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Connecticut National Guard ends its COVID-19 Response Mission | Article | The United States Army
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Frames for emergency beds lay stacked at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. These beds would have been set up by service members from the Connecticut Army and Air National Guard in the event a field hospital was needed to help with an overflow of coronavirus patients at local hospitals. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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A Red Ball Express graphic hangs on a door inside the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. The graphic illustration itself is based off a sign that was constructed by U.S. Army service members near Alençon, France and became famous after being photographed on September 5th, 1944. African American soldiers made up approximately 75% of the Red Ball Express’s supply truck drivers, which delivered crucial materials, such as rations and ammo, to the front during the liberation of France during World War II. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, works on a computer at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Ocasio has been part of the COVID-19 relief mission since November 2020 and has aided distributing supplies at testing and vaccine sites. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Maj. Emily Hein, a transportation officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 143rd Regional Support Group, Connecticut Army National Guard, poses for an environmental portrait at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. As part of her duties since assisting with COVID-19 relief operations, Hein handled the logistics of processing requests for protective equipment for state agencies and nonprofit organizations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kelly Nolan, left, a bridge crewmember assigned to 250th Engineer Company, 192nd Engineer Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jessica Perez, right, a motor transport operator assigned to the 1048th Medium Transportation Company, 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, discusses the distribution of COVID-19 relief supplies at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Connecticut Army National Guard soldiers at the warehouse manage and facilitate the distribution of COVID-19 relief supplies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Albert Valdez, a motor transport operator assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, works on a computer at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Valdez has been part of the COVID-19 relief mission since August 2020 and has been handling inventories at the warehouse since 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, braces a box of COVID-19 relief supplies at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. COVID-19 relief supplies are stored and maintained by soldiers from Connecticut’s Home Team. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Gabriel Leardi, left, an Army National Guard band musician, assigned to the 102nd Army Band, Connecticut Army National Guard, and U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, right, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, walk through the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Connecticut Army National Guard soldiers man posts at the warehouse prepping and transporting COVID-19 relief supplies for distribution to Connecticut communities. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Gabriel Leardi, left, an Army National Guard band musician, assigned to the 102nd Army Band, Connecticut Army National Guard, points towards COVID-19 relief supplies while talking to U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, right, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Leardi, with the help of Ocasio, conducted an inventory of the face shields available for distribution. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, left, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, stands beside U.S. Army Sgt. Gabriel Leardi, right, an Army National Guard band musician, assigned to the 102nd Army Band, Connecticut Army National Guard, as he points towards COVID-19 relief supplies at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Both soldiers calculated how many face shields were left in stock and available for distribution. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jessica Perez, a motor transport operator assigned to the 1048th Medium Transportation Company, 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, operates a forklift to move COVID-19 relief supplies at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Perez is one of many soldiers across the warehouse, and across Connecticut, aiding in the distribution of relief supplies, part of Connecticut’s efforts to fight the spread. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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A forklift passes behind U.S. Army Sgt. Umberto Ocasio, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Forklifts are utilized by civilians and Connecticut Army National Guard soldiers working at the warehouse to move COVID-19 relief supplies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jessica Perez, a motor transport operator assigned to the 1048th Medium Transportation Company, 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard, writes a note on a clipboard at the State Commodity Warehouse, New Britain, Connecticut, March 8th, 2022. Connecticut National Guard soldiers keep a record of the amount of COVID-19 relief supplies distributed and left available at the warehouse. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)
(Photo Credit: Sgt. Matthew Lucibello)VIEW ORIGINAL
The Connecticut National Guard handed over the keys to the state commodities warehouse in New Britain to the Connecticut Department of Health on March 15, 2022, effectively ending its COVID-19 response mission for the foreseeable future.
On March 10, 2020, Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, activating the Connecticut National Guard to assist with operating the warehouse where the state received, organized, and distributed its shipments of personal protective equipment and other supplies to help battle the virus.
“To say I’m proud of all the men and women of the Connecticut National Guard who’ve assisted with the COVID-19 response would be an understatement,” said Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, adjutant general for the Connecticut National Guard. “As we rode the waves of this pandemic, we were called upon to help with many different missions, but our warehouse mission was a constant throughout it all.”
For more than 700 days of the Connecticut National Guard’s mission, the Soldiers and Airmen working at the warehouse helped the state distribute more than 38 million KN95 and N95 masks, 82 million surgical masks, 9 million surgical gowns, 128 million non-sterile gloves, 2 million disposable face shields, and 170 thousand Tyvek coveralls to 169 towns around the state.
In addition to running the warehouse, Guardsmen and members of the state militia also assisted with increasing bed capacity by nearly 2,500 in the form of mobile field hospitals and surge capacity at the Connecticut Convention Center and other disused gathering spaces. They helped support more than 150 testing and vaccination sites around the state and directly vaccinated more than 55,000 people. They also assisted with more than 2,500 nursing home inspections.
In total, the Connecticut National Guard performed more than 1,000 individual missions, a monumental accomplishment considering that over the past 24 months, these Guardsmen were also called upon to help with a variety of non-COVID-related incidents to include storm clean up after Hurricane Isaias, multiple cyber-attack responses, deployment to the state and nation’s capital for civil unrest, and the largest wave of overseas deployments in a decade to support our nation’s efforts abroad.
“Over the past two years, the Connecticut National Guard has competently demonstrated its motto of ‘Always Ready, Always There,’” said Evon. “Although our COVID mission may be over for now, we’re going to continue to monitor the situation and be ready if the state calls upon us again to help.”
The following day, March 16, 2022, also saw the final departure of active duty servicemembers who came to the state to assist in local hospitals, concluding all military support of COVID operations in the state.
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