forging the warrior spirit...may 08, 2020 · for warrior medics with the joint readiness training...

FORT POLK, La. — A deployment ceremonyfor Warrior medics with the Joint ReadinessTraining Center and Fort Polk’s 115th Field Hos-pital, 32nd Hospital Center, was held May 6 at11:30 a.m.

Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, commander, JRTCand Fort Polk, and Col. Lee Burnett, commander,32nd HC, were guest speakers. Due to COVID-19social-distancing and mask requirements, Fami-lies and fellow Soldiers were not in attendance.

The 115th FH will participate in CENTCOM’sarea of responsibility as part of Task Force Evac-uare.

Burnett spoke first and thanked the Soldiers inthe formation for heeding their country’s call.

“Today you head overseas to support our fel-low Soldiers and civilians as they endeavor toprovide peace and security,” he said.

Burnett said that in just a matter of weeks, theSoldiers deploying have undergone what wouldnormally take months of preparation.

“I’d like to recognize that every Soldier here,to a person, whether the most junior enlisted orthe most senior officer, willingly and proudly ac-cepted this assignment,” he said.

Burnett specifically highlighted the leadershipshown by Lt. Col. Jason Marquart and Sgt. 1stClass Erik Regalado.

“When this mission came down, they both im-mediately stepped forward and took on this chal-lenge,” he said. “Every day they put their Sol-diers and mission first. I am thankful we havesuch professional leaders and rest easy knowing

our Soldiers are guided by this stellar team.”Burnett also recognized the 1st Medical

Brigade, the JRTC and Fort Polk, and the JRTCG3 team for their unwavering support and laserfocus on the task force’s success.

Burnett, who is slated to PCS during the sum-mer and will not be at JRTC and Fort Polk whenthe TF Evacuare returns, took a moment to thankMarquart for his support.

“Since day one you’ve had a clear vision to en-sure the entire hospital was trained and ready totake on any mission,” he said. “You developedour young leaders and built this team into a hos-pital that has proven itself time and again —from our validation exercise at JRTC to the 115thMEDEX at NTC (National Training Center).”

FORGING THE

JRTC & FORT POLK GUARDIANTHE

Home of Heroes @ Fort Polk, LA May 8, 2020Vol. 47, No. 19

Weekend weather

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Inside the Guardian

WARRIOR SPIRIT

This is my squad ........ 3

COVID-19 info ............ 4

BSEP classes .............. 8

Virtual boarding ........ 9

Mask history ............ 10

Honoring Islanders ... 12

115th Field Hospital deploys in support of TF Evacuare

Please see Medics, page 5

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By CHUCK CANNONCommand information officer

Soldiers with the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk’s 115th Field Hospital, 32nd HospitalCenter, participate in a deployment ceremony prior to leaving to participate in Task For Evacuare May 6.

2/ GuardianMay 8, 2020

VViieewwppooiinnttIn our view

Since it’s Teacher Appreciation Week, Guardian staff asked local teachers, "What would you like to tell your students with the academic year over for 2020,

and what are your suggestions for the kids for Mother's Day this year?"Here are their responses:

Rebek ah Croney, Algebra 2and Art, Leesville HighSchool: "To all of my LHS stu-dents and athletes, I miss you,and I wish we could have en-joyed our spring semester to-gether! For Mother's Day, Iwould make a homemade cardand write a heartfelt note to thewomen in your life who supportand love you. Go Cats!"

Jessica Kama, WestLeesville ElementarySchool: "One thing I want mystudents to know is that eventhough we didn't get to finishthe school year together, I amso incredibly proud of all theyhave accomplished this year. Ilove them and miss them somuch! For Mother's Day, dosomething nice for your momwhether it's a foot or backmassage, making her break-fast, not fighting with yoursiblings, or just even a bighug and an I love you mom!”

Kamilah Todd, Jobs forAmerica's Graduates andGirls Powerlift ing Coach,Leesville High School: "Iwant to send a message tothe class of 2020: I am soproud of you. Remember toalways have hope anddream big. Once a WampusCat, always a Wampus Cat."

Rachel Jamison, f ifthgrade, Vernon MiddleSchool: "I need all of my stu-dents to know how specialyou are! I miss you more thanyou know and I will always behere for you! With Mother'sDay right around the corner,now is the time to just say'thank you' for all she (mom)does — remember that a littlekindness goes a long way!Love you all — Mrs. J!"

Nichole Williams, 7 th and8th Grade (Math),Rosepine High School:"The one thing I hope my stu-dents take away from myclassroom is the math welearned and the laughter wehad. For Mother's Day, giveyour mom a tight hug and akiss. Those are the best gifts amother could ask for."

Roxanna Jaiswal, 4th Grade,Parkway Elementary School:"The two most important thingsmy students can do to preparefor next year is to read at leastthirty minutes a day, and prac-tice their multiplication facts.Reading is the fastest way tobuild vocabulary, and middleschool curriculum is heavy withfractions. Students need quickrecall of multiplication facts tobe proficient. To celebrate Moth-er's Day, students should dotheir best to create somethinghomemade for mom; and don'tforget the hugs and kisses."

The Guardian, is an authorizedpublication for members of the U.S.Army. Contents of the Guardian arenot necessarily official views of, orendorsed by, the U.S. Government,Department of Defense, Departmentof the Army or Fort Polk.

The Guardian is published weeklyby the Public Affairs Office, JointReadiness Training Center and FortPolk.

The Guardian can be found on theJRTC and Fort Polk web site athome.army.mil.polk and the JRTCand Fort Polk Facebook page at@JRTCandFortPolk/. Guardianarchives can also be found on theJRTC and Fort Polk website.

Links to the Guardian are alsoincluded in all-users emails to govern-ment email users and by request tonon-military units. To be included onall-users messages [email protected].

All editorial content of theGuardian is prepared, edited, provid-ed and approved by the Public AffairsOffice, Joint Readiness TrainingCenter and Fort Polk.

For more information on Fort Polkunits and happenings visit the follow-ing Facebook pages: @JRTCOperationsGrp,@BayneJonesACH or @fort-polkmwr.

GuardianEditorial Staff

Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank

Joint Readiness Training Centerand Fort Polk commanding general

Col. Ryan K. Roseberry

Garrison commander

Kim ReischlingPublic affairs officer

Chuck CannonCommand information officer

Christy GrahamEditor

Angie Thorne

T.C. Bradford

Keith Houin

Staff writers

Editorial Offices

Building 4919, Magnolia Street

Fort Polk, LA 71459-5060

Voice (337) 531-4033

Fax (337) 531-1401

Email: [email protected]

Fort Polk Homepage

home.army.mil/polk/

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/3GuardianMay 8, 2020

COVID-19 Town HallA Joint Readiness Training Center and

Fort Polk COVID-19 Town Hall is held to-day at 12:30 p.m. The event is streamedlive on the JRTC and Fort Polk Facebookpage.

COVID-19 screeningBayne-Jones Army Community Hospi-

tal’s COVID-19 drive-up screening hoursare Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., onTexas Avenue next to the Berry MissionTraining Center.

Drive-thru pharmacyThe Bayne-Jones Army Community

Hospital drive-thru pharmacy is open from8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,in the BJACH upper level parking lot. Fol-low the signs to drop off prescriptions orpark for curbside delivery of previouslycalled in or dropped off prescriptions. CallKathy Ports at 531-3111 for more informa-tion.

Absentee votingIf you want to vote absentee visit

FVAP.gov or stop by the Fort Polk Installa-tion Voting Office at 920 Bell Richard Ave.Capt. Justin Smith is the installation votingassistance officer. Call him at 531-0886 oremail [email protected].

SSA InventoryThe Supply Support Activity, (AY3), lo-

cated in bldg. 4374, will be closed to con-duct annual inventory from Mondaythrough May 15. Customers are asked toplan accordingly. The SSA reopens for nor-mal business May 18. For more informa-tion call Bonnie Edwards at 531-0950 orDarrian Gailes at 531-2243.

Garrison safetyThe Fort Polk Garrison Safety Office re-

minds motorists that May is MotorcycleSafety Month. Safe riding practices and co-operation from motorists will help reducethe number of fatalities and injuries on thenation’s highways.The Fort Polk community is also re-

minded that in response to the COVID-19pandemic, more people are spending timeoutdoors, including walking or joggingalong area streets. Pedestrians are remind-ed to look both directions before crossing astreet, then look once more. And motoristsare reminded to avoid distractions whiledriving.Residents are also reminded that June 1

is the start of hurricane season inLouisiana, so now is the time to make a

Briefs

Soldiers embrace ‘My Squad’ using COVID-19

FORT POLK, La. — Editor’s note: First intro-duced by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grin-ston, “This is My Squad” is an inspiring conceptacross the Army. Those at the Joint Readiness Training Center

and Fort Polk are engineering creative methodsto embrace this initiative and encourage unitownership, while also adhering to COVID-19 so-cial-distancing guidelines.Leaders need to propel Soldiers; they need to

go the extra mile in training and leading each in-dividual. In return, as the Soldiers cultivate apride for their unit, that energy will be poureddirectly back into their teams, said Grinston.In a motivational display, several NCOs on the

installation wrote down their understanding of“This is My Squad,” and detailed their efforts toembrace its tenets for Grinston to review.

Staff Sgt. David M. MulcahyAll the way, Sergeant Major of the Army!

My name isStaff Sgt. DavidMulcahy. I en-tered the U.S.Army on Aug.16, 2011 fromQueensbury,New York. I have served

with 3rd In-fantry Division(2012-2013),173rd AirborneBrigade (2014-

2016), 101st Airborne Division (2016-2018), and1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regimentfrom April 2019.“This is My Squad”, to me, means a leader

works for his/her Soldiers as much, or more,than they do for their leaders. My squad has found opportunities for our Sol-

diers to focus on meaningful training in this

unique and challenging environment. We use YouTube playlists on leadership, mili-

tary history and tactics, as well as practice troopleading procedures and maneuvers in Call ofDuty. Team leaders within the squad also record

their own classes and share them with their Sol-diers to drive additional conversations. This operational environment has had the

added benefit of Soldiers’ ability to focus on theirindividual physical fitness, to include the contin-uation of our company’s thousand-pound club. With more individualized plans being the fo-

cus, greater improvements are being made in ourindividual areas of weakness, while continuingto build esprit de corps even when we cannotphysically be together. For a team to be truly successful they have to

come together like a Family. Even though Soldiers are physically separated

at this time, we are all still united by our WarriorSpirits, esprit de corps and our constant drive tobe the best paratroopers we can be. Geronimo, all the way!Cpl. Bianca M. Ortiz“This is My Squad” not only helps build cohe-

sion among units throughout the Army, but alsoa stronger bond between single Soldiers in theBetter Opportunities for Single Soldiers program. Our BOSS program gives opportunities for

single Soldiers to form friendships with othersoutside of their unit, whether it’s meeting for thefirst time at a volunteer event, studying for thepromotion board at the BOSS Study Nights orgiving each other the confidence to jump out of aplane while skydiving. Our BOSS program gives Soldiers the chance

for their voices to be heard when it comes toplanning BOSS events, quality-of-life concerns orif they just need a battle buddy to guide them inthe right direction with an issue. At the begin-ning of April, we began to hold our BOSS

Please see Squad, page 6

GUARDIAN STAFF

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Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers participated in a Capture the Flagevent at the Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation paintball range

prior to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

4/ GuardianMay 8, 2020

COVID-19: Know symptoms and next steps to help ensure full recovery

WASHINGTON — Sore throat, aching mus-cles, stuffy nose — are you feeling sick because ofseasonal allergies, a cold or could your symp-toms be a sign of COVID-19?

People may be concerned about catching therespiratory virus that leads to COVID-19 disease,and that’s understandable.

Since the first reports in late December, about3 million people around the world have testedpositive. That number includes about 981,000confirmed cases in the United States, as of April28, according to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention.

The good news is most people infected will re-cover without needing special medical treatment,according to the CDC. So there’s no need to panicif you get sick. It is important knowing the nextsteps to help ensure a full recovery and avoid in-fecting others.

The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever ator above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough andshortness of breath. The CDC says these symp-toms can occur anywhere from two days to twoweeks after becoming infected. Other symptomsmay include muscle pain, headache, chills, sorethroat and a loss of taste or smell.

Emergency warning signs that require imme-diate medical attention include trouble breathing,chest pain or pressure and bluish lips or face. TheCDC advises anyone experiencing these symp-toms to call 911. If possible, put on a face cover-ing before medical help arrives.

Some people may become seriously ill fromCOVID-19 and have difficulty breathing. Thevirus may be especially dangerous for peoplewho have chronic or long-term health conditionsthat affect the immune system. Those conditionsinclude heart or lung disease, diabetes, treatmentfor cancer and HIV/AIDS.

For cases that are not emergencies, experts ad-vise people to stay home. Don’t go to a militarytreatment facility or urgent care clinic becausethat may expose others to the virus. Instead, con-tact the Military Health System Nurse AdviceLine at (800) 874-2273. Registered nurses willscreen for COVID-19 exposure or infection.

They will offer advice for self-care and coordi-nate virtual appointments with health careproviders. When necessary, nurses may make re-

ferrals to visit health care providers in person.“Virtual care has become valuable for health

care providers and patients during the coron-avirus pandemic,” said U.S. Public Health Serv-ice Lt. Bobby Taylor, program manager for theMHS Nurse Advice Line.

“This resource allows you to practice social-distancing and still get the answers to yourhealth questions and concerns.”

The CDC offers advice for managing COVID-19 symptoms at home. It includes resting, stayinghydrated and monitoring symptoms to makesure they don’t get worse. Sick people alsoshould isolate themselves from others, includingfamily members. That may require staying inseparate rooms and using separate bathrooms, ifpossible.

Health care providers can offer guidance forwhen sick people can stop isolating. Typicalguidelines include at least seven days sincesymptoms first appeared, improvement of symp-toms and at least three days with no fever, with-

out fever-reducing medications.TRICARE beneficiaries can sign up for email

updates and get the latest information onCOVID-19, such as emergency and urgent careoptions and pharmacy home deliveries.

Health-care providers and military families atmilitary treatment facilities receive CDC-basedguidance on COVID-19 through the DefenseHealth Agency, said Col. (Dr.) Jennifer Kishimori,director of chemical, biological, radiological andnuclear medical countermeasures policy in theOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense forHealth Affairs.

“We are working to communicate current CDCguidance for public health, hospital prepared-ness, patient evaluation, infection control, labora-tory testing and health risk communication, incoordination with the Joint Staff,” she said.

This guidance ensures any patient with a riskof infection receives the proper care and testingand that public health authorities are notified ofall cases.

Sgt. Kate Cole, a medic with the 209th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), does a tem-perature check for Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska National Guard, as he enters Memori-al Hall for an officer candidate commissioning ceremony March 20, at the Camp AshlandTraining Site, Neb.

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CDC maintains childhood immunization guidelines during COVID-19

WASHINGTON — Immunizations remain avital component of pediatric health care, evenduring the COVID-19 pandemic. Immune sys-tems are still developing in children and infants.Vaccinations produce antibodies to protect peo-ple from potentially deadly diseases, explainedAnn M. Morse, a family nurse practitioner at theNorth-Atlantic Regional Vaccine Safety Hub,Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.

“Immunizations allow the immune system torecognize that germ, virus or bacteria and fightoff that disease. It limits the severity of complica-

tions if exposed to the real disease,” continuedMorse.

Immunizations also protect public healththrough herd immunity by preventing a wide-spread outbreak of highly infectious diseases,such as measles or whooping cough. Despite thecurrent climate of social-distancing, vaccine-pre-ventable diseases continue to circulate. Individu-als who have not been vaccinated and contractthe disease could spread it to susceptible individ-uals, because those infected can be contagious upto a week before developing any symptoms, ex-plained Morse. She added that if children stop re-ceiving necessary vaccinations, herd immunity

decreases, then increasing the likelihood of po-tential viral outbreaks, like measles.

“If multiple individuals developed one ormore different vaccine-preventable diseases, hos-pitals could again have decreased number of iso-lation rooms, critical care (ICU/CCU) beds, ven-tilators, protective coverings (masks, gowns,gloves, boots) and more,” Morse explained. Sheadded there is a variety of infant or childhoodrespiratory illnesses that show similar symptomsof COVID-19, such as fever, cough and bodyaches.

MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Please see CDC, page 7

GuardianMay 8, 2020 /5

Burnett said that proven track record is whyForces Command has recognized the 115th FH asthe most-trained and ready hospital in the Army.

“That’s why FORSCOM went to us first forHurricane Dorian response, first for KFOR(Kosovo Force), and now first for CENTCOM —and not for just one task force, but two. That’sunheard of. I cannot think of any other unit thathas taken on more missions in more locations.”

In closing, Burnett thanked the Soldiers fortheir dedication and devotion, as well as theFamily members who were unable to attend.

“Each Soldier and Family member is making apersonal sacrifice to ensure the success of this im-portant mission,” he said. “Some have temporar-ily put off school; others extended their service inthe Army. You are a testament to our sharedArmy Values: Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-serv-ice, honor, integrity and personal courage. Youinspire me. I know you will do us proud and rep-resent our country well.”

Frank was next to address the deploying Sol-diers. He said when he looked at the formation,he thought he was looking at a brigade combatteam.

“That’s how tough you look,” he said. “IfGeronimo — our world class OPFOR — were outthere, they usually attack targets they think aresoft targets. They would walk away from you.”

Frank said the nation, Army and CENTCOMneeded the Soldiers of the 115th FH, to go intotheater and help U.S. service members and civil-ians.

“All of you are medical providers,” he said.“You’re all volunteers. This is an incredible for-mation. You couldn’t be deploying with a betterteam.

If I was going to be in a field hospital setting,I’d want to be with this one.” Frank said hecouldn’t be prouder of the 115th FH’s Soldiers.

“I want to be in your formation,” he said. “Idon’t think there is anything a Soldier can tell an-other Soldier that is more a point of pride than, ‘Iwant to be in your formation.’ That’s how much Irespect you and the job you’ve done to get readyfor this mission.”

Lt. Col. Jason Marquart, commander of the115th FH, said the team would be not only sup-porting service members, but doing battle withCOVID-19 — a new enemy they’ve not seen be-fore.

“Fortunately, we have highly-trained medicalpeople in our Army that are always ready andwilling, so this deployment is a good opportuni-ty to take these people and combine them in atime of need, just like we would do here in theUnited States,” he said. “We will provide excel-lent care for anyone who needs it.”

The 115th FH is unique in that many of the of-ficers that make up the unit are assigned to hos-pitals throughout the U.S. to keep up their tech-nical skills. The augmentees for the current de-ployment come from San Antonio and Fort Gor-don, Georgia.

“When the time comes, these individuals,within 72 hours, left their homes, moved hereand were prepared to go,” Marquart said. “Withthe help of the team here at Fort Polk, they werecompletely mission-ready in a short time. This istruly a rapid deployment.”

Sgt. 1st Class Lorianne Flippo has deployedbefore, but this is her first time with a Family.

“I didn’t have a husband and daughter the

first time,” she said. Flippo said it is an honor to serve and she

wants to make her husband and daughter proud. “My daughter just turned 2, so I don’t think

she understands, but we gave a lot of hugs thismorning (May 6), and I hope to see her soon on

FaceTime or some other mode,” she said. “Atleast we have that now.”

Flippo said it’s difficult juggling being a momand Soldier. “But any mom who serves knowswhat that is like, and we try to do our best onboth fronts,” she said.

MedicsContinued from page 1

Soldiers from the JointReadiness Training Centerand Fort Polk’s 115th FieldHospital, 32nd HospitalCenter, participate in a de-ployment ceremony May 6prior to leaving in support

of Task Force Evacuare.

Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank,commander, JRTC and Fort Polk,addresses Soldiers with the115th FH, 32nd HC, during a de-ployment ceremony May 6. Themedics are deploying in support

of Task Force Evacuare.

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teleconference every Monday. During this time,BOSS representatives have planned our virtualcompetitions and weekly workouts to stay con-nected.

The JRTC and Fort Polk BOSS program runsthrougho June 30. Our BOSS Strong competitionconsists of teams from each unit doing a dailyworkout to earn points and a chance to win a tro-phy for their accomplishment. BOSS Strong willgive each Soldier a chance to bond with others bystaying motivated and healthy.

Staff Sgt. Jake R. Reyes“This is my Squad” is having a sense of own-

ership and commitment to a group of Soldiersappointed under my responsibility. Maintaininga healthy relationship with my squad will build acohesive team through trust.

As a leader, I set the standard to influence mySoldiers, wanting them to be able to say that I’mthe type of leader that they desire to be whenthey are finally in my position. To maintain my

squad’s mis-sion effective-ness duringthe COVID-19pandemic,we’ve con-ducted train-ing via videoteleconferencecalls, face-to-face interac-tions andhomework as-signments onWarrior tasksand drills. Toensure thatmy squad ismaintaining physical fitness, we have adapted tothe physical training restrictions by designing aphysical training plan focused on individualweaknesses and utilized handmade equipmentfor our success on the new Army Combat FitnessTest.

Staff Sgt. Elin GarciaMy name is Staff Sgt. Elin Garcia. I serve as the

flight operations platoon sergeant for 1st Battal-ion, 5th AviationRegiment here atthe JRTC. Myplatoon’s mis-sion is to coordi-nate the launchand recovery oflife-savingMEDEVAC mis-sions in supportof rotationalunits, Fort Polktenant units andour local com-munity. I leadseven Soldiers

who are also aviation operations specialists(15Ps). “This is my Squad” is engaged leader-

ship; I have to ensure that my Soldiers are suc-cessful, morale remains high and fitness is con-tinually improved.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been chal-lenging, it has given us an opportunity to try dif-ferent battle rhythms and virtual training tech-niques. We have been able to stay technicallyproficient while manning flight operations forour battalion, 24 hours a day, in spite of COVID-19.

I modified our duty cycle to provide minimalmanning but maximum support for the mission.Additionally, we have incorporated the Facetimeapplication to aid in communications when weconduct our daily sync.

I have integrated two new Soldiers into theplatoon, since the COVID-19 pandemic started,by battle rostering an experienced 15P with ournew Soldiers. I know that this experience, whilechallenging, will ultimately make my platoonstronger.

Sgt. Aaron J. LawsonI believe that it is essential to take total owner-

ship of the condition of the environment inwhich my Soldiers, mysquad and my teamserve. My squad includesmy Soldiers, peers, lead-ers and those around meon whom I can extendmy own personal influ-ence.

It is my duty as a Sol-dier and noncommis-sioned officer to developmy squad and keep theintegrity of their morale,mindset and safety to thebest of my ability. It isalso my duty to strive to be innovative and createsolutions to problems whenever my team needs.

Upon the announcement of the COVID-19 re-strictions, I used my experience as a software de-veloper to ensure my team had an effective plat-form to conduct training within a virtual envi-ronment.

Several weeks later, the Department of De-fense announced the Commercial Virtual Remotewith Microsoft Teams. I immediately took advan-tage of the software and developed a plan for"Virtual SGT's Time" with scheduled training. Ihave extended this to Soldiers across the battal-ion and have been working to develop trainingplans with other leaders to effectively create acomplete digital training environment. This ispart of the way I decided to take ownership ofthe environment in which my squad serves.

Spc. McKayla S. Taylor"This is My Squad” means using interpersonal

communication with your Soldiers to build trustand self-awareness. It is because of my constantcommunication and involved leadership that mysquad works so well together.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we rely on tech-nology to stay connected. We conduct PT at anindividual level and send screenshots of theworkout to our group chat holding each other ac-countable and maintaining our competitiveness.We often use the “Nike Run Club” and “NikeTraining” apps also.

Staff Sgt. Jake Reyes, 2nd Battalion, 30th In-fantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,10th Mountain Division, teaches propermethods to clear, assembLe, disassembleand perform functions checks on a M240Bfor his unit’s battalion squad lethality com-petition, prior to COVID-19.

Please see Squad, page 14

Lawson

Spc. McKayla S. Taylor, 1st Battalion, 5th Aviation Regiment, and her squad ruck marching,prior to COVID-19.

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SquadContinued from page 3

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Army researchers help design 3D-printed ventilators

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — To take on the shortageof ventilators caused by COVID-19, developersfrom the Army Research Laboratory are collabo-rating with civilian partners to manufacture low-cost, emergency ventilators suitable for 3D print-ing.

The hand-held gas ventilator, dubbed the Illi-nois RapidVent, is roughly the size of a waterbottle. Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the ven-tilator may also be ideal for Soldiers in battle, asit is portable, said Tonghun Lee, an Illinois-basedresearcher for the Combat Capabilities Develop-ment Command Army Research Laboratory.

In the past few years, ARL has invested its tal-ent into regional offices around the country topartner with civilian-sector researchers on vari-ous Army projects.

“We are at the right place, at the right time,”Lee explained. “Our business model already en-ables us to situate with the leading researchers atregional hubs; we are in the midst of the action— so to speak — as military and civilian needsarise.”

Researchers, from the University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engi-neering and Carle Health, led the ventilator de-sign, and the team was made up of more than 40different engineers, doctors, medical profession-als and manufacturers.

“We got together with hospital staff here andfound one key issue people die from is lack ofventilators,” Lee said. “Ventilators essentiallypump air into your lungs and withdraw air out.”

The device was created in less than a week,

completed 2 million test breathing cycles and isable to plug into an oxygen source found in mosthospital rooms; or it can attach to a tank of oxy-gen.

For example, if hospitals become over-whelmed and patients are forced to receive carein hallways, the RapidVent could be used until astandard ventilator becomes available, said EricWood, an ARL researcher.

“The really sick patients would stay on the fullventilators,” Wood said. “Our (3D-printed venti-lators) are intended for patients who need a ven-

tilator but are not sick enough to displace thosewho are really sick.”

“The hospital staff (we’re working with) madeit clear, with this design, the goal would be totransition patients onto a (standard ventilator)within a day or two,” he explained.

During the testing phase, the device success-fully ran the amount of oxygen patients needwhen they are unable to breathe on their own,ARL officials said. To date, tests have confirmedperformances equivalent to the commercial prod-ucts that are in short supply.

By THOMAS BRADINGArmy News Service

Tonghun Lee, an Illinois-based Army Research Laboratory researcher, recently collaboratedwith industry partners to develop a 3D-printed ventilator design to help patients amid theCOVID-19 pandemic.

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CDCContinued from page 4

The Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion continues to encourage childhood immu-nizations during the COVID-19 crisis but recent-ly updated its recommendations for health-careproviders to manage patient visits.

The way health-care providers schedule im-munization appointments may vary according tosocial-distancing standards, said Morse.

It is possible that, depending on the influx ofCOVID-19 cases in a local community, somehealth-care providers may not schedule in-per-son wellness visits but will continue to offer im-munizations, noted preventive medicine physi-cian Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ruth Brenner, deputy chief ofthe Immunization Healthcare Division.

“Due to the pandemic, there is a strain onmedical resources, so some clinics may not beable to support a full complement of immuniza-tion services, or offer them at the same locationwhere immunizations were normally received. Irecommend contacting your primary care man-ager or clinic to ask what is available, as well ascommunity options,” Brenner said.

As a mother of young children, Brenner had tonavigate the medical system for important im-munizations during the COVID-19 pandemicwith the help of the Pediatric Clinic at her mili-tary treatment facility.

For parents who choose not to immunize theirchildren during the pandemic, there are “catchup” schedules provided by the CDC so that chil-

dren don’t need to start over or repeat doses al-ready received, explained Brenner. Many child-care centers are allowing a grace period for child-hood immunizations at this time, she noted.

“Each family should balance the risks and ben-efits before going to the clinic,” she said, addingthat military treatment facilities are adhering toCDC recommendations of social-distancing andseparating sick children from well children.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the strain onhealth care systems is obvious, said Brenner,adding, “Pediatric immunizations remain an im-portant aspect of the health of our children and

our communities. Military treatment facilities areworking hard to continue to offer pediatric im-munizations during the current health crisis.”

Morse said military Families should call theirclinics to arrange times for a visit and ask aboutprecautions to follow upon entering the facility,such as wearing a face mask. “It will be impor-tant to ask about normal vaccine side effects andtake home the vaccine information sheets,” shesaid. Concerned parents can also call the 24/7Immunization Healthcare Support Center at(877) 438-8222 and select option 1 to speak withan on-call nurse or provider.

Air Force Senior Air-man Tamika Bradley,20th Medical Opera-tions Squadron aller-gy and immuniza-tions technician, pre-pares to administer avaccine to a child atShaw Air Force Base,South Carolina. Na-tional Infant Immu-nization Week wasApril 25 - May 2.

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FORT POLK, La. — The preamble to the Man-ual for Courts-Martial states, “(t)he purpose ofmilitary law is to promote justice, to assist inmaintaining good order and discipline in thearmed forces, to promote efficiency and effective-ness in the military establishment, and therebystrengthen the national security of the UnitedStates.”

At the Joint Readiness Training Center andFort Polk, the commanding general and subordi-nate commanders take good order and disciplineseriously.

Across Fort Polk, certain disciplinary issuescontinue to be prevalent: Breaking quarantine orisolation orders; violating General Order No. 1;driving under the influence of alcohol; wrongfuluse or possession of controlled substances; frater-nization; and sexual assault. Below are recent ex-amples of adverse legal actions for units withinthe Fort Polk jurisdiction.

A first lieutenant, assigned to 2nd Battalion,4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 10th Mountain Division, was issued aGeneral Officer Memorandum of Reprimand forallowing a subordinate to operate a governmentvehicle in an unsafe manner and asking subordi-nates to mislead an Army Regulation 15-6 inves-tigation. The CG directed filing the reprimand in

the Officer’s Army Military Human ResourceRecord.

A master sergeant, assigned to 317th BrigadeEngineer Battalion, 3rd BCT, 10th Mtn Div, wasissued a General Officer Memorandum of Repri-mand for traveling outside of the installation’s50-mile radius. The CG directed fil-ing the reprimand in the Soldier’slocal file.

A corporal, assigned to317th BEB, 3rd BCT, 10thMtn Div, was punishedunder Article 15 for dis-obeying a lawful order(being in a social gath-ering of five or morepeople), in violationof Article 92, Uni-form Code of Mil-itary Justice. Theservicememberwas sentenced to a re-duction to E-3, suspended for 180 daysand extra duty for 25 days.

A sergeant, assigned to 710thBSB, 3rd BCT, 10th Mtn Div, waspunished under Article 15 fordisobeying a lawful regulation bywrongfully using his government credit card forpersonal use, in violation of Article 92, UCMJ.

The servicemember was sentenced to a reductionto E-4, forfeiture of $1,373 pay, suspended for 180days, extra duty for 45 days, restriction for 45days and a written reprimand.

A specialist, assigned to 519th Military PoliceBattalion, was administratively separated under

Chapter 14-12c, with an Other ThanHonorable characterization of

service for dischargingthree rounds from a vehi-cle into an unoccupiedbusiness, which causedcriminal damage to prop-erty. Generally, an OTHcharacterization ofservice results in theloss of a majority of a

servicemember’sVA benefits.

A private, as-signed to 2nd Bat-

talion, 30th InfantryRegiment, 3rd BCT, 10th Mtn Div, was

administratively separated underChapter 14-12c, with a General(Under Honorable Conditions)characterization of service for

sexual assault. Generally, this char-acterization of service results in the loss of a ser-vicemember’s educational benefits.

Soldiers punished, separated for UCMJ violations

FORT POLK, La. — The social-distancing re-strictions tied to COVID-19 have affected nearlyevery process, office and day-to-day activity atthe Joint Readiness Training Center and FortPolk. But, not every impact has been negative.

Fort Polk’s Education Center quickly respond-ed to the necessity of telework by adapting itsBasic Education Program, traditionally held inclassrooms, into a virtual experience for Soldiersin the midst of an on-going, face-to-face class.

This class, which began face-to-face instructionon March 3, switched to the virtual format onMarch 23, just a few days shy of the students’end-date.

The subsequent class, starting on March 30and ending on April 24, was the first fully virtualBSEP class offered.

These two classes tested together and saw a92.3% increase in their General Technical scores.

The range of score increases was betweenthree and 22 points. Even the smallest increasewas met with enthusiasm, as each Soldierachieved their set goals.

BSEP improves GT scores by concentrating on“arithmetic reasoning, paragraph comprehensionand vocabulary,” said Chevina Phillips, educa-tion services officer.

Soldiers seeking this class are commonly driv-en to raise their GT scores to reclassify their mili-tary occupation or attend specialty programs,such as Special Forces, Green to Gold or theNurse Commissioning program.

Prior to COVID-19, students attended the face-to-face course for 20 days. In the virtual class-room, it is “set up with a 20-day format, but stu-dents have access to the class over the weekend,as well” explained Phillips.

This means that students actually benefit from

increased time and exposure to the learning ma-terials.

Beatrice Johnson, the BSEP instructor, ex-plained how the virtual classroom operates.

“The platform we use is called Talent MLS. It’shighly rated among learning management sys-tems, which means that it’s not a typical Googleclassroom or just document sharing,” said John-son.

Over the course of the class, assignments areclearly listed by each day. Johnson explains thatthere are “videos, guided lessons and actual les-sons.”

Students have two to three attempts to com-plete each assigned task successfully; otherwise,they are encouraged to schedule a tutoring ses-sion with the instructor to help them pass.

This platform offers a reports section, progresstracker and statistical analysis to the instructorfor use in ascertaining any problem areas, pro-viding directed instruction where needed and as-sessing the overall success of each class.

For students, the platform allows the studentand instructor to seamlessly communicate, inte-gral for any questions or tutoring requests, andan easy-to-follow interface, helping the studentto stay on track.

Traditional classrooms may still be the favoriteamong students, but this virtual learning envi-ronment provides various benefits for both stu-dent and teacher to achieve their goals.

If interested, contact Kimberly Beery at 531-5269. Soldiers will be connected to a counselorthat can help them register for this virtual class.

8/GuardianMay 8, 2020

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Basic Education Program now offered online promising score increasesBy CHRISTY GRAHAMGuardian editor

Beatrice Johnson demonstrates the virtual BasicEducation Program from a student’s perspective.

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Patriot Pet ContestPets are great companions during the

long weeks at home due to the COVID-19pandemic. This May, pets can fetch 10 lucky mili-

tary shoppers a combined $3,000 in Army& Air Force Exchange Service gift cards —without having to set paw outside thehouse.From May 1-31, authorized shoppers at

Fort Polk, and Exchanges worldwide, cansend in a patriotic-themed picture of theirfour-legged friends for a chance to win thePatriot Pet, Just Say “Treat,” Photo Contest. Two grand-prize winners will each re-

ceive a $500 gift card, while eight second-place winners will each receive a $250 giftcard.Authorized Exchange shoppers, aged 18

or older, can find complete contest rulesand enter to win at www.shopmyex-change.com/Sweepstakes. Winners will be selected on or about

June 15.

Religious supportThe Fort Polk Religious Support Office

offers the following Facebook live feeds onSundays:• Catholic service, 8:30 a.m.• Chapel Next service, 10:30 a.m.• Gospel service, noon• Traditional Protestant service, 1 p.m.• Catholic service, 4 p.m.For more information on religious activi-

ties on Fort Polk visit @FortPolkChapel-Page.

BJACH mask policyPatients and visitors to Bayne-Jones

Army Community Hospital will wear clothface wraps. Patients with suspected or con-firmed COVID-19 should wear surgicalfacemasks. Infant carriers can be coveredwith a light blanket. Children under age 2are not required to wear facemasks.

DeCA guidelinesThe following guidelines are in effect at

the Fort Polk Commissary:• You must wear a fast mask that covers

the nose and mouth to enter the commis-sary.• A 100% ID check is in place. Only

those with valid IDs will be allowed to en-ter.’• Floor decals highlighting social dis-

tancing are in place.• Shopping carts, registers and door-

knobs are sanitized every 30 minutes.• Plexi-glass panels have been installed

at register one through five.

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By JEAN CLAVETTE GRAVESPublic Affairs Specialist

Fort Polk community answers call, donates blood

FORT POLK, La. – Throughout history, Ameri-cans have rallied during times of crisis. TheCOVID-19 pandemic has inspired the nation tohelp their communities in various ways. Church-es are preparing and delivering meals to the eld-erly and infirm. Talented and crafty individualsare sewing masks for hospital staffs and privatecitizens. Soldiers and Family members are donat-ing blood.During World War II, the Shreveport Memori-

al Blood Bank was established. At the time, bloodbanking was in its infancy; the idea of idea of cit-izens donating blood on a regular basis was stilla new concept for the nation. The legacy of theblood banks’ founder is one of commitment,compassion and never-ending vision. LifeShareBlood Centers provides blood components tomedical facilities throughout Louisiana, EastTexas and South Arkansas.As COVID-19 reached the Fort Polk communi-

ty, Soldiers and Families asked what they coulddo to help, while still maintaining social distanc-ing. The answer was clear: They could donateblood. Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital,in partnership with LifeShare Blood Center, hasheld three blood drives in response to COVID-19. Jessica Sears, regional director, LifeShare said,

“Someone will need blood every two seconds,and just one donation can save up to three lives.With all the wonderful advances in modern med-icine, there is no manufactured substitute for hu-man blood. It must be provided by volunteerblood donors in the community. One in threepeople need blood in their lifetime. If you don'tneed blood, it's almost certain that someone closeto you will.” BJACH doubled their average blood-drive col-

lection during these drives, ensuring hospitalswould have blood available for patients. “Thecommunity response was tremendous,” Searssaid.The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort

Polk and BJACH are partners in the community,and the most desperately needed resource isblood. Soldiers and Family members have askedhow they could assist or volunteer during the na-

tion's COVID-19 response. Donating blood pro-vides a safe venue for their call to action. Col. Jody Dugai, BJACH commander said, “As

a medical community, we know the value of hav-ing blood available for patients, young and old,when and where it is needed. Blood is utilized totreat trauma patients, cancer patients, newbornsand many other diseases. The blood is kept in thecommunity for use by our medical partners andBJACH.” Fort Polk has provided more than 140 units of

blood products during the last three blooddrives. All the available appointments to donatewere booked. “I think that says it was wildly successful. We

stepped up to the challenge and crushed it,” saidDugai.The most recent blood drive was held on May

1. Sgt. 1st Class Felix Matoscruz, an observer/

coach/trainer with Task Force Fire Support, saidit was, “perfect timing for me, and I haven’t do-nated in a while; I wanted to help out.” His sentiments were echoed by Sgt. 1st Class

Fernando Alvarez, Echo Forward Support Com-pany, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,who said, “Everyone should donate blood oncein a while.” Family members and Department of the Army

civilians joined Soldiers at the May 1 blood driveto show their support. Baker Graves, a Leesville High School sopho-

more said, “I kind of feel bad that I’m not doinganything right now. When my mom told meabout the blood drive, I said, ‘let’s do it.’” This was his second time donating blood with

LifeShare. “We got a pretty cool ‘COVID-19 crisiswarrior’ T-shirt,” said Graves.There were 49 appointments and 50 units of

blood collected at the last blood drive hosted byBJACH. Due to community response, LifeShare isworking with the hospital to schedule anotherblood drive. Local blood drives and appointments can be

made on their website atwww.donor.lifeshare.org.The next local, mobile drive is tomorrow at the

Walmart in Leesville, starting at 11 a.m.

Col. Jody L. Dugai,Bayne-Jones ArmyCommunity Hospi-tal commander,poses with a Life-Share blood-drivebus during a recentblood drive on theBJACH campus.

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Take small peek into fascinating history of masks

FORT POLK, La. — Whether forreligion, medicine, protection or en-tertainment, humans have madeand used masks for thousands ofyears. These remarkable facial cov-erings were originally made frommaterials such as leather and wood,but many specimens have longsince deteriorated.

Archaeologists along the WestBank in Israel have recovered theoldest, intact mask ever found —about 9,000 years old.

Experts have surmised the Ne-olithic-era stone mask could repre-sent the transition of a culture be-coming more advanced. Though it’strue purpose isn’t known, it’sthought the mask might have beenpart of some sort of ancestor wor-ship.

The mask has the look of a hu-man face, as do many of the stonemasks of the time period. Only 15have been found; many of whichwere found in the Judean foothillsof Israel.

Cultures around the world havetheir own unique history of maskuse. Spanning Egypt and Greeceand to China, Africa, Venice andmore, each regional mask sharessimilarities and maintains its owndifferences.

Some of the most familiar maskswould probably be Egyptian masksused in rituals and as death masksfound in museum exhibits aroundthe world.

After mummification, a maskmatching the dead was placed onthe deceased, so their soul was ableto recognize their body in the afterlife.

The masks were made from ma-terials based on a class system. Peo-ple from the lower class had plasterand papyrus masks molded on awooden form. Royalty used gold onbronze molds.

African masks used carved woodmade in the likeness of ancestorsand animals, real and fantastical,that were totems — a natural itemor animal believed to have spiritualsignificance representing a qualityor concept — of ancestors.

They were made to connect withthe spirits of those ancestors, to pro-

tect against evil spirits, and in tribaldance rituals.

In China, masks were used tothank gods and as protectionagainst evil spirits. They were usedin wedding, birth and death cere-monies, and entertainment. Chineseopera masks were painted with spe-cific color codes signifying the at-tributes of a character. White signi-fied a crafty and suspicious charac-ter.

There is a fine line between seri-ous rituals and lighthearted enter-tainment in many of these cultures.

A couple of examples of this arefrom Venice and Greece.

In Venice, masks were used as adisguise. They originate from astrict class hierarchy. People in low-er classes used beautiful masks tohide their true place in society, al-lowing them to blend in and enjoythe benefits of higher classes. Today,Venetian style masks are used forfun at masquerade parties and atevents, such as Carnival and MardiGras.

In Greece, the birthplace of mod-ern theatre, masks were used to ad-vance art in the form of stage plays.

Live presentations of stories, withthemes of comedy, satire, dramaand tragedy, are considered an icon-ic contribution of classical Greek art.

Masks played a huge role in theculture’s religious ceremonies cele-brating Greek gods. Masks used inthose ceremonies began to take onpersonas, and the people wearingthem were seen as representationsof the deities they were portraying.

The masks were then placed onan altar and offered up to the gods.Thus, the masks didn’t physicallysurvive, but they have been recog-nized thanks to the imagery pre-served on ancient Greek pottery.

The masks were deemed power-ful due to their seeming ability totransform an actor into the theatri-cal character they played.

The uses of masks are varied.They’ve been used for nefariousdeeds such as to disguise criminalswhen robbing banks. Masks havealso been used to punish those whobroke the law, protect the judiciarythat sentences criminals and to pro-tect the identity of those participat-ing in secret societies.

Masks have widely been used asprotection through the ages.Knights used helmets in wars, as dotoday’s Soldiers, police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses and sportsfigures.

One famous example comes fromthe plague of 1656 in Rome andNaples.

Beak-like masks were a commonsight during the plague. Doctorswore the masks and a protectivesuit to treat plague victims. One the-ory on the unique design of themask is that the plague was thoughtto be spread by birds.

The thinking was that transform-ing the physician’s mask into some-thing bird-like might help removethe illness.

The mask also had a practicalfunction. The beak was packed withpleasant smelling items, such asmint or rose petals, which wasthought to keep the disease or “badair” away. It didn’t always work,since many of the doctors ended upwith the plague.

Masks are used today to protectfrom the ravages of COVID-19.Though medicine has come a longway, and much more is knownabout germs, it’s still uncertainwhether masks are effective, asmuch depends on the type of maskused, among other considerations.Still, wearing masks is deemed oneof the simplest tools used againstcoronavirus.

“Wearing a mask reduces diseasetransmission and protects both thewearer and the people aroundthem,” said Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmo-nologist and global health policy ex-pert.

The history of masks is rich andfilled with much more information.If you would like to know moreclick on one of the websites used toresearch this story or any of the oth-ers available to you and start read-ing.

Editor’s note: The informationfor this story was gathered from thefollowing websites: www.historyof-masks.net/, www.ancient-origins.net, www.britannica.com/art/mask-face-covering/The-functions-and-forms-of-masks,www.haaretz.com and www.na-tionalgeographic.com.

GUARDIAN STAFF

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Take small peek into fascinating history of masks

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GuardianMay 8, 2020/11

From make-believe to medical: Masks take on multiple missions

FORT POLK, La. — I loved Halloween as achild. I soon discovered that dress-up, make-be-lieve, spooky vibes and candy (definitely candy)were my thing — even if only for one night ayear. What I didn’t enjoy was wearing masks.

The flimsy plastic masks that sold as part ofcostume sets, when I was a kid, never fit yourface properly.

Whether you were a clown or a vampire, therewas only a small slit for the mouth throughwhich to breathe and eye holes that were toosmall. The wobbly disguise constantly slippeddown, because it only had that thin elastic bandthat wrapped around your head and broke moreoften than not. Seeing where you were walkingwas a bit of a challenge, and getting enough oxy-gen to trek between houses trick or treating wasworse.

Next came silicon masks that covered yourhead and were too scary for me — not to men-tion claustrophobic and muggy.

At that point, I decided I would stick withmake-up for my costumes and leave the maskwearing to others.

Other than just wearing a mask for the fun of aholiday, I can only think of a few career pathsthat, off the top of my head, require wearingfacemasks — usually for protection purposes.

For instance, employment in the medical orscientific fields; first responders such asfire fighters or EMTs; or maybe those inconstruction or chemical jobs. Theremight be more, but none of themhave anything to do with my job,so I happily didn’t worry about con-cealing my mug for any reason.

Fast-forward to 2020: I wish theonly thing I had to worry about wasdressing up as a witch with a funkygreen mask and having it stay inplace on my face (yes, there was awart on the nose).

Instead, the COVID-19 virus —silently contagious and deadly —slithered into almost every corner ofthe world and proceeded to makethings scarier than any Halloween hor-ror movie from Hollywood ever could.

As we continue to live through these extraor-dinary times, more people have fallen ill and thenumber of deaths continue to rise. Medical andscientific communities feverishly work to gatheras much information as possible.

All this leads us back to, believe it or not,masks.

The further we dig into the trenches to fightthis pandemic, it’s been determined that one ofthe easiest ways to protect yourself and others isto wear a mask.

Yes, they are still uncomfortable, but at leastthere is a huge incentive to deal with its peskydiscomfort issues.

Personal protective equipment is essential formedical professionals on the front line, givingthose who have contracted COVID-19 a chanceto survive, while protecting themselves from thismenacing malady.

That means I didn’t feel right about trying toget those types of masks when there was alreadya shortage.

That was a problem. What was I supposed todo? I’m not crafty; I don’t own a sewing machine

and wouldn’t know how to use one even if I did;I wouldn’t be making any myself.

Thank goodness for people with crafty skills.Countless people have stepped up to make

homemade masks for friends, family and as abackup for nurses and doctors — much of it

donated.That’s how I got my first masks. Theadult son of a friend — yes ladies,men can sew too — wanted to dosomething productive and positive,

so he taught himself how to makemasks. I got two. Thanks, David.

I was so happy I had some protec-tion. I wore those masks whenever Ileft the house. This was in earlyMarch, and the idea of wearing

masks was still considered awkwardand even discouraged. I can’t begin to

tell you how many eye rolls and admon-ishments, such as, “that’s not going to do youany good,” I got when I was practically the loneperson at the grocery store wearing one.

It was frustrating and a bit intimidating, but Istuck to my guns. I looked at it this way: I’m get-ting older (aren’t we all?) and I have underlyinghealth issues, as so many of us do. The fact is, asmore was learned aboutCOVID-19 and who wasdying from the disease, Iknew I was in one of thedangerous categories.

No one was going toprotect me from catching this illness. I knew thatI had to take every precaution — even if thechances were slim that I was doing any good —and make the conscious decision to wear a maskwhenever I left the house. If nothing else, it mademe feel safe and I was in control of something inmy life, as everything else was flying off the rails.

But, I only had two masks.Thankfully, those crafty hordes began to sell to

the masses. I’ve heard that some were criticized for selling

their wares in a pandemic instead of giving themaway. Hopefully, I’m wrong about that. If not, I

thought that was harsh considering that Americais based on capitalism; in this uncertain economy,if you can “capitalize” on a skill that provides aneeded resource, then I say more power to you.As long as people don’t try to take advantage bygouging prices, producing inferior product or notfollowing through on delivery, I feel like theyhave every right to sell their goods.

With more people flooding the market withmasks, the variety in mask choices soared. (Yay,me!) So, I bought a few.

Then another male friend bought a sewingmachine, taught himself how to make masks(way to go T.C.; I love it) and agreed to make mea few.

The deal is I buy the materials, and he makesthe masks. I’ve had fun buying cool materialwith themes from Harry Potter and Star Wars, toDr. Who and dragonflies.

If I have to wear it, it might as well make mehappy and other people smile. I have to be a littlemore professional and wear solid colors at work,but that’s fine.

Masks may still be uncomfortable, but at leastthe patterns have made it interesting.

Two months later, the official stance changedon masks, and everyone is encouraged to wear

one. That’s great. I feelslightly vindicated in myactions, but that stancemight change again. I canonly do what I feel is rightfor me.

Currently, there are plenty of people whochoose not to wear masks because they don’t seethe benefit.

That’s their right until it’s deemed mandatory.Fort the time being, it is only encouraged.

According to Louisiana.gov, masks or facecoverings should be worn in public spaces andanytime you are near others who are not in yourimmediate household. The website states bywearing a mask, you protect others, and likewise,others protect you by wearing a mask.

That’s all I’m trying to do. Whatever youchoose to do, stay safe folks.

By ANGIE THORNEGuardian staff writer

Commentary

Tucked behind a wealth of computers and other technical gadgets, T.C. Bradford, public af-fairs specialist, goes about his daily tasks with his homemade mask in place.

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Take time to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

FORT POLK, La. — May is Asian and Pacif-ic American Heritage Month. The month high-lights and celebrates the rich history and cul-ture of Asian and Pacific Islanders who havecontributed to America’s diversity and suc-cess.

According to www2.ed.gov, Asian and Pa-cific Heritage is a broad term that encompass-es all of the Asian continent and the Pacific is-lands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

The islands of Melanesia encompass NewGuinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and theSolomon Islands.

Micronesia is comprised of Marianas,Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands,Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States ofMicronesia.

The islands of Polynesia are New Zealand,Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands,Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, CookIslands, French Polynesia and Easter Island.

One notable contribution of Asian PacificIslanders is through military service.

Asian and Pacific Islander service membersand Department of Defense civilian employ-ees contribute to the DoD mission by servingin all branches of the military.

The following information details Armyservice based on 2019 data points.

• The Army has 29,313 Asian and Pacific Is-lander Soldiers within its ranks. That’s six outof every 100 Soldiers. They make up 21.7% ofthe Army’s senior enlisted ranks and 7.8% ofcommissioned officers.

• Asian and Pacific Islanders number al-most five out of every 100 Army civilian em-ployees — that’s 11,834 people. Another no-table fact is that 29.5% of Asian and Pacific Is-lander DoD civilians are also veterans.

• Asian and Pacific Islanders have a longhistory of military service that began as earlyas the Civil War, where Chinese Americansfought on both sides of the conflict.

• The first Asian and Pacific Islander to re-ceive the Medal of Honor for heroism in thePhilippines was Pvt. Jose B. Nisperos, in 1911.

• More recently, Gen. Eric Shinseki becamethe first Asian American four star general; andthe 34th Chief of Staff of the Army.

• Daniel K. Inouye served in the U.S. Armyduring World War II as part of the 442nd Regi-mental Combat Team, which was composed ofSoldiers of Japanese ancestry.

The 442nd became one of the most decorat-ed military units in U.S. history, according towww.senate.gov. Inouye became the firstJapanese American to receive both the Medalof Honor and the Medal of Freedom.

When Hawaii became the 50th state, Inouyewas one of its first representatives. He repre-sented Hawaii in the U.S. Congress for 53years, first as a representative and then as asenator.

• In 2017, Tammy Duckworth, a retired dis-abled veteran, was the first Thai-American tobe elected to the U.S. Senate.

These Asian and Pacific Islanders servedand should be remembered.

Due to COVID-19, social distancing has

stopped traditional celebrations. Instead, you are encouraged to celebrate the

many contributions of Asian and Pacific Is-

landers in your own way or by learning moreabout their history, heritage and military serv-ice at https://asianpacificheritage.gov/about/.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., speaks to U.S. service members stationed in Iraq dur-ing her visit to the country on April 26, 2019, as part of a Senate delegation includingSen. Angus King, I-Maine, left.

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Americans of Japanese descent, infantrymen of the 442nd Regiment, run for cover asa German artillery shell is about to land outside of a building in Italy, April 4, 1945.President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the executive order that created the442nd Regimental Combat Team in February 1943. It was the only Japanese unit dur-ing World War II.

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FORT POLK, La.—Due to COVID-19 social-distancing restrictions, the Civilian PersonnelAdvisory Center for the Joint Readiness TrainingCenter and Fort Polk evaluated and adjusted itsstandard operation procedures to fit a remote-work environment. Rising to the occasion wasn’tan insurmountable obstacle for the CPAC team.

Christan Higgs, CPAC human resource spe-cialist, highlighted the integral evaluative andplanning processes that continually ensure suc-cess for the new, virtual on-boarding endeavor.

Civilian Department of the Army employeescomplete and sign an abundance of forms anddeclarations, constituting their new-hire packets.Some forms require proof of identification andothers need witness signatures. The packet islarge and involved. Human resource specialists,like Higgs, help customers navigate the processof building their packets, prior to their startdates.

At the dawn of their virtual process, Higgs ex-plained that CPACs used their regional networkto share best practices and new ideas. This widernet collected shared experiences, concerns andresolutions dealing with the transition to tele-work. The greatest benefactor was the civilianapplicant.

Initial considerations included the protection

of personally identifiable information, technicaland connectivity issues and best practices to ac-commodate the new hire without face-to-face in-teractions.

Based on the collaboration, CPACs recognizedhow vital the online new-hire record would be toprotecting PII, “as emailing documents with PIIis not recommended,” said Higgs.

The digital record is maintained through theUSA Staffing system, which offers a protected,virtual environment to upload documents. Dueto social-distancing restrictions, the USA Staffingsystem is being utilized for additional docu-ments, which would normally be submitted atin-person meetings.

Technology provides a streamlined, paper-freeprocess; but it also brings a range of glitches.

“There are always obstacles, such as technicaldifficulties,” Higgs said, but this is where the hu-man resource specialist steps in and overcomes.

With technological limitations, Higgs stressedapplicants not to “hesitate to reach out and askany questions…there is always a workaround.”

Higgs explained that CPAC human resourcespecialists keep themselves available to their cus-tomers; they follow up with questions or con-cerns or after any entrant’s connection dropsduring a phone call or Google duo conference.

Gabriel Walker, a recent new hire at Fort Polk,stated that “technology has its limits,” as telecon-ference calls dropped within the less-than-ideal

rural networks of the area. “Christan is receptive and responsive,” Walker

said, and she quickly called back, answeredquestions and remained available to himthroughout the on-boarding process.

The virtual process is one that is continuallybeing revised, Higgs explained. Each issue is re-solved and used to inform the upcoming, virtualon-boarding interactions. The process is alwaysbeing refined.

The JRTC and Fort Polk CPAC is constantlyovercoming, adapting and improving to com-plete their mission.

MONROE, La. — For most, goingto college and getting through aheavy course load is enough to bal-ance, but not for Army Reserve Offi-cer Training Corps Cadet WilliamCollins.

After completing three years ofNCAA Division 1 football at theUniversity of Louisiana Monroe,Collins decided to finish out his un-dergrad at University of CentralOklahoma (UCO). Coming from afamily with a history of militaryservice and the love of football,Collins wanted a way to completehis master’s degree, play football,and join the Army, so that’s exactlywhat he did.

After graduating with his bache-lor’s degree in 2019, Collins appliedfor his master’s degree to continuehis stay at UCO. Collins went on tonot only study secondary educationand play football as their startingquarterback, but also became a partof the Army ROTC program.

Just when you think balancingtwo very demanding activities out-side of your typical day-to-day col-lege classes is enough, Collins wasasked by NFL scouts to throw atUCO’s NFL Pro Day.

How did he do it you ask?“It was very hard. I would do

morning PT with ROTC and thenlifted weights at night at a local

gym. Then after morning PT Iwould knock out all my online gradschool homework, and before mynight lift, hit some sprints to throwroutes to whomever would standthere and catch,” says Collins.

While Collins often times sacri-ficed a social life, extra time tospend with his girlfriend and fami-ly, and any down time that manyother college students value, he saysit was absolutely worth it.

Collins found that jugglingschool, ROTC and training for foot-ball while adding in extra workoutswas very difficult. However, he be-lieves ROTC helped him to be a bet-ter student, athlete, teammate, andtruly pushed him harder than hewould have pushed himself to trainfor the Pro Day.

“I was inspired to be a Cadet andtrain for this. I wanted to show thatCadets across the country are eliteand that our nation’s future officersare capable of accomplishing any-thing… (ROTC) helped me realizejust how important it is to commu-nicate well as a leader,” Collins said.“As the quarterback, one of my jobsis to communicate the signal, orplay call, to all the lineman and re-ceivers ... Same is to be said for aninfantry platoon leader. I will haveto communicate fast and effective-ly.”

Collins is waiting to hear backfrom a team, and has high hopesabout his performance on Pro Day.

Collins decided that if he does getchosen to go into the NFL, he willtake that opportunity and join theArmy Reserves. However, after hisfootball career, he has reservationsto immediately find his way back tothe active duty component.

In the meantime, Collins is set to

graduate and commission fromUCO in May of 2021. Collins hopesto branch infantry and go to BasicOfficer Leadership Course (BOLC)and looks forward to possibly at-tending Ranger School to “hopeful-ly train and be a part of the greatestforce on Earth.”

CPAC transitions to virtual in-processing amid COVID-19

From student-athlete, to Army ROTC, to potential NFL pro

By CHRISTY GRAHAMGuardian editor

By CATRINA DUBIANSKYArmy News Service

Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet William Collins, harborsdreams of being both a quarterback in the National Football Leagueand an Army Ranger officer. Collins, who will graduate with a mas-ters degree in secondary education and receive his Army commis-sion in May 2021 from the University of Central Oklahoma, was in-vited by professional scouts to the school’s pro day in April.

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Daily operations in the S-1 shop are being con-ducted through telework to minimize the risk ofCOVID-19. To ensure that actions and trainingare completed, we use Facetime to have an opendiscussion about any issues.

I am thankful for, and extremely proud of, mysquad. They have remained ready and resilient,despite current conditions.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan G. SearlesEssayons! STEEL SPIKE! Sergeant Major of the

Army Grinston! Conducting training whether it be MOS relat-

ed or physical fitness, has been a difficult en-deavor during these trying times.

However, my squad is a reflection of myself.They learn from me, they watch me and, mostimportantly, they mirror me. Because of this, Ihave striven to find ways to continue the profes-sional and physical development of my squad.

I lead my squad in physical fitness trainingeach week through competitions via a runningapplication to track everyone’s run times and

distances. My squad sets weekly goals and triesto obtain them.

We also conduct MOS specific training twice aweek via Facetime or office meetings, coveringsuch tasks as AUTOCAD designing, buildingframing and basic surveying techniques.

My squad is a direct reflection of my leader-ship; and, whether we are distant or nearby, Iwill continue to push my Soldiers and be the bestleader I can be.

Sgt. Daniel A. Gomez“Steel Spike!” Sergeant Major! My name is Sgt. Daniel Alfaro Gomez. I joined

the Army on April 18. I am married to LauraAguilar. We have three beautiful children ages 9,7, and 5.

I started my military career as a 91F SmallArms Weapon Repair and graduated as an honorstudent from Advanced Individual Training. Ihave one deployment to Afghanistan. I competedfor, and won, the Soldier of the Quarter at thebattalion level, as well taking part in the Soldierof the Year competition for the XVIII AirborneCorps. I have also received the CommandingGeneral’s Volunteer of the quarter award while atFort Polk.

“This Is My Squad” means to me that a leaderunderstands each Soldier has individualstrengths and exploits them to better each Soldieras a person, which in turn betters the squad, pla-toon and company as a whole.

During this time, my squad has found interest-ing and exciting ways to stay on top of training.While annual and semiannual services continueto be a priority, my squad has been able to over-come obstacles. For example, managing to com-plete these services, without delay, all whilemaintaining social-distancing guidelines andpersonal health.

During this time, Soldiers have been able to fo-cus on their fitness. Being in this environment, amore customized fitness plan has resulted in bet-ter performance, as each Soldier can focus ontheir weaknesses and improve their strengths,without some of the limitations of group-ledtraining.

This environment has introduced a great train-ing opportunity for everyone, to include myself.

Since not everything will always be easy and fea-sible, it has been a great opportunity to think out-side the box to accomplish the mission.

We have been able to use various platforms toupload training videos, as well as reaching acrossformations to co-use BeaverFit boxes to accom-plish our personal fitness goals.

We were also able to use the BlueJeans app toconduct chaplain training, ensuring that even thespiritual component of fitness is maintained.

“This Is My Squad” means taking initiativeand strengthening squad-level cohesion by usingan interpersonal leadership style and innovativestrategies to increase capabilities within ourranks. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us, atthe squad level, to get creative and instilled an

ownership within our squads.To build a cohesive unit, at any level, requires

a cyclical relationship between rousing the indi-vidual; and, in turn, the individual galvanizingthe team.

The Soldiers at JRTC and Fort Polk show theircommitment to this endeavor by overcoming theCOVID-19 restrictions while maintaining theirworking relationships, strengthening their bondsand fueling the pride and ownership of theirteams.

GuardianMay 8, 2020/14

SquadContinued from page 6

Sgt. Daniel Alfaro Gomez and his squad conducts physical fitness training.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan G. Searles in-structs his Soldier on using the Trimble5600 Total Station, prior to COVID-19.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan G. Searles,46th Engineer Battalion, downloadstopographic data taken from the Trim-ble GPS surveying equipment while in

the field, prior to COVID-19.

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Sgt. Alfaro Gomez and his squad serviceweapons and night vision goggle, duringCOVID-19.

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forging the warrior spirit...may 08, 2020 · for warrior medics with the joint readiness training...

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