal training.

"It helps me get more involved with the military before I go to basic military training," Cunningham said. "One advantage of interacting with Airmen who have already been through training, is that they can give advice on his next steps in military service."

During their time on state active duty, student flight members worked alongside experienced Air National Guard members who are designated to guide them.

"It's good Air Force mentorship," Austin said. "They are getting good experience that they would not otherwise have. They're learning to work in a team environment. They're learning about joint relationships with the Army."

Student flight members mention teamwork as a highlight of their service experience.

"Even though we're in different branches, it's nice being part of a team," Mark said. "I like the emphasis on teamwork," Cunningham said.

And even though student flight members have just begun their journey in military service, they are already being integrated into a domestic operations mission.

"I feel included," Krysiak said. "I don't wear the uniform, but I'm still a part of them."

Altogether, Washington National Guard members have taken part in processing, packaging and distributing more than 45 million pounds of food since the start of the COVID-19 emergency. For Austin, the work that members of his student flight are performing is at the heart of why the guard exists.

"This is what the National Guard is about, to help out our community by jumping in early, getting fully organized," Austin said.

(Air Force Capt. Hans Zeiger is assigned to the 194th Wing)

Flare Training

 

C130 crews with the Minnesota Air National Guard conduct air drop and aerial flare release training above Camp Ripley, Minn., Sept 16, 2020.

Winning Warriors

 

Soldiers compete for the Expert Infantryman Badge or the Expert Soldier Badge at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Sept. 16, 2020.

Esper Promises to Maintain Israeli Qualitative Edge in Middle East

 Sept. 22, 2020 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper promised Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz that the United States would maintain Israel's qualitative edge in the Middle East.

Esper made the promise at the beginning of a Pentagon meeting with the Israeli leader.

Gantz is no stranger to the U.S. military, having trained at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a young officer and working alongside many American officers as he rose in rank in the Israeli Defense Force. Gantz was the Israeli chief of defense as his last job in the military. He has been defense minister since the Israeli unity government started in April. He is scheduled to become the Israeli prime minister in November 2021.

Esper stressed that Israel is America's most important strategic partner in the Middle East. "Our partnership is built over generations based on shared values, shared interests and shared concerns," Esper said. 

He said the bonds of friendship among the peoples of Israel and the United States are unbreakable. 

The United States was the first nation to recognize the nation of Israel when it established its independence in 1948. "Across that long history, the defense relationship between the United States and Israel has never been stronger: We intend to keep it that way," the defense secretary said. "I do want to say upfront for everyone, that a cornerstone of our defense relationship is preserving Israel's qualitative military edge in the region. 

"The United States is committed to that, and the Department of Defense is committed to that imperative," he said. "And we will continue to support the long-standing U.S. priority to maintain Israel's security."

Gantz thanked Esper for the warm welcome and promised on Israel's part to deepen the partnership. "As I always say, we have no other United States, nor do you have any other Israel," he said. "We will make sure together, to keep those bonds active and close to one another. It has to do with (qualitative military edge). But it also has to do with lots of cooperation that we have, we always say it is in our moral interest to share with you everything we possibly can. And we will continue those relations into the future."

Medical Brigade Supports COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing

 Sept. 22, 2020 | BY ARMY SGT. 1ST CLASS KELVIN RINGOLD

The 1st Medical Brigade, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, has been crucial in supporting COVID-19 testing and mitigation efforts in Texas and across the United States since March. As they assist Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, Texas, in the fight against COVID-19, they continue to solidify themselves as the premier medical brigade in the Army.

The 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 1st Med. Bde. has led efforts at CRDAMC's COVID-19 testing drive-thru site inside the hospital's garage since June 29, 2020.

In an effort to reduce the health risks to personnel in CRDAMC, the screening site helps identify people with respiratory illness symptoms before they enter the hospital.

Before the cars move inside the garage, where the occupants' vitals are taken, the occupants see the medical professionals for Role 2 medical care and possible testing. It's important to ensure they are there for the right reasons.

"We screen them and make sure they actually need to be here to get tested first," Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Smith, healthcare noncommissioned officer in charge with 546th Med. Company Area Support, 61st MMB, said.

During the screenings, there are certain criteria that will immediately cause the medics to have the vehicles proceed into the garage.

"If they were exposed to someone who was known to have COVID-19, have been out of Texas within 14 days or are showing symptoms, we will move them in for testing," Smith said.

If no symptoms are present, personnel will not be tested at the site. Smith said there is also one other common instance that results in no test being administered.

"Some people may come in and say their spouse has tested positive and would like to also be tested," Smith explained. "At that point, we won't test them here, because if one person in the house tests positive, we assume the entire house is positive living in close quarters with each other."

Once someone is identified to be tested, their samples are taken to CRDAMC and the results come back typically within 72 hours.

If a patient is identified as needing Role 2 treatment, a system is in place to minimize the possible spread of COVID-19.

"A medic will radio the make, model and license plate of the vehicle so transport can pick them up from their vehicle and take them to Role 2," Smith said. "That's to avoid any possible contamination with rails, or if we have a really sick patient to avoid them having to walk themselves."

Army Capt. Joshua Gurr and Army 1st Sgt. Christopher Lane, both members of the 546th command team, oversaw operations at the site, and Gurr acknowledged the uniqueness of their current fight.

"As leaders, we try to predict the enemy's movements in order to react, to seize [the] moments and capitalize on opportunities," Gurr said. "The enemy for our mission is COVID, which is unpredictable."

The health of the force is always a priority and it's something that concerns Gurr as the commander. 

"With how contagious it is, I'm concerned about my soldiers," Gurr said. "If they are treating a patient, they run the risk of catching COVID themselves. Even after we use all our safety measures and precautions, the risk still exists. So, it's something we constantly manage."

Lane praised his soldiers for their efforts supporting the fight against the pandemic.

"It's a proud moment for me," Lane said. "Fighting an unknown enemy like COVID, is something a lot of soldiers don't get recognized for as if they were fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. They are doing something greater than themselves and also get to excel at their craft as medical professionals."

With no end date to drive-thru support set, the soldiers are motivated to continue their mission.

"Our teams are prepared to run the station for as long as it takes," Smith said.

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Kelvin Ringold is assigned to the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command).

Fort Campbell Schools Celebrate Successful Opening

 Sept. 22, 2020 | BY Emily Laforme, Army

Principals from the Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Department of Defense Education Activity schools are praising their teams, students and parents for successfully creating a safe learning environment during the early weeks of the 2020-2021 school year.

After successfully opening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the principals from Barsanti Elementary School, Mahaffey Middle School and Fort Campbell High School reflect on what changes have made the transition back to in-person learning a success.

Barsanti Elementary School

Like the other schools across the installation, Barsanti Elementary School staff has placed directional stickers on the floors to help direct student-traffic flow while maintaining social distancing in the hallways. The desks in classrooms and seating in the lunchroom are properly spaced, sanitation takes place at regular intervals and everyone is wearing a face mask. They also found a way to alternate times for the use of the playground for recess. Disinfectant spray has been provided to the staff to clean high-touch areas after each use.

"I think the students and staff have done amazingly well," said Hugh McKinnon, Barsanti principal. "It was a little bit cumbersome, but I think the school year has come together nicely. We had some concerns about the younger students being able to keep their face masks on for long periods of time. We thought it would be more of a challenge than it turned out to be. I equate it to the parents telling me they have been making the effort to have their children wear these coverings when they are out and about outside of the home."

McKinnon also attributes their success to the Barsanti back-to-school team and the support of the community. They have only had to make minor changes to some of their seating arrangements in the lunchroom to better ensure social distancing.

The Fort Campbell schools back-to-school teams include teachers, paraprofessionals and parents who were part of back-to-school planning, he said.

"They pretty much had everything planned and sorted out for us prior to arriving [at] school, which made things easier," McKinnon said.

While teachers and staff have had to get creative, he said, they have risen to the occasion and are doing a great job keeping students and themselves safe while continuing with the daily lessons.

"I think we've learned from the other schools around us and had a lot of information on what our challenges would be and what to expect," McKinnon said. "It all seemed to come together very well. Now it's just a matter of making sure everything is habit and to not let up and keep up with our routine practices."

McKinnon said he is thankful for his staff, parents and students who are facing the challenges and are continuing to work together every day.

"I'd really like to give a shout out to the students," McKinnon said. "They've taken all of the challenges seriously while maintaining their positive attitudes and are still managing to have fun."

Mahaffey Middle School

After reviewing daily operations and COVID-19 precautions, the Mahaffey Middle School staff decided to keep students in one classroom as much as possible, with the teachers moving from classroom to classroom for each subject.

"The students are in one classroom for a majority of their day," said Linda Haberman, principal of Mahaffey. "The students are saying they really like it, and I think it's building little communities within the classroom. Everyone agrees it's the safest way to go. They do come out for their various electives, but the students are really liking it."

The students and parents have adapted easily to the new environment, and everyone has been very supportive, Haberman said.

"The students have done a fantastic job with social distancing and wearing their masks, all of the mitigations we've put into effect," she said. "Our parents have been very understanding, especially with our decision to limit the amount of people we have coming into our building every day. We've been meeting with parents a lot virtually."

The school staff decided to slowly begin after-school activities with a few clubs including National Junior Honor Society, Model United Nations, Spanish Club and the math competition team, Haberman said.

Students attending virtual learning also can participate in the clubs virtually or choose to attend in-person. They try to host the clubs outdoors as much as possible, weather permitting, Haberman said, adding that teachers have also incorporated outdoor learning into their classes' daily routines.

"We're going slow, but trying to do everything very precisely," she said. "One of the things I think has been helpful is our mask breaks. We have it arranged so teachers can take their students outside during scheduled parts of the day, when the weather is good, and they can hold some classroom discussions at a social distance with their masks off."

The only thing they have had to adjust since school started was the lunchroom seating arrangements, and now there are eating areas throughout the school to help with social distancing, Haberman said.

"I want to shout out to my entire staff. They've done a phenomenal job in supporting all of the changes," she said. "I also want to shout out to my guidance counselors, Wanda Bermudez and Michael Erickson, for continuing to support parents and students throughout all of these changes. I want to shout out our band director, Rusty Carter, for creatively finding ways to continue holding band classes. I want to give a shout out to Jhoni Hale, our education technologist, for supporting both in-person and virtual learning, and our school nurse, Tracey Thomas, who has been invaluable with communicating community health guidelines. Lastly, I want to shout out Sherri Gowker, our ordering clerk, who has made sure we have all of the materials we need for our students and teachers."

Fort Campbell High School

At Fort Campbell High School, principal Thomas Whittle said their successful return to in-person learning is linked to the students and staff, and their brave adaptability to a new learning environment.

"If I could praise our success, it would be to the students and their response to the new environment we are in," Whittle said. "I'd also praise the teachers and staff and the adjustments they have made, as well as the support from our Fort Campbell command group. The support has been astronomical."

The dedication to academic excellence has been as strong as ever for students and staff, despite the challenges they had to overcome, he said.

"We did a lot of walking the school itself," Whittle said. "We wanted to come up with an idea that would be safe following DoDEA guidelines and community guidelines, so we walked the school as if we were in a student's shoes. We rang the bells to see how long it would take to travel from one side of the school to the other. We also redesigned the lunchroom so students would have social distancing and be able to eat lunch without their masks."

The school staff has also worked closely with parents, virtually, to include them in decision-making to create a better school environment, he said. They've since moved the back parking lot into the bus loading and unloading zone, with students entering through the front of the school.

"We will resume some after-school clubs this week, and we will also start using the late buses for students who stay after school for activities this week as well," Whittle said. "We're looking at restarting the after-school tutoring program soon as well. Virtual learners will be able to participate in these activities as well."

He is thankful to the Fort Campbell administrative team, the other principals and staff at Fort Campbell schools, as well as his team for their support and communication during this time.

"They've all been great in putting in the extra hours to make sure our students and faculty are safe," Whittle said.

(Emily LaForme is assigned to Fort Campbell)

Top DOD Officials to Hold Virtual Town Hall Meeting

 Sept. 22, 2020

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper; Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Ramón "CZ" Colón-López will hold a virtual global town hall meeting at the Pentagon to provide service members, their families and DOD civilians an opportunity to ask questions on the department’s COVID-19 response and diversity and inclusion at 10 a.m. EDT Sept. 24, 2020.

The event will be streamed live on Defense.gov, on DVIDS and on the DOD Facebook page.