CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Feelings of anxiety, fear, loneliness and boredom can dominate the minds of the Soldiers, families and community members who have been placed into quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the Humphreys community has banded together under the Humphreys Quarantine Support Group, to help alleviate some of these stressors and improve the quarantine quality of life.
Incoming Soldiers, families and community members who are arriving to the Republic of Korea must restrict their movement and enter a 14-day quarantine. This quarantine has allowed for the identification of COVID-19 positive newcomers and a rapid response to address those affected. However, the quarantine process itself can be stressful and chaotic for those isolated even without the disease.
“A permanent change of station (PCS) move in itself is stressful, and when you PCS outside of the United States it’s an added stress,” said Jackie Williams, a volunteer and community organizer who is one of the administrators of the Humphreys Quarantine Support Facebook Group. “Now, you’re doing it during a pandemic, so any bit of information that you can get is important, especially because it’s such a fluid situation. For a lot of our new community members, they are coming from a very different understanding of what quarantine was at their last location versus what quarantine is here. I find it super important that we get that information to people.”
The Humphreys Quarantine Support Group, is centered on the Facebook page of the same name, which went live near the end of May and has provided a central hub for numerous volunteer initiatives. These missions include the “Bag Brigade,” which assembles and delivers welcome bags for unaccompanied Soldiers; the “Basket Brigade,” which creates welcome baskets for families; “Volunteer Shoppers,” who fulfill commissary requests from those in quarantine; the “Joe for Joes” initiative, which is attempting to bring hot water capability to each room; “Operation Cake for Quarantine,” which delivers individualized cakes, and many other efforts, each aimed at improving Soldier care while in quarantine and to provide information and community support.
“We try to grasp what it is like to be stuck in a cinder block room for 14 days,” said Williams. “We have a good connection with the leadership here, the quarantine change of quarters (CQ), Eighth Army’s fusion cell and with the 65th Medical Brigade, so we try to be very well connected within the community. When you see things like Operation Cake for Quarantine or the Girl Scouts collecting Halloween candy, the effort is always to cover all of the quarantine facilities and all of the staff members, including the reception center, because they are a part of this whole mission.”
The quarantine process on Camp Humphreys allows for the volunteers to work closely with Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, who are working tirelessly to ensure a safe and acceptable environment is provided for those in quarantine. The continued commitment of the 2IDSB Soldiers working across quarantine sites demonstrates the Army’s ability to adapt to new and rising threats, as well as the prioritization of Soldiers’ and community members’ health and safety.
“Seeing quarantine unfold and the speed with which the Army has met the challenge and continues to adapt to the ever-changing environment, has been impressive,” said Karen Landes, a volunteer and administrator on the Humphreys Garrison Facebook page. “The quarantine of 6 months ago, even 3 months ago, looks nothing like the quarantine of today.”
The Humphreys Quarantine Support Group attempts to divide their attention and care equally among the newcomers in quarantine.
“We always like to remind people that there is no rank in quarantine,” said Williams. “That’s been really helpful to not have to look at the rank or even the branch of the military, it’s one of those things where we try to take care of everybody, regardless of any outliers.”
Being a fully volunteer-driven endeavor, the Humphreys Quarantine Support group offers a flexible and agile response to requests and issues raised by those in quarantine, demonstrating the strong ties, vast adaptability and irreplaceable effort which defines the greater Humphreys community.
“Someone asked me the other day what my office hours were and I literally pulled out my phone and said ‘Welcome to my office,’” said Williams. “It is really just that we are average folks living a Health Protection Condition - Bravo (HPCON-B) life, so if it means that we sit down at Starbucks really quick and hop on our phones or laptops, then that becomes our office. Our office is at our kids’ soccer practice and in the pick-up line.”
The opportunities to volunteer and work together for the betterment of the Soldiers, families and community members in quarantine has allowed for greater cooperation within the community in the spirit of helping.
“I think that COVID-19 has brought the community closer together,” said Brian Godfrey, a volunteer and admin of the Humphreys Quarantine Support Facebook page. “Most of the people here understand that we are all in this together and to pull together as a team. In my opinion, it really is a total mindset. I would hope that people want to get involved instead of just watching from the sidelines.”
As the Humphreys Quarantine Support Group is centered on their Facebook page, it has been vital to ensure that requests are processed in a positive manner, information is distributed without delay and that community outreach remains a priority. The administrators of the group have to manually approve each individual request to join the group, allowing for them to attempt to limit the group to people who are currently in quarantine or have been a part of the process.
“A lot of people who have been through quarantine don’t leave the page, so they keep an eye out and also contribute back to the page,” said Godfrey. “It really gives you goosebumps, because that’s the type of community that I want to be a part of. I want to see that happen and see everybody pull together.”
Community members of all ages and backgrounds have been able to participate in the volunteer initiatives across Humphreys, each contributing in their own way to brighten quarantined community members’ day.
“There are these kids who have the inflatable dinosaur costumes and they’ll go around for birthdays or just randomly in their dinosaur costumes,” said Williams. “So, if you are looking out your quarantine window and you see a bunch of dinosaurs running around, your natural reaction is going to be to laugh. It’s anything to break that monotony. It is what Humphreys Quarantine Support is all about. It is to humanize you and the process. It is to remind you that you are wanted as our newest community member here and that we are here to support you.”
The Humphreys Quarantine Support Facebook page and other pertinent volunteer information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/574088616854101. Soldiers, families and community members currently in quarantine, arriving to the Republic of Korea in the future or have completed quarantine and wish to contribute to our newest community members are urged to join and support the group.
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