TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- This week, the 64th Air Expeditionary Group began tracking approximately 65 U.S. Air Force military personnel, including doctors, nurses and others deployed to four hospitals in California as part of a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) COVID-19 response operation. U. S. Army North (Fifth Army) (ARNORTH), the Joint Force Land Component Command of U.S. Northern Command Command, will oversee the military operation in support of federal and state efforts.
“Our United States Air Force personnel are honored to provide medical support to the people of California,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, AFNORTH commander, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. “Working in the civilian hospitals alongside the local providers is a rewarding experience for our team, and caretaking at its best.”
The personnel are from Travis Air Force Base, Cal.; MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; and Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
The hospitals include Dameron Hospital in Stockton, Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in Lodi, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, and Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.
The providers began hospital onboarding Tuesday, and are expected to start their first shifts at the hospitals today.
In addition to this support to California, U.S. Air Force medical personnel tracked by the 335th AEG remain treating COVID-19 patients in North Dakota, as part of the whole-of-America response to the pandemic.