FORT LEE, Va. -- “Operation Provide Masks” kicked off April 6 with the sharp aroma of disinfectant and Soldiers methodically wiping down surfaces in an Aerial Delivery and Field Services Department maintenance room where the much-needed mission would be performed.
In an area normally dedicated to parachute repair, the ADFSD troops – both instructors and recently graduated students – would instead create surgical masks for Kenner Army Health Clinic and face coverings for Fort Lee cadre to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
“This is a team effort,” observed Chief Warrant Officer 4 K. Jabaar Sims, ADFSD’s senior training developer. “Our leadership team was watching very closely the different signals the president and CDC put out in daily briefings. Around March 30, I asked my maintenance team to design a cloth face covering because I felt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would recommend that everyone should wear one.”
He further explained that, over the next two days, things moved very quickly as the Department of Defense authorized Soldiers to wear masks and the story about the 1st Special Forces Group from Joint Base Lewis-McChord making surgical masks was shared on Facebook.
“At this point, we had already made about 50 cloth masks for our instructors,” Sims said. “CW5 Cortez Frazier, Command Aerial Delivery advisor, alerted me to the 1st group project, and I was asked to see if KAHC would be interested in having masks made if they supplied the surgical wrap material.
“We had a deskside meeting with Lt. Col. Nichelle Johnson, KAHC commander, and Lt. Col. Dentonio Worrell, Dental Clinic commander, for sterilization methods, best practices and legal review before we started making masks. As of today there are 15-plus rigger units globally producing various types of face coverings, and all organizations went through a similar process before making the surgical type.”
The Dental Clinic commander donated the materials used for the surgical masks.
“It’s actually the same material we use to package surgical items once sterilized,” said Maj. Jasmin A. Gregory, Preventive Medicine chief. She helped coordinate the mission between the riggers and KAHC, although, as she put it, “the brilliant idea and request” was brought forth by the rigger team.
“Within days, the masks were being distributed throughout the installation to Ordnance, Quartermasters, Dental, etc.,” she added.
The Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the operation, Staff Sgt. Edgar Delgado, said they have enough surgical material to make about 4,200 masks, and as of the mission start date, they are producing around 200 units a day.
Following CDC guidelines, Delgado and Warrant Officer Rhett Southard also designed the prototype cloth face coverings the team and its myriad of helpers are sewing for the cadre and others on Fort Lee.
“We will make cloth face coverings for any on-post agency if they supply the materials,” Delgado acknowledged.
Operation Provide Masks is indeed a team effort as more people are stepping in to help sew both the mask and cloth face coverings.
“This has truly been a collaborative effort. The original team was ADFSD NCOs, riggers and field service NCOs,” Sims explained. “But as demand increased, we were able to use hold-over 92R Soldiers who have graduated the course and are waiting to be shipped to their first assignment. These Soldiers are fully trained, and we have them sewing to help fight COVID-19.
“We also have Marine students helping do prep work, and I’ve had Air Force and Marine instructors help sew also,” he said. “Our civilian sewing machine repair specialist Roy Lewis has been keeping our equipment running smoothly and has been sewing masks as well.
“I’ve heard some of the graduates talking, and most if not all of them never would have imagined they would have such an enormous impact on the local community before they even get to their first duty station.”
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