'Heroes Through Housing' Event Builds Community Morale

May 14, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE AIRMAN 1ST CLASS TAYLOR SLATER

Sirens blared and children clapped as the Kaiserslautern Military Community's first responders drove through the family housing area at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, during a 'Heroes Through Housing' event.

Members of the 86th, 569th and 435th Security Forces Squadrons, 86th Medical Group, 435th Civil Engineer Group, NATO Military Police and Army NATO International Military Police were applauded for their work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic during the May 7 event.

"It was amazing to see people excited and the young children waving," Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Torres, a police services assistant with the 86th Security Forces Squadron, said. "[Children] were happy to be there, calling their brothers and sisters over to run down the street and get a view."

While first responders usually make contact with the public in a time of crisis, events such as these help build support and ease COVID-19 tension, he said.

"The whole purpose was to show the public that the first responder community is in this together with them," he said. "We're still [social] distancing, but we're also still here to keep the peace and protect the public during COVID-19."

Organizers hoped to boost the morale of the community and give back for their support.

"We can't have a huge fair handing out hot dogs and hamburgers, but it's just something to show the community, 'Hey, we're still thinking about you,'" Montgomery added.

While events are important for community morale, Air Force Lt. Col. Jeremy Sheppard, the commander of the 86th Security Force Squadron, noted it's also important to remember that things aren't back to normal yet.

"Our big concern was obviously making so much of a draw in housing that we would inadvertently have a mass gathering," Sheppard said. "We were happy to see that families took the precautions to keep themselves and their family members safe."

The event has been in production for two weeks. Sheppard said he saw celebrations for first responders in the United States and wanted to do the same on Ramstein. Frequent communication between first responder agencies was the key getting the event organized quickly, he said.

(Air Force Airman 1st Class Taylor Slater is assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing.)

Clean Teams Train to Flatten the COVID-19 Curve

May 14, 2020 | BY Army Sgt. Sarah Sangster , 25th Infantry Division

Units with the 25th Infantry Division have been training soldiers to work in clean teams across Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, as part of a multitude of prevention measures the garrison has in place to trace, prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

"The clean team training they received will provide them with the skills to establish an incident command post in cordon, disinfect large surface areas using the principles of decontamination and most importantly protect themselves with the highest level of personal protective equipment and individual decontamination available," said Army Capt. Charles Carlock, the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, or CBRN, officer with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Each battalion within the division has a clean team made up of 12 personnel led by a noncommissioned officer. The team is designed to respond to any suspected COVID-19 cases and disinfect any large surface areas.

"We went over the step-by-step process on how to decontaminate a room sticking to the biohazard of COVID-19," said Army Staff Sgt. Brain Henneman, the CBRN NCO in charge for 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment,. "We trained on how to properly don your gear, go into the room, clean it, and doff your gear while we clean the areas."

"The overall purpose of this training is to flatten the curve of COVID-19," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Carmine Moon, the CBRN NCO in charge for 3rd BCT. "I feel like I have purpose now as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense NCO, and I can use my training to help others."

Once the unit gets notified, the soldiers arrive at the affected area and establish a command post. Once the command post is established, team members will don their gear and begin conducting a site survey. The survey includes taking overlapping photos of the affected area, inventorying any high dollar items and making an area sketch that includes all four walls.

After the site survey is conducted, the team begins cleaning the area. Teams work from top to bottom, spraying a bleach solution mixed in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended bleach-to-water ratio. All hard surfaces are wiped down, floors are mopped and on the way out, they sanitize doors, hallways, stairs and any direct pathways that were used.

The soldiers then go to the doffing station to remove their gear, following specific procedures to ensure there are no biohazard risks.

"We are showing how we can adapt and show off our capabilities," Henneman said. "Overall, everyone got good training and now know how to properly take action protecting their neighbors and the force in our nations fight against COVID-19."

Guard's Domestic COVID-19 Response is Largest Since Hurricane Katrina

May 14, 2020 | BY Air Force Tech. Sgt. Erich B. Smith , National Guard Bureau

With almost 47,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen activated to fight COVID-19, this pandemic marks the Guard's largest domestic response since Hurricane Katrina.

While more than 51,000 guardsmen responded to the devastation caused by Katrina along the Gulf Coast in 2005, today's guardsmen are answering the call to fight a pandemic that has spread nationwide and beyond.

"In every single state across our nation, we have guardsmen … who are working together with first responders and all of the organizations and agencies to help shepherd us through to the other side of this pandemic," said Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

As the Guard begins its third month responding to the pandemic, efforts are focused mainly on COVID-19 testing sites and the distribution of medical supplies and food.

In April, guardsmen packaged, served or delivered more than 44 million meals to those in need while also transporting more than 34,000 tons of bulk food to support food banks and other community-based programs.

"I have been unloading pallets, stocking food, packing boxes and bags, loading supplies into waiting cars and assisting with cleanup," said Air Force Staff Sgt. David Stefaniak, a boom operator with the Washington Air National Guard's 116th Air Refueling Wing. "It's very fulfilling to get to directly serve Washingtonians [who] are in need."

Additionally, guardsmen have supported 1,600 screening sites nationwide that have tested more than 750,000 people.

"As medics, we handle certain challenges that others may not experience," said Army Sgt. Valerie Hodges, a combat medic with a Florida Army National Guard medical readiness detachment. "Everyone chose the medical profession for personal reasons, and due to that choice, we are here today helping the citizens of South Florida."

Meanwhile, the West Virginia Army National Guard set up one of the first Defense Department-approved mobile testing labs.

"Once we arrive on-site, there's about a 60-minute setup period in which we calibrate the machine," said Army 1st Lt. Samantha Fabian, the commander of the West Virginia Army Guard's 1201st Forward Support Company. "Once we complete calibration, then our lab is certified and ready for operation."

Since April, guardsmen across the nation have been distributing critical personal protective equipment items to those in need.

"One of our soldiers made a delivery to a smaller nursing facility, and he was greeted by 15 to 20 staff members [who] were in tears because he showed up with this [personal protective equipment] they needed," said Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Schrot, with the Michigan Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment. "That really opened my eyes to what's really going on out there."

Guardsmen have supported other missions as well. In eight states, guardsmen staffed call centers answering almost 330,000 calls regarding COVID-19 matters.

"COVID-19 is a unique situation that directly threatens our communities," said Army 1st Lt. Michel Flickinger, with the New York Army National Guard. "Although staffing a call center is not what many of us foresaw when we joined the National Guard, it is a way for us to assist our fellow citizens and connect them with the information they need."

The Guard also added almost 6,000 beds to alternate care facilities back in April. In Connecticut, Air Force Airman 1st Class Arielle Robles, an administration specialist with the Connecticut Air National Guard's 103rd Airlift Wing, was part of her unit's response in setting up a recovery center on a college campus.

"It's crazy to see that where we would normally go for class or to workout is being turned into a field hospital, but it feels good to be helping the community and my school in this way," Robles said.

Guardsmen have also disinfected around 1,100 long-term care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities and numerous public areas.

"[We spray] things like your doorknobs, handles on anything — things that you are going to touch with regularity — and then [go over the surfaces with] rags and a mop to ensure that our solution spreads and has a lot of good contact time," said Army Sgt. Christina Burgess, with the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 63rd Civil Support Team. "That way, we can control any infection that could be around."

For local agencies seeking support, the Guard has provided about 600 liaison officers to help facilitate the flow of communication between the state and local agencies.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Webb, the senior enlisted leader with the North Carolina Army National Guard's 60th Troop Command and a liaison officer with state officials, said Guard members have a stake in what happens in their communities.

"We bring our civilian skill sets into a military environment," he said. "That plays a tremendous part in our success."