Items

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  2021-08-05

  SECDEF is expected to formally announce a mandatory vaccine policy for active-duty troops on Friday, according to Fox News.

  I was active duty military for nine years and am now a reservist. My time in the military is almost done but I keep in contact with a lot of people who are still on active duty. I also keep myself up to date on military matters out of curiosity I guess. I am a corpsman in the Navy so I was really interested to see how the military would handle this pandemic. I was unsatisfied with the late response in a lot of matters (like masks and limiting gatherings) but this news is something that I am proud of. Working in the medical field out in the civilian world I have seen the impact of the COVID virus more than I would have to be on active duty. I have seen firsthand how relatively young and healthy people can become ill and die. I wanted to add some screenshots of the comment section to this post as well just to show that the military members are divided on the issue of vaccines just like civilians are. The difference is that active-duty members don't have a choice. If Uncle Sam says everyone needs to be vaccinated then that's what's gonna happen. Like someone on the comment section said "they injected us with anthrax, so I'm sure well fine with this vax shot"
• 
  2020-08-13

  DOD covid-19 military cases

  This is an update of the number of coronavirus cases in the military.It shows a significant difference between the military branches with the army leading with the highest number of cases.
• 
  03/30/2020

  Al Bailey Oral History, 2020/03/30

  Al Bailey grew up in the Midwest. He joined the Navy and worked on nuclear submarines for six years, has a degree in nuclear physics, worked in many nuclear power stations, and has been retired several times. He is an avid collector of paper money, enjoys ham radio, and is planning to go to law school this August. He has been married twice and has five children. Al and his wife Sara Bailey are currently living in Florence, Kentucky, with their youngest daughter Melanie. Sara is working in Kentucky at a chemical plant and is currently not required to stay home. Al’s life has been filled with many interesting events and experiences from his time in the military to 9/11 and more. In this interview, he reflects on current events related to COVID-19 and its political implications as well as how he and his family are handling the social distancing and isolation.
• 
  2020-06-22

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 41

  pandemic entries and BLM issues
• 
  2020-06-08

  A Clean Bill of Health And Ready To Go

  The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Carrier Strike Group prepares to weigh anchor after completing the Navy's mandatory 14-day pre-deployment quarantine; a measure put in place to prevent outbreaks like the one that sidelined the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Harry S. Truman could not return to port on the East Coast until the Nimitz had completed these added precautions.
• 
  2020-06-10

  A Carrier's Plight with COVID-19

  This screenshot shows a Navy medical technician conducting a COVID test in front of what appears to be the docked USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Forced to make an emergency disembarkation at Naval Base Guam in the early days of the pandemic, the ship found itself ravaged by the virus, which swept through its departments and corridors with alarming speed, prompting its commander, Captain Brett Crozier, to order the crew off the warship; an action that combined with a pointed (and public) memo to superiors that ultimately lead to his dismissal.
• 
  2020-06-12

  Containing COVID-19 aboard the USS Kidd

  After having been briefly attached to the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, the USS Kidd encountered a coronavirus outbreak on board while conducting operations off the coast of South America in April 2020. This screenshot of a posted dated June 12 provides a glimpse into the Navy's early attempts to combat the disease's spread before it could potentially cripple the vessel. Also note the face mask covering the eagle's beak on the US Navy emblem in the upper left corner.
• 
  2020-06-05

  Bumpin' Arms with the SECNAV

  Secretary Braithwaite welcomes home this aircraft maintenance technician from Attack Fighter Squadron 211 with an arm bump greeting to minimize the risk of exposure. All those present for the Secretary's address to the Truman's crew wear face coverings, especially given the outbreaks the Navy has struggled to contain on board several of their deployed vessels. Nevertheless, social distancing proved to be difficult on board ship.
• 
  2020-04-30

  USS Comfort, leaving NYC

  I took this photograph of the USS Comfort, a Navy medical ship, leaving NYC on the Hudson River. It arrived in early April to supplement the already overtaxed medical resources of NYC. I don't think it ever helped as much as we hoped, taking fewer than 200 non-covid patients, and treating between 180 and 190 Covid patients. All the same, it's a good sign that it is no longer needed.
• 
  2020-03-22

  Trump outlines national guard activations for New York, California and Washington

  Trump deploys national guard to help state governors with response to Covid-19,
• 
  March 13, 2020

  Military Changes

  During this time of social distancing and restraint of large gatherings, my brother was graduating from Army Basic Training. I, along with my parents and many other family members, made the trip from Dickson, Tennessee to Fort Benning Georgia. We went to watch his graduation ceremony and spend the few days he was allowed leave with him. However, the night before we were to leave we received word that the ceremony was cancelled and we wouldn’t be allowed to see our soldier as of that time. After hours of waiting to see what might change we finally were notified that the ceremony was still canceled but we were allowed to see our soldier and bring him off base. After traveling down to Fort Benning we got to watch his ceremony on our laptops and were then allowed to go pick up our soldier. We spent the remaining day catching up and doing as much as we could in as little as possible. Finally the end of the night came and we were headed back to our hotel when my brother got a a call that said he had to go back to base. Furious but helpless we had no choice but to bring him back. Once again because of the coronavirus precautions, and President Trump declaring the virus a pandemic that day, we had no clue when we might see him again. The next morning we got our final notification that we could go on base and spend the day with our soldier but he wasn’t allowed to leave and it would be his last chance to see us. We then went on base and spent what little time with him we could. That night we said our goodbyes and started home. My brother is now somewhere in the middle of the woods with the rest of his platoon in isolation. We have had little communication with him but he said that they will be spending five days in the woods, going back to the barracks for a shower, and right back into the woods for five more days. His base is now on lockdown and no civilians are allowed to enter. After this whole mess and scramble to see my brother I’m just happy we got to spend what little time with him we did.