{"id":34922,"date":"2020-03-10T23:47:39","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T23:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/10\/air-force-bars-guests-from-basic-training-graduations-to-limit-coronavirus-spread\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:05:00","slug":"air-force-bars-guests-from-basic-training-graduations-to-limit-coronavirus-spread","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2020\/03\/10\/air-force-bars-guests-from-basic-training-graduations-to-limit-coronavirus-spread\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force bars guests from basic training graduations to limit coronavirus spread"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force said Tuesday that family members or other guests will not be allowed to attend basic military graduation ceremonies until further notice, as part of several steps the service is taking to limit the spread of coronavirus<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a release, Air Education and Training Command said that Joint Base San Antonio in Texas is suspending guests at all mass gatherings that are not mission-essential to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. This includes basic military training graduations, AETC said, as well as preliminary events such as coining ceremonies that families would have been invited to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach year, about 40,000 airmen march across the parade field with up to 7,000 family members in attendance each week for the momentous occasion,\u201d Maj. Gen. Andrea Tullos, commander of the 2nd Air Force, said in the release. \u201cGatherings of this size increase the possibility that the virus could be transmitted to our training population.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe realize families want to show support to their loved one and they will be disappointed they can\u2019t participate in the graduation events, but we have a responsibility to protect not only our airmen but those citizens they will come into contact with as they travel to their follow-on training locations,” Tullos continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force\u2019s decision to limit attendance at BMT graduation mirrors the Navy\u2019s announcement yesterday to restrict guest attendance at graduation ceremonies for its boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is our responsibility to keep our force, our families and our base communities safe,\u201d Brig. Gen. Laura Lenderman, commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio, said in AETC\u2019s release. \u201cThese force health protection actions are necessary to ensure mission readiness for our forces and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BMT graduations will be livestreamed on the 37th Training Wing\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> every Friday, beginning this week, at 9 a.m. Central time. Joint Base San Antonio is also posting updates on COVID-19 on its website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a prudent decision to protect our people and the community in which we live and work,\u201d Maj. Gen. John DeGoes, commander of the 59th Medical Wing at the base. \u201cInfectious disesases don\u2019t respect the fence line and these actions make sense to protect us and our neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a separate email Tuesday, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek outlined additional actions the Air Force is taking. The child development center at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado, for example, has also been closed for cleaning after a parent of a child there tested positive for coronavirus<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force Academy has restricted travel for cadets and personnel through the end of March, academy spokeswoman Lt. Col. Tracy Bunko said in another email Tuesday. This includes no overseas official travel and no leisure travel for cadets, cadet candidates and military permanent party to countries that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined are a level 2 threat or higher for COVID-19<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile the risk of COVID-19 at the academy continues to be low, this is a rapidly evolving situation and force health protection is our top priority,\u201d Bunko said. \u201cWe will continue to evaluate the situation and take proactive steps to avoid contracting or spreading COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t