CORONAVIRUS: STRONGER TOGETHER
Utah National Guard Tackling Critical COVID-19 Projects
Apr 16, 2020, 7:20 PM | Updated: Jul 27, 2022, 12:04 am
SALT LAKE CITY — As emergency needs from the coronavirus pandemic arise, soldiers and airmen with the Utah National Guard have stepped up, tackling critical COVID-19 projects from helping to trace patients with the virus, to making masks.
The commanding general called it a challenging, but also rewarding time for the men and women of the Utah National Guard.
“As the state uncovers shortfalls, we’re there to fill in those gaps,” said Brigadier Gen. Michael J. Turley, adjutant general of the Utah Army National Guard. “It’s certainly a busy time.”
More than 80 members of the Utah National Guard have dived into critical projects. They are our neighbors and co-workers, using their unique skills to help our state when we need them the most.
“The strongest response that you’re going to get out of national guardsman is when they are in support of their fellow neighbors,” said General Turley. “So we like to use the term ‘neighbors helping neighbors.’ I believe that is the key.”
Sgt. Joseph Haywood is among 12 parachute riggers with the 19th Special Forces Group, making 2,000 face masks at Camp Williams.
“We’re using bedsheet material, right now, double-sided,” said Sgt. Haywood. “We’ve been working with different materials, trying different types of masks, and I think we’ve nailed it down.”
Parachute riggers regularly patch torn parachutes, so they have the sewing machines and the skills to do the job well.
“We’re just re-purposing that equipment and knowledge from patching a parachute to making a mask,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jeff Holt with the 19th Special Forces Group.
The team has been finishing a mask every 10 minutes.
“They are for soldiers and technicians of the Utah National Guard,“ said Holt.
They are necessary for the guardsmen to wear on the job, and out in public.
“It’s great that we’re able to use it, not just for normal working hours for repairing parachutes, but to be able to help in this pandemic,” said Haywood.
A team of 20 soldiers with the 300th Military Intelligence Brigade are assisting in a trace-back mission.
“They connect people who have been exposed to the virus,” said Gen. Turley.
Those soldiers are working with the COVID-19 Task Force and the Utah Department of Health, to contact people who have tested positive. All of those personnel do the important work to slow the spread of the coronavirus, while teleworking from remote locations.
“There’s a lot of work going into phone calls, going back-and-forth with those folks who have been exposed to COVID,” Gen. Turley said.
Other members of the guard translated 17 documents for the Utah Department of Health into 13 different languages.
Are these coronavirus related community projects all guardsmen are following CDC guidelines for social distancing to keep themselves and their families safe.
“Any time they can help their fellow Utahns, they’re going to feel very good about that,” said Gen. Turley.