Photo By Staff Sgt. Leia Tascarini | Lt. Col. Moore (center), commander of the 254th Transportation Battalion and staff...... read more read more
WEST PALM BEACH Fla. – After serving in the initial phase of the Florida Guard’s COVID-19 response in South Florida, units from the 254th Transportation Battalion conducted a relief in place with elements of the 53rd Infantry Combat Team (ICBT) at the C.B. Smith Park Community Based Testing Site (CTBS) in Broward County April 4.
Like other National Guard units across the country, the West Palm Beach-based 254th was called up to support state and local efforts to identify, establish and staff CBTS locations when their state governors declared states of emergency. Leveraging their logistical experience gained from hurricane activations, the battalion moved quickly to work with local partners and create standard protocols and procedures to help guide those efforts.
“When we received the mission to establish and operate the first CBTS, we had no prior CBTS experience,” said LT. Col. Jeff Moore, Commander of the 254th Transportation Battalion. “This was a unique mission set, one which required us to rely on our prior military training and experience with Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) as a starting point.”
During their first three weeks of activation, the 254th helped set up four CBTS locations in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The 254th was also responsible for manning two CBTS locations, one in Miami-Dade and one in Broward County. Over 500 Soldiers, both organic and under operational control of the battalion, assisted as local authorities administered more than 18,000 COVID-19 tests, a milestone for a Florida Guard unit.
“We are literally writing the standard operating procedure (SOP) manual as we go,” said Moore. “This is an unprecedented response from the Guard’s perspective. After establishing and operating our fourth CBTS, we have now begun to codify our lessons learned and tactics, techniques and procedures into a formal SOP. We hope this document will be the guide and made available to formations in the FLARNG.”
Although the 254th conducted transfers of authority in Palm Beach and Broward Counties, the battalion is by no means done. Guardsmen from several 254th companies continue to support local authorities at CVTS locations at Hard Rock Stadium, Marlins Park and Amelia Earhart Park in Miami-Dade County.
“Our current assigned missions are in a steady state and we have completed relief in place of our missions in Broward and Palm Beach counties,” said Moore. “We will be in the fight as long as needed. We are citizens of this great state, and we are proud and honored to be a part of the Florida Guard’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2020 16:38 |
| Story ID: | 366883 |
| Location: | FL, US |
| Web Views: | 842 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Florida Guard’s 254th Transportation Battalion reaches milestone in COVID-19 operations, by MAJ Jesse Manzano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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