Fielding of additional Air Force medical personnel to support COVID-19 response operations in Michigan has kept First Air Force's 64th Air Expeditionary Group busy tracking Airmen set to join the multi-service effort.
"Our efforts are focused on ensuring our Airmen are able to swiftly and safely support FEMA's COVID-19 vaccination mission requirements," said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander of Continental U.S. NORAD Region - First Air Force (Air Forces Northern). "The 1st AF staff diligently supports our 64th AEG Airmen from across the country as they prepare to deploy to Ford Field. Our responsibility is to ensure our Airmen are where they're needed, when they're needed, in order to help our DoD counterparts and federal, state and local officials as part of a whole-of-America COVID-19 response."
At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 220 Department of Defense military medical and support personnel will deploy to Michigan to support a state-run, federally supported community vaccination center. U.S. Army North, the Joint Force Land Component Command of U.S. Northern Command, will oversee the multi-service military COVID-19 response operation in support of state and the federal vaccination pilot.
"Our joint force continues to support FEMA and the acceleration of federal vaccination efforts in order to get all Americans vaccinated as soon as possible," said Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, ARNORTH and JFLCC commander. "Once open, this site in Michigan will have the ability to administer 6,000 vaccines a day."
The 222-person, Type 1 Air Force Team, arriving March 19, will support the CVC at Ford Field in Detroit.
