By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Giselle Christmas
JAPAN— Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Miosha Dunn, a U.S. Navy Reservist, assigned to Commander, Navy Region, Japan (CNRJ), from Mesa, Ariz., recently experienced a 14-day Restriction of Movement Order (ROM) due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.
Dunn along with 25 other Navy Reservists assigned to both CNRJ and Commander, Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), arrived in Japan to support the installation’s Emergency Operations Center.
Her arrival came on the heels of a surge in overall COVID-19 cases, which caused businesses, school districts and other public places around the world to shut down in an effort to slow the spread.
The quarantine extended the original 28-day mission, adding days of isolation and forcing many Sailors like Dunn to adjust to life inside the confines of their rooms. Their only contact with the outside world was during the daily deliveries they receive of groceries and other necessities.
When asked about her experience, Dunn said she never thought she would have to face the struggles of being on lockdown. “I can’t help but think of my job outside of here. I am a Correctional Officer at a maximum-security prison, where all the inmates are locked down to a cell about the size of my hotel living area. I ask myself, ‘Is this what it’s like to be confined?’.”
To get through the monotony, Dunn said that keeping a routine helped, “I wake up around the same time every morning, make my coffee, workout, Skype the family and get ready for the day.”
Cmdr. Kathleen Gilpin, commanding officer of Navy Reserve Commander, Navy Region Japan, is proud of how her Sailors are handling the restrictions during this uncertain time. “As a combined effort of CNFJ (Commander, Naval Forces Japan) and CNRJ, we’ve seen the team really come together over the past week and a half, despite being physically quarantined in their individual rooms. They have daily PT together (virtually), hotel room cooking competitions, and, most importantly a network of support amongst each other.”
When asked what she misses most about being able to go outside, Dunn said she missed having endless amounts of space, especially to run, which is how she overcomes stress.
Dunn never questioned answering the call in the midst of a global crisis. “As Reservists, we are big supporters of the mission and we wait eagerly for the ‘thumbs up’ to render our assistance and set forth our services to accomplish the task.”
USN
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2020 14:42 |
| Story ID: | 371768 |
| Location: | MESA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Quarantined on Orders: Mesa Reservist Faced COVID-19 Setbacks, by CDR Nicolas Melendez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
