The 'Triple Nickel' Returns Home During COVID-19

May 15, 2020 | BY Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tory Cusimano , 31st Fighter Wing

When Air Force Capt. Matthew Bender, an F-16 pilot with the 555th Fighter Squadron, or 'Triple Nickel,' returned to Aviano Air Base, Italy, from his deployment in mid-February, COVID-19 wasn't really on his radar.

He'd been sent home early to lead the planning for the Nickel's scheduled return to the 31st Fighter Wing in April. At that point, COVID-19 had just been established as the disease's official name. The first official death outside of Asia was on Valentine's Day, and while it was certainly international news, Bender was more concerned with bringing his wingmen home.

"It didn't really affect my travel back," Bender said. "There was no reason for me to believe it would affect the rest of the Nickel, either."

But when Bender began his planning, things got worse. By late February, positive tests began popping up all around the globe. The Defense Department established its own COVID-19 task force. Italy was hit hard, and responded by taking several precautionary measures that limited travel through certain regions of the country.

Then, in March, came two big blows: on March 8, the Italian government implemented a country-wide lockdown, and on March11 the DOD restricted all travel to, from or through countries hit hardest by the pandemic, including Italy. At that moment, Bender had only one thought.

"I have no idea how long it's going to take to get these guys home," he said.

COVID-19 was certainly on his radar then.

Even under normal conditions, planning a unit's return from deployment is a juggling act. It takes coordination from several units and agencies across the wing, multiple levels of military command, and international airspace approval. When you throw COVID-19 into the situation, though, it adds a whole new layer of complexity, he said.

Bender coordinated with Public Health to set up screenings as members stepped off the aircraft, a parking lot was mapped out and designated for families to wait for their loved ones, and the 31st Fighter Wing legal office helped interpret how the Italian decrees and the DOD stop-movement order could affect the Nickel's return.

"We had to work through the travel and the rules for the 14-day quarantine," said Air Force Lt. Col Matthew Lund, the staff judge advocate for the 31st Fighter Wing. "We just wanted to make sure we understood everything so they could come back the best possible way."

Despite the extra challenges, however, Bender says he never lost sight of the goal.

"We had a good team," he said. "We stayed pretty level-headed and just tried to bring our wingmen home."

Even so, questions lingered about the DOD stop-movement order. At the highest levels, officials tried to work out how to safely allow personnel to return home. Eventually, word came: the 555th Fighter Squadron would be the first unit in the DOD allowed to return home since the COVID-19 situation began.

As Air Force Lt. Col. Beau Diers, the commander of the 555th Fighter Squadron, climbed down from his F-16C Fighting Falcon at Aviano Air Base on April 20, he acknowledged the strangeness of the situation.

"It's a little different than other redeployments I've had," Diers said.

Typically, hundreds of family, friends, and wingmen would be on the flightline waiting to greet the airmen as they climbed down from cockpits and disembarked the rotator. This time, though, the welcoming committee was mostly made up of airmen from the 31st Medical Group. Airmen lined up and completed a COVID-19 screening, then they climbed into buses bound for a parking lot across base where their loved ones waited.

While downrange, the Triple Nickel flew 1,200 missions. It deployed 64 weapons over a total of 7,000 flight hours. When all was said and done, it returned all 300 of the personnel that left six months ago. Not bad considering the team departed with just nine business days' notice, Diers said.

"The team, I couldn't be more proud of them all," Diers said. "They excelled at everything they did, above and beyond what you'd be asked to do on a normal deployment."

Despite the extra screenings and social distancing, however, Diers said the returning members of the Triple Nickel were in high spirits.

"We're all ecstatic to be home. It's great to be back in Italy," Diers said.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tory Cusimano is assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing)

Volunteers Use 3D Printing to Aid COVID-19 Relief Efforts

May 15, 2020 | BY Rebecca Nappi

The low hum buzzing in the background of a conference call with soldiers from the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Command isn't coming from your typical household appliance. It's the sound of personal protective equipment being made, for health care workers and emergency responders in need.

The soldiers joined other volunteers in the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, area to volunteer their free time and personal 3D printing capabilities to print and create face shields for donation to hospitals and health care workers combating COVID-19 across the nation.

Army Maj. John James Arteche, a 20th CBRNE Command operations officer, is one of the 10 soldiers from the command — along with other Aberdeen Proving Ground personnel, retired Defense Department employees and local law enforcement officers — volunteering their free time and personal 3D printers to create personal protective equipment for providers working the front lines of COVID-19 care.

"It just seemed like such a simple piece of plastic to help protect medical personnel," Arteche said. "But this simple piece of plastic can potentially save a life or mitigate risk."

The group came together through an explosive ordnance disposal Facebook group, where Army Staff Sgt. James Ahn, an Army Logistics University EOD small group leader, saw a critical need and an interested and capable group of people who could help him.

"Because our group is filled with first responders and people who support first responders at a national level, it was an easy transition of our current skill sets to be able to work such a strong grassroots effort," Ahn said.

While Arteche is working in a subset of the larger group, Ahn has gathered volunteers from various disciplines across the country to work in an unofficial capacity to create this personal protective equipment.

The concept for the group is simple: 3D print a National Institutes of Health accepted design for a visor headband and add a transparency sheet to create an improvised face shield. Within an hour, two unassuming pieces of plastic are combined to create a potentially lifesaving piece of personal protective equipment.

Once volunteers in the Aberdeen Proving Ground area have completed the face shields, they are delivered to the local coordinator, Gary Ledder. An electronic technician with the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Ledder coordinates the operational movements such as shipping, placement and other logistics.

"We do this one, because we can, and two, because we should,"  Ledder said. "A lot of these volunteers were trying to help, and it helps a lot of people mentally to help others. This gives me a purpose right now."

The main goal for the 50 volunteers from around the country is to provide PPE to those who need it at zero cost.

In total, the volunteers expect to create more than 13,500 face shields that will be sent to 28 states and one U.S. territory. Over 160 facilities nationwide have benefited from these volunteer efforts, including urgent care centers, hospitals, assisted living facilities and COVID-19 screening stations.

"It just feels like the right thing to do," Arteche said. "I have the time and capability so why wouldn't I?"

The volunteers will continue to send out face shields, and they're looking for any other centers and locations that need them.

"It's just first responders helping first responders," Ledder said. "We've fought on the battlefield, but now our new front lines are the medics."

(Rebecca Nappi is assigned to the 20th CBRNE Command.)

Warrior Medics Deploy to Centcom Region

May 15, 2020 | BY CHUCK CANNON

Warrior medics with the Joint Readiness Training Center and the 115th Field Hospital, 32nd Hospital Center, deployed from Fort Polk, Louisiana,  in support of Task Force Evacuare, operating in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility.

Army Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, the commanding officer of JRTC and Fort Polk, and Army Col. Lee Burnett, the commander of the 32nd HC, were guest speakers at a May 6 deployment ceremony.

Burnett spoke first, thanking the soldiers for heeding their country's call.

"Today you head overseas to support our fellow soldiers and civilians as they endeavor to provide peace and security," he said, noting that the soldiers completed months of deployment preparation in just a matter of weeks.

"I'd like to recognize that every soldier here, to a person, whether the most junior enlisted or the most senior officer, willingly and proudly accepted this assignment," he said.

Burnett specifically highlighted the leadership shown by Army Lt. Col. Jason Marquart and Army Sgt. 1st Class Erik Regalado.

"When this mission came down, they both immediately stepped forward and took on this challenge," he said. "Every day, they put their soldiers and mission first. I am thankful we have such professional leaders and rest easy knowing our soldiers are guided by this stellar team."

Burnett also recognized the 1st Medical Brigade, the JRTC and Fort Polk for their unwavering support and laser focus on the task force's success.

Burnett, who is slated to change commands during the summer and will not be present when the soldiers return, took a moment to thank Marquart for his support.

"Since Day One, you've had a clear vision to ensure the entire hospital was trained and ready to take on any mission," he said. "You developed our young leaders and built this team into a hospital that has proven itself time and again."

Burnett said Marquart's proven track record is why Forces Command has recognized the 115th FH as the most-trained and ready hospital in the Army.

"That's why Forscom went to us first for Hurricane Dorian response, first for [Kosovo Force], and now first for Centcom — and not for just one task force, but two," he continued. "That's unheard of. I cannot think of any other unit that has taken on more missions in more locations."

Burnett thanked the soldiers for their dedication and devotion, as well as the family members who were unable to attend.

"Each soldier and family member is making a personal sacrifice to ensure the success of this important mission," Burnett said. "Some have temporarily put off school; others extended their service in the Army. You are a testament to our shared Army values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-service, honor, integrity and personal courage. You inspire me. I know you will do us proud and represent our country well."

Frank then addressed the deploying soldiers, saying that when he looked at the formation, he thought he was looking at a brigade combat team.

"That's how tough you look," he said. Opposing forces usually attack targets they think are soft targets, he said. "They would walk away from you," he added.

Frank said the nation, the Army and Centcom needed the soldiers of the 115th FH to go into the theater and help U.S. service members and civilians.

"All of you are medical providers," he said. "You're all volunteers. This is an incredible formation. You couldn't be deploying with a better team. If I was going to be in a field hospital setting, I'd want to be with this one."

"I want to be in your formation," Frank continued. "I don't think there is anything a soldier can tell another soldier that is more a point of pride than, 'I want to be in your formation.' That's how much I respect you and the job you’ve done to get ready for this mission."

Lt. Col. Jason Marquart, the commander of the 115th FH, said the team not only would not only be supporting service members, but also would be doing battle with COVID-19 — a new enemy they've never seen before.

"Fortunately, we have highly trained medical people in our Army that are always ready and willing, so this deployment is a good opportunity to take these people and combine them in a time of need, just like we would do here in the United States," Marquart said. "We will provide excellent care for anyone who needs it."

The 115th FH is unique in that many of the officers are assigned to hospitals throughout the United States to keep up their technical skills. The augmentees for the current deployment come from San Antonio and from Fort Gordon, Georgia.

"When the time comes, these individuals, within 72 hours, left their homes, moved here and were prepared to go," Marquart said. "With the help of the team here at Fort Polk, they were completely mission-ready in a short time. This is truly a rapid deployment."

(Chuck Cannon is assigned to Fort Polk.)