Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan | North Carolina Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Ashley Feimster, Force Package...... read more read more
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Across the state, more than 240 North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) Soldiers and Airmen deployed in multiple force packages on State Active Duty supporting COVID-19 response to date, April 7, 2020.
Members of the North Carolina Army National Guard’s (NCARNG) 113th Sustainment Brigade, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, NCNG’s Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) and North Carolina Air National Guard (NCANG) 145th Air Lift Wing on order from the Governor of North Carolina deployed to facilities in Greensboro, the Triangle and Triad areas for warehouse management and commodities distribution and Cyber operations aiding local and state COVID19 missions.
“This is different from hurricanes, we are altering our force packages to fit the pandemic,” said NCARNG Maj. Aaron Youngblood, Director of Military Support, serving at NCNG JFHQ.
These Soldiers and Airmen augmented full time NCNG professionals ongoing cyber, planning and command and control missions.
At facilities in the Triangle and Triad NCNG personnel brought years of experience and training to the demands of quickly and efficiently distributing critical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile.
“When we get the word we are ready to go,” NCARNG Capt. Markus Gaines a leader at the Greensboro planning cell assigned to the 630th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Lenoir, North Carolina said.
Leaders in planning cells at the NCNG’s Greensboro armory and JFHQ in Raleigh scoured manifests and shipping records matching them with medical requirements from providers statewide.
“We are working all together with any state agency you can think of to bring all the resources the Guard can bring,” Youngblood said.
Soldiers in Greensboro prepared specialty military vehicles including Light Medium Tactical Vehicles and Humvees for any mission required from civilian agencies.
“It’s exciting, a great opportunity for us to help,” Sgt. Jessica Duncan, a mechanic on duty at Greensboro Armory and assigned to 1450th Transportation Company headquartered in Lenoir, North Carolina said.
Soldiers and Airmen working from home continue mission for state and nation. Conference calls, telecommuting and other remote work plans keep critical personnel on mission.
One example, NCARNG Maj. Shawna Fitzpatrick, NCNG Knowledge Management Officer, tracked critical information for Soldiers, Airmen and leaders across the NCNG. Her knowledge management team created a digital platform called “dashboard” that provides the number of worldwide COVID-19 cases, cases to the North Carolina county level, deployment of NCNG force packages and current personnel status for the most up to date data for Guard and state senior leaders.
Securing this critical and other critical information infrastructure fell to a team of six NCNG Cyber experts. They brought years of military training, real world deployments at the state and national level and civilian experience to counter online threats.
“We have to make sure the (COVID19) caregivers and others have the systems to do the job,” NCARNG 1st Lt. Joseph Muraguri, 196th Signal Company Commander said.
Currently serving Guard Soldiers and Airmen are not the only ones bringing the skills earned from service to state and nation. Matt Mason, a former infantry officer and 11-year veteran of the NCARNG now serves as a logistics leader with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
He used his Guard leadership experience as he directs personnel from multiple state and local agencies at a distribution facility in the Triangle processes and distributes supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile for health professionals across the state.
“It is like being in the Guard, coordinating with civilian agencies, working with local officials,” Mason said.
The NCNG is ready to respond with additional resources and capabilities depending on the needs of the state and as ordered by the Governor.
Additional photos here https://www.flickr.com/photos/ncngpao/albums/72157713609747572
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2020 12:49 |
| Story ID: | 366768 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 474 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Answering the Call, NC National Guard COVID19 Response, by SFC Robert Jordan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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