FLNG’s 2/11th Aviation Regiment on the Front Lines of COVID-19

Photo By Sgt. Michael Baltz | Florida Army National Guard Sgt. Christian Ramos, an air traffic controller with 2nd Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, is supporting a walk-up testing site at Henry L. Brown Kooker Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Members of the 2/111th are supporting the FLNG’s response for the COVID-19 pandemic.  

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES

05.07.2020

Story by Sgt. Michael Baltz 

107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

STARKE, Fla. (May 7, 2020) – Known for providing airfield operations and support, Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment are adjusting their ‘flight plans’ along with their fellow Florida National Guard members to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the 2/111th are supporting walk-up test sites in Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida, and they are staying ready for additional requests.

“We’re designed to go out and set up and manage airfields where Army aviation is operating,” said Lt. Col. Michael Adler, the commander for the 2nd/111th. “But for the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re asking these soldiers to do things they've never done.”

With a rich history of responding to national emergencies, members of the FLNG are acclimated to adjusting their skill sets to accomplish the mission. For the pandemic, Soldiers with the 2/111th are leveraging fellow units for training in order to enhance their unit’s readiness for the pandemic.

“We’re able to capitalize on the experience of other units that have been out there responding over the past few months down in South Florida,” said Alder. “The 44th and 48th Civil Support Teams have been outstanding with training Soldiers on proper personal protective equipment procedures.”

In addition to learning the processes of donning and doffing, some Soldiers are also learning new roles to support the mission. Warrant Officer Adam Denny, the standardization officer for the 2nd/111th, credits his flexibility to his focus on the welfare for Florida’s citizens.

“We just have an internal drive to succeed and I would say probably a lot of guardsmen, because they volunteer, have that passion about helping their fellow soldiers and the people in the state of Florida,” said Denny. “So their underlying emphasis would be to help the citizens of our state.”

At the test sites, members of the 2nd/111th are able to identify the similarities from their standard mission to the mission of the COVID-19 response.

“In the Army, it's just part of that going back to being a Soldier first,” said Sgt. Christian Ramos, an air traffic controller. “Air traffic control has very high stress points. We have the ability to learn and adapt to new things quickly.”

Although the pandemic will potentially carry long-lasting negative impacts, there are positive impacts that should not be overlooked.

“It’s neighbors helping neighbors. I came from a small county, very rural, where you know everyone and that's what we did, we took care of each other,” said Alder. “The National Guard has given the opportunity for me to do that on a much larger scale, and I think that the FLNG is going to be stronger in its relationships with our community partners because of this.”

• Date Taken: 05.07.2020
• Date Posted: 05.08.2020 08:48
• Story ID: 369426
• Location: JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US