b'Airmen Aid ReserveMedics CombatingCOVID-19By Air Force Tech. Sgt. David W. Carbajal621st Contingency Response Wingwww.defense.gov/Explore/Features/Story/Article/2205521/airmen-aid-reserve-medics-combating-covid-19/Two airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing have been supporting the Defense Departments effort to combat COVID-19 since March.Air Force Lt. Col. Curt Haase and Air Force Master Sgt. John Huck from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, have been embedded with the 64th Air Expeditionary Group to help bring Air Force reservists into the fight againstthe pandemic.Huck has been the lead for the four-person team made up of reservists from New Jersey and Pennsylvania as they processed nearly 300 airmen from various units across thePhotos:U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to the 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, assist U.S. Air country within the last eight weeks. Once they were pro- Force Airmen, assigned to the 64th Air Expeditionary Group, reset their Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) devices at a hotel in New York City, May 27, 2020. Armed cessed through the joint reception center on the base, theyforces personnel collaborate as an integrated system in support of the New York City were sent to hospitals throughout New York City, Connecticutmedical system, as part of the Department of Defense COVID-19 response. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing flexible Department and Massachusetts to assist civilian medical providers. of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the whole-of-nation Many of these reservists arrived and were eager to hit theCOVID-19 response. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Xavier Navarro)ground running, Huck said. Without much time to prepare, theyve gotten here and are out there making a difference. 64th AEG and the commander of the 621st Mobility Support The majority of the Air Forces personnel contributing toOperations Squadron. They have been fearless and incredibly the COVID-19 fight have been medical professionals, Huckadaptive since theyve arrived.said. My job is just to get them where they need to be, heHaase, working out of a hotel in Manhattan, is providing added. Right now, theyre going into the thick of things andthe command and control function to ensure the health and dealing with some very sick patients. welfare of the airmen working in the 64th AEG.The airmen, working in tandem with the Armys 44thThis has been an incredible opportunity for me to see this Medical Brigade, have been supporting U.S. Northernteam of airmen from across the U.S., from 29 different wings, Command, which remains committed to providing flexiblecome together and get after it, Haase said.DOD support to the Federal Emergency Management AgencyHospitals in the northeast were tasked to manage for the whole-of-nation COVID-19 response. increased patient populations despite staff shortages dueI have a newfound respect for reservists and medicalto illnesses.professionals, said Haase, the deputy commander of theSome of the hospitals were down to 60% manning, Haase said. These airmen had to own entire wards of patients because of COVID-19.Despite the efforts of the 64th AEG medics, many patients they cared for were not able to recover from the coronavirus.The stress put on these airmen day in and day out is unbe-lievable, Haase said. Many of them were at the patients bedside when they passed. Some of them even volunteered to video conference with families so they could say goodbye. We may not have won every battle, but New York City is in a better place because of their efforts.(Air Force Reserve Command) was the contingency response force of this pandemic, Haase said. Many of them responded to the call within hours of notification, and they pushed through every obstacle. Im proud to be a part of this total force team. J40 Military Appreciation Resource Magazine Thank You For Your Service'