Military medical personnel are stepping up to fight coronavirus — deploying from units across the country, completing medical training early to join the ranks, and even coming out of retirement.
Voluntary Retiree Recall
This week, Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army Personnel, G-1, released an announcement titled "Voluntary Recall of Retirees to Fight COVID-19." The announcement was meant to "gauge the interest of our retired officers, noncommissioned officers, and Soldiers who would be willing to assist with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic response effort should their skills and expertise be required."
"These extraordinary challenges require equally extraordinary solutions and that's why we're turning to you — trusted professionals capable of operating under constantly changing conditions. When the Nation called — you answered, and now, that call may come again," the announcement reads.
A G-1 public affairs spokesperson said that as of Thursday, 9,000 calls had come in regarding the announcement.
The announcement was specifically seeking interested and qualified retirees who worked in a range of health care specialties including critical care officers, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, critical care nurses, nurse practitioners, emergency room nurses, respiratory specialists, and medics.
Early Graduates from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Meanwhile, more than 200 military medical and nursing students studying at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) will graduate early to join the fight against coronavirus.
"Our curriculum has a specific focus on threats like emerging infectious diseases and disasters that our military and Public Health Service forces are likely to encounter in the course of their careers," said Dr. Richard Thomas, USU president.
Thomas decided when the national emergency was declared that these students were prepared to meet the needs of the Department of Defense and the nation "the moment they step out of our doors."
"This is exactly what they were educated and trained to do," Thomas said. "The Surgeon Generals of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service will receive a competent cadre of healthcare professionals who can augment current resources available to them."
The cohort includes active-duty officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Public Health Service who will join the medical field physicians, family, mental health and women’s health nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists.
Active Duty Deployments
And, of course, medical units from across the force have been deploying to support hard-hit areas.
As of Friday morning, the Department of Defenses had 652 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the force. This includes 309 active duty personnel. Of those 652 cases, 37 have recovered and two — a dependent and a contractor — have died.
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