Coronavirus Hits the Military | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
News

Coronavirus Hits the Military

Let us not forget about the men and women who are fighting for our safety and supporting the United States through these challenging times

8
Coronavirus Hits the Military
health.mil

"I, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me god."

With this oath comes challenges, hard days and far more hours of work than imaginable. But what is does not include is immunity to the dangers of the outside world. With the coronavirus practically arising out of nowhere, destructive and hazardous, guess who is on full alert to keep Americans safe.

President Trump has issued an order to bring select veterans and reserve military personnel back into "active duty" in order to assist with the coronavirus response. The president said that the decision will "allow us to mobilize medical, disaster and emergency response personnel to help wage our battle against the virus by activating thousands of experienced service members, including retirees," according to an article posted by The Washington Post. Veterans have volunteered and offered support to assist with the relief of this pandemic.

While it has not been expressed whether involuntary recalls will be taken, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Ortiz-Cruz, army spokesman, said around 15,000 veterans have interest in rejoining the service to help the military's response to the pandemic. Different skill sets and requirements are being looked for to help control the spread of the virus, along with a potential 24-month active duty time period for those who are selected.

The U.S. military is conducting a change of mission to combat COVID-19 in other ways as well. They have raised the Health Protection Condition level to Charlie across all installations, meaning access is limited to essential personnel only, along with extra measures being implemented to protect immediate contingency response forces in order to prevent exposure to this virus; should they need to deploy. Screening procedures and testing sites are being developed worldwide to provide medical support in order to protect citizens, and Army hospital staffs are providing routine and emergency medical support, allowing them to focus their resources and efforts on detecting and treating exposed patients.

Army Lieutenant, Ethan Green, is racing to develop a cure for COVID-19. A doctoral student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is the only active-duty military member on the Walter Reed Army Institute of research team. This army microbiologist, along with researchers at WRAIR have been diligently since the beginning of this year to develop vaccines and treatments to combat the coronavirus. Trials are in place to test the effectiveness and safety of some protein vaccines, which target a large portion of the virus, ultimately to weaken and eliminate it.

The coronavirus has infected a large number of military members and officials, along with the highest number of cases being confirmed on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.

-Navy: 57 cases

-Army: 44 cases

-Air Force: 43 cases

-Marine Corps: 26 cases

The Defense Department officials also have said that 61 military dependents have the virus, 59 civilian workers and 27 contractors. Many troops have required hospitalization from the virus, as well as those is Afghanistan. However, these numbers are continuing to increase.

Virtual recruitments are also being imposed to prevent the spreading and limit in-person contact. "Recruiters will remain accessible to those interested in a career with the U.S. Army, but they will communicate through text, phone calls, direct messages or video chat rather than face-to-face," according to army.mil. All future soldiers are being prescreened for symptoms to COVID-19 prior to departing for any basic training.

Although there's an obvious distinction between those in uniform and civilians, one thing resides in us all: anyone is at risk of catching the coronavirus, and there is a mutual effort required between us all to work on protecting ourselves and others.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Kardashians
W Magazine

Whether you love them or hate them, it's undeniable the Kardashian/ Jenner family has built an enormous business empire. Ranging from apps, fashion lines, boutiques, beauty products, books, television shows, etc. this bunch has shown they are insane business moguls. Here are seven reasons why the Kardashian/ Jenner family should be applauded for their intelligent business tactics.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

If I have learned one thing in my lifetime, it is that friends are a privilege. No one is required to give you their company and yet there is some sort of shared connection that keeps you together. And from that friendship, you may even find yourself lucky enough to have a few more friends, thus forming a group. Here are just a few signs that prove your current friend group is the ultimate friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
ross and monica
FanPop

When it comes to television, there’s very few sets of on-screen siblings that a lot of us can relate to. Only those who have grown up with siblings knows what it feels like to fight, prank, and love a sibling. Ross and Monica Geller were definitely overbearing and overshared some things through the series of "Friends," but they captured perfectly what real siblings feel in real life. Some of their antics were funny, some were a little weird but all of them are completely relatable to brothers and sisters everywhere.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Types Of Sorority Girls

Who really makes up your chapter...

2837
Sorority Girls
Owl Eyes Magazine

College is a great place to meet people, especially through Greek life. If you look closely at sororities, you'll quickly see there are many different types of girls you will meet.

1. The Legacy.

Her sister was a member, her mom was a member, all of her aunts were members, and her grandma was a member. She has been waiting her whole life to wear these letters and cried hysterically on bid day. Although she can act entitled at times, you can bet she is one of the most enthusiastic sisters.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Reasons Why Life Is Better In The Summertime

Winter blues got you down? Summer is just around the corner!

2430
coconut tree near shore within mountain range
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Every kid in college and/or high school dreams of summer the moment they walk through the door on the first day back in September. It becomes harder and harder to focus in classes and while doing assignments as the days get closer. The winter has been lagging, the days are short and dark, and no one is quite themselves due to lack of energy and sunlight. Let's face it: life is ten times better in the summertime.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments