LANSING, Mich. — We are seeing more National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in their uniforms throughout the state since the governor activated the Michigan National Guard in March.
Major Michael Garrett and hundreds of other soldiers are now staying in hotels as they work to combat COVID-19 in Michigan.
Major Garrett has served for more than 30 years, but these Michigan missions that he's being called to do, hit home.
"I have been lucky enough to do quite a few different missions, having to stay in hotels all over the world, but this pandemic response in your own backyard is something that we have never had to do," said Garrett.
Major Garrett is with the 272nd Regional Support Group. He, along with many others from his unit, are staying in a hotel in Lansing that has now become one of the Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration (JRSOI) sites.
"It's good because we don't expose the soldiers' families to potential transmission and they are monitored daily," said Garrett. "It's a win for the command, a win for the community and a win for the state."
The soldiers will leave these sites to work on the many requested missions across nine counties. Members of the Guard are helping local communities and state agencies with logistics support for medical equipment, medical screening, planning and construction of alternate care facilities.
"People are getting sick that worked for MSP, MDHHS or local food banks so we are stepping up and augmenting those services so those critical services can continue to operate," Garrett said.
For the East Side Food Bank, Forgotten Harvest, the National Guard's help is more than appreciated.
"Without them, it would be nearly impossible to survive," said Chris Ivey, Voice of Director of Marketing and Communications for Forgotten Harvest. "They are repacking 4,500 TO 6,000 boxes of food a day. Each box can feed a family for a day, day in half."
There are currently two of the JRSOI sites to house and screen the National Guard in Michigan, the one in Lansing, and the other in Romulus, and according to Garrett, another is on the way.
If the need arises, the Guard is ready to provide additional sites for support.
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