Photo By Kristine Sturkie | Christian Esmilla, Warehouse Worker Supervisor, at the Navy Exchange Service...... read more read more
Since early April, the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) has delivered just over 550,000 cloth face coverings to the Fleet. Utilizing existing vendor relationships, NEXCOM was able to procure and deliver the first 100,000 face coverings within one week of the NAVADMIN 100/20 release which requires the wear of cloth face coverings if six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
“As a Navy command, NEXCOM truly understands the needs of the Navy,” said retired Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi, Chief Executive Officer, NEXCOM. “Immediately after the NAVADMIN was released, our NEXCOM team jumped into high gear to fulfill this new directive. We were able to quickly lean forward and steer into unchartered water to fill the void until the Defense Logistics Agency came online with face coverings.”
NEXCOM buyers worked with three manufacturers, Brooks Brothers, Taylor Brand and Sewell, to procure cloth face coverings. Once the cloth face coverings were made, they were sent to one of NEXCOM’s 11 distribution centers around the world for distribution to the Fleet. The first shipment of cloth face coverings went to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard. Since then, the face coverings have been sent to Navy commands around the world.
NEXCOM’s unique mission and six business lines ensured the cloth face coverings got to where they were needed and could withstand the rigors of the Navy and shipboard life. Since the product is made out of technical fabric which has more filtration than cotton, NEXCOM’s Navy Clothing & Textile Research Facility conducted extensive wear and wash tests. Their tests resulted in proper procedures for ships and Sailors to launder the cloth face covering and a determination that they can withstand shipboard washings. Once those procedures were finalized, NEXCOM’s Ships Store Program worked with Supply Officers aboard ships for dissemination of intructions.
“NEXCOM is here to support our Navy and our military members in any way we can,” said Bianchi. “We are proud to be a part of the process to help keep our military members safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2020 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 369989 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Signed, Sealed and Delivered— 550,000 Cloth Face Coverings from NEXCOM to the Fleet, by Kristine Sturkie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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