Photo By Master Sgt. David Eichaker | Michigan Army National Guard Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 238th General Support...... read more read more
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AUGUSTA, Mich.—With more than 1000 Michigan National Guard members currently supporting the homeland in Michigan’s response to COVID-19, some units are preparing for global missions overseas as well.
“As Soldiers get ready to mobilize, we have our pre-mobilization requirements, and due to the COVID-19 response, we have to take certain safety precautions and safeguard ourselves and our Soldiers to make sure they can still accomplish their mission,” said Maj. Parker VanSchoick, 3rd Battalion, 238th General Support Aviation Regiment, Michigan Army National Guard. “We’re here to complete individual weapons qualification on the M4 rifle, M9 pistol, and M240 machine gun in preparation for mobilization.”
Training during the novel virus pandemic has added additional safety requirements not normally seen in a field environment.
“We’ve done a lot of staff work making sure we’re adhering to those precautions, making sure we’re doing the proper pre-screen criteria, and that everybody is safely able to conduct this training,” said VanSchoick. “With COVID-19, we’re making sure everyone is taking the proper safety precautions and wearing the personal protective equipment necessary so they can conduct this training and meet all the pre-mobilization requirements.”
Safety and precautionary measures are taken to help eliminate injuries and illnesses by applying strategies towards achieving the ultimate goal of zero incidents during training.
“It’s prudent that we adhere to all safety measures and protocols to make sure that we can properly perform this training even with this pandemic going on,” said VanSchoick. “The pandemic has not stopped our mission nor will it, and we will make sure to be the professionals we are to accomplish our mission.”
The aviation unit, which primarily flies UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, has a variety of missions, whether home or abroad.
“As an aviation unit, we prepare and are always able to provide support on the state side, but we also have to perform our overseas mission,” said VanSchoick. “We deploy overseas to provide the support that is needed depending on the mission set that we have.”
Even as the fight against COVID-19 continues, the Michigan Army National Guard continues to be a premier, community-based force compromised of resilient, adaptable, relevant, and ready Citizen-Soldiers, prepared for war and domestic crisis.
“It’s important to know that even though we have this pandemic that has affected us - not just nationally but globally, that the National Guard, as well as the nation’s armed forces have many other missions to accomplish,” said VanSchoick. “We still have training requirements that we must achieve for the greater good of our nation’s freedoms and fighting the global war on terrorism.”
Being part of the Guard offers personal and professional growth opportunities for the VanSchoick.
“I joined the military to help advance myself, become a better leader, and to be able to contribute to this force and fight the war on terrorism,” said VanSchoick. “I take great pride in being here with these Soldiers who continue to mobilize and endure this operations tempo that we currently have.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2020 09:14 |
| Story ID: | 369214 |
| Location: | AUGUSTA, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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