Randall Simmons, DDE ‘13
Our initial planning was focused on identifying ways we could go on the offense and take the fight to the COVID-19 virus. We assessed our capabilities as a Joint Task Force comprising the Georgia Army National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, and volunteers from the Georgia State Defense Force. The first area we identified to which we could contribute was the medical enterprise. We identified medical personnel not required by their civilian careers for service and formed 18 Medical Support Teams (MST). These MSTs are serving in regional and community hospitals augmenting their professional staffs. These personnel range from doctors, physician assistants, nurses, to medics. They are having a tremendous impact as professional staffing is the biggest limitation of our healthcare system. Next, we assessed our nursing homes and other long-term care facilities as our most vulnerable demographic. Our 201st Regional Support Group serves as FEMA Region 4 Homeland Response Force. This formation contains all of our CBRN assets to include the 4th Civil Support Team (WMD), 265th Chemical Battalion, and 138th Chemical Company. They formed a series of Infection Control Teams (ICT) to be used to conduct deliberate decontamination operations in our nursing homes and long-term care facilities (LCF) to protect that vulnerable population. We were able to scale that concept by training personnel in the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. We currently have 58 ICTs that are making a tremendous impact in flattening the curve and keeping the nursing home population safe and out of scarce hospital beds. We have over 368 LCFs in the State. In addition, we have Soldiers performing a wide variety of other missions statewide. We are supporting eight food banks, one school lunch delivery program, and Department of Public Health warehouse operations, and we are providing Soldiers to work at hospital entrances taking temperatures and assessing those wishing to enter. This allows professional medical staff to focus on patients while our Soldiers can easily conduct screening.
BG Randall V. Simmons, Jr.
Distance Class of 2013
Commanding General
Georgia Army National Guard
