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Capt. Mike Evans took charge of Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Norfolk, Virginia, during an unprecedented time. Not only is he responsible for helping to meet the Navy’s strategic objectives, but he must also protect the Sailors that he leads from the COVID-19 virus that has spread across the world.
During his change of command ceremony February 28, Evans told the crew he was humbled to be their commanding officer and explained that he works for them. In addition, Evans announced his goal of refocusing the mission of NOSC Norfolk to prepare for distributed mobilization. With a clear vision ahead, Evans was not aware that nearly three weeks later the mission would also be refocused in terms of how, and where, his Sailors would be working to ensure Sailor readiness.
With the onset of COVID-19, drastic measures had to be taken to ensure the safety of his crew and devise a plan to remain operational to assist the Navy Reserve Force. Sweeping safety measures have been taken in the Commonwealth of Virginia which initially included switching all schools to an on-line learning platform, non-essential businesses being closed, and the six-foot social distancing rule.
“The NOSC khaki leadership had been keeping fairly close tabs on how the virus was spreading throughout the United States and actions that were being taken at the federal, state and local levels,” Evans stated.
As time proceeded, these closures remained with the addition of face masks being required within public spaces, work environments, and military bases. To keep Sailors safe and healthy, commands had to take swift action while staying in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines.
Less than a month into his role, Evans had to work with command leadership in creating a plan of action that would follow all health and safety regulations, while allowing for Sailor flexibility. This action plan included guidelines for his immediate staff of 80 Full-Time Support Sailors and the 2,800 Selected Reservist Sailors assigned to NOSC Norfolk.
“Our number one goal was ensuring my FTS staff and assigned SELRES stayed safe, in contact, and did our part in helping to reduce the spread and flatten the curve,” Evans said.
With his prior experience working at Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command, also in Norfolk, Evans expected that manning would become mission essential only and began preparing leadership before the final decision had been made. Leadership implemented a plan that would allow half of the workforce to telework, while the other proceeded to the command. This separation allowed the command to remain fully functional to maintain mission readiness while allowing for social distancing requirements.
“When the word came down, the only hiccup in quick implementation was just the size of the staff in ensuring everyone knew what we were doing as a NOSC, and that the Sailors had a personal/family plan in place as well,” Evans stated.
Evans remarked that he is “astonished and absolutely impressed by their resiliency during this time.”
“It’s something this country hasn’t experienced in 100 years. We’ve had no training on how to reduce the threat of a worldwide pandemic and maintain some semblance of daily operations at the same time – it’s never been done,” Evans added. “My team’s ability to adjust on a moment’s notice to continue to support our mission has been amazing.”
Not only did the staff adjust to the working environment while continuing to exceed, but they also were able to shift focus and begin the process for distributed mobilization. From the change of command through mid-July, NOSC Norfolk was able to mobilize 86 Sailors for an assortment of missions including medical, Navy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers, Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center, and Surge Maintenance.
While the future is uncertain on when day-to-day operations will return to normal, NOSC Norfolk expects to receive guidance to begin a stair-stepping process to move forward. With plans to begin the process in July, Evans stated that there will be changes to everyday operations including opting for more appointments, maintaining personal spacing, and a controlled flow throughout the building.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2020 19:06 |
| Story ID: | 374850 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 574 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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