Multiple governors have expanded the role of National Guard units in combating the spread of COVID-19 within their states \u2014 with one state executive calling from the mobilization of the Army Corps of Engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The governors of New York, New Jersey, <\/b>Maryland, Colorado and West Virginia are the latest state executives to increase the involvement of the National Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe National Guard is fully involved at the local, state, and federal level in the planning and execution of the nation\u2019s response to COVID-19,\u201d a National Guard Bureau press release stated. \u201cIn times of emergency, the National Guard Bureau serves as a federal coordinating agency should a state require assistance from the National Guard of another state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said over 1,500 Guardsmen are now activated in 18 states across the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The secretary did not commit to federalizing the National Guard components. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs we get requests in, we will look at activating, if we need to, at the federal level or using the Reserves, whatever the case may be. We want to be very supportive with regard to our prioritization in terms of supporting the American people and the governors,\u201d Esper said. \u201cRight now, we are really focused on Guard and Reserve \u2014 in that order. There hasn\u2019t been a need yet, a request, for Active Duty. So we will take these requests in due time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Guard is already available to the governors. They know that…. So, it\u2019s a resource available at their fingertips,” Esper added. “What we want to do is make sure they understand all the capabilities of the Guard, how it may best be used.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All 50 states have issued emergency declarations, a critical step before mobilizing National Guard resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York has specifically called for an increased role for the National Guard and for involvement from the Army Corps of Engineers in combating COVID-19<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cuomo, in a press conference Monday, has now called on the New York National Guard to assist state officials in expanding in-patient hospital capabilities in anticipation of a spike in positive novel coronavirus cases requiring hospitalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are going to organize the National Guard to work with the building unions and work with private developers to find existing facilities that could most easily be adapted to medical facilities,” Cuomo said in the press conference. \u201cMeaning dormitories, meaning former nursing homes: facilities that have that basic configuration that could be retrofitted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, the New York National Guard has about 500 personnel activated to assist in the state\u2019s response, a state official said. These numbers may increase given the potential for an expanded role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The governor called on local governments to \u201cidentify\u201d possible locations for new beds, and he cited an additional 5,000 beds in New York City as a target figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cuomo was the first governor to activate the National Guard<\/a> to assist in the state\u2019s response in New Rochelle, New York, a suburb of New York City, where a \u201ccluster\u201d of cases were confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Guardsmen continue to assist with food delivery, logistics and cleaning services in the previously identified \u201ccontainment area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, guardsmen, including Army National Guard combat medic specialists and Air National Guard medical technicians, are \u201cassisting state officials with the collection of samples\u201d at drive-thru testing locations, the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additional drive-thru testing locations are coming online throughout the state including on Staten Island, Cuomo noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the press conference, Cuomo also called for the federal government to deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to increase the hospital beds available for potential patients in New York state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe federal government has tremendous capacity: deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to come work with states to build temporary medical facilities,\u201d Cuomo said. “We don\u2019t have the billions of dollars you would need to implement an immediate, emergency hospital construction program. This state can\u2019t do it; no state can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cuomo\u2019s desires for increased federal involvement coincides with those from some lawmakers<\/a> for greater participation of U.S. military Reserves units in the nationwide COVID-19 response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe federal government operates and maintains a medical emergency stock, where they have stocked medical equipment for domestic issues or for wartime,” Cuomo added. \u201cWe will continue to do everything we can, but we need federal assets and we need federal assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On his call for the Army Corps of Engineers, Cuomo said there have been “ongoing conversations, none of which have been conclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump and Vice President Mike Pence addressed questions about the deployment of the Army Corps of Engineers at a press conference Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs governors make these requests, we will process them, bring them to the president. There are two different lanes that [the Defense Department] can provide in addition to many medical supplies to augment our national reserves,” Pence said. \u201c[T]he president has tasked us to evaluate, make available and consider every request from governors for either field hospitals, expanding facilities or the Army Corps of Engineers that could retrofit existing buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Army Corps of Engineers is ready, willing and able. We have to give them the go ahead if we find that it\u2019s going to be necessary,” Trump said. “I think we had quite a few units up very rapidly. I am going to work with Gov. Cuomo. I am going to work with a number of the governors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the question of mobilizing Defense Department resources, Esper addressed the potential for greater involvement at the federal level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy view is, I am more than willing to send the Army Corps of Engineers out to work with states and to see what we can provide, what we can offer,” Esper said in the press conference. “As you know the Corps of Engineers is a contracting body that does program oversight and work. If we can be useful, we can help, certainly willing to provide that service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith regard to New York, I am hoping to have a call with [Gov. Cuomo] sometimes soon\u2026find out what his needs are,” Esper added. \u201cAs I speak to governors and others, I tell them, \u2018Tell us what your needs are,\u2019 and we\u2019ll figure out the best way to meet them \u2014 whether it\u2019s logistics, planning, medical.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the New York Department of Health, New York as of Tuesday has 1,374 confirmed cases <\/a>of COVID-19, 730 of which are outside New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy activated the New Jersey National Guard to assist in the state\u2019s response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe will be working closely with the [New Jersey] Office of Emergency Management to assist fellow residents as we change from our civilian attire and put on our uniforms to serve this state\u2026. Our most likely mission sets are focused on capability gaps.\u201d said Brig. Gen. Jemal Beale, adjutant general of New Jersey. \u201cThey are things like advise and assist, logistics, transportation, traffic control, security or bringing in our engineers to maybe bring a facility back online that\u2019s needed in some way, shape or form for COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gov. Murphy said the role of the Guardsmen will likely focus on food delivery and manning drive-thru test locations in the intermediate \u2014 with the possibility of converting “a building for some self-quarantine reasons\u201d if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe will simultaneously be supporting the veterans in our long-term care facilities as well as the veterans\u2019 community across the state,\u201d Beale added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Murphy echoed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo\u2019s desires to ready the Army Corps of Engineers on the federal level to assist state Guardsmen to retrofit or build temporary hospitals if the state health care system becomes overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan activated around 400 guardsmen from the Maryland Army and Air National Guard over the weekend to augment the state\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a press conference Monday, Hogan said a total of 1,000 guardsmen will be activated by the day\u2019s end with an additional 1,200 on \u201cenhanced readiness\u201d status, expected to be activated this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDecision-makers at the federal, state, and local level are going to take drastic actions right now that may seem scary, that may sound extreme,” Hogan said. “They will be terribly disruptive, but they will be absolutely necessary to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These guardsmen include two Area Support Medical Companies to assist state health officials in screening patients, transporting supplies and distributing food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of things that the governor mentioned was the distribution of the Strategic National Stockpile mission, particularly personal protective equipment,\u201d said Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, Maryland adjutant general, in the press conference. \u201cThat\u2019s always been a standing mission for us, and we are going to execute that in the coming days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gov. Hogan also ordered the Maryland Department of Health to identify and \u201copen closed hospitals\u201d to increase bed capacity. The state has 57 confirmed cases<\/a> as of Tuesday, according to the Maryland Department of Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Colorado, 145 guardsmen have been mobilized to assist state officials in COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts, including manning drive-thru screening areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese National Guard members are the state\u2019s resident trained and equipped experts in biological hazards,\u201d the press release stated. \u201c[The guardsmen] are assisting with testing and testing support and advising Colorado local and state partners with validated tactics, techniques and procedures for future screening missions in Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n