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Nearly 200 National Guardsmen have tested positive for COVID-19 since deploying to DC

daftandbarmy

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OOPS! Didn't see that coming I guess:

In the nearly three weeks since more than 25,000 National Guard troops from around the country made their way to Washington to secure the Capitol ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, nearly 200 of them have contracted the novel coronavirus, the head of the D.C. Guard told reporters on Monday.

 
OOPS! Didn't see that coming I guess:

In the nearly three weeks since more than 25,000 National Guard troops from around the country made their way to Washington to secure the Capitol ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, nearly 200 of them have contracted the novel coronavirus, the head of the D.C. Guard told reporters on Monday.

Probably all those maskless euchre games sitting around on their barrack boxes in the garage.

:D
 
So less than 1%...

I suppose it's kind of newsworthy. But I think like most of us, I'm growing tired of the never-ending Covid nonsense. Information fatigue has very much set in, taken root, set up shop, and is now flourishing in my psyche.

We get it. It's a thing. It's contagious. It's probably airborne, but they don't want to admit it. The vaccines are out, people are starting to get them. And each year, they'll probably come out with a new version of it, similar to the flu vaccine.


(No disrespect to daft&barmy -- glad you posted it!!)
 
So less than 1%...

I suppose it's kind of newsworthy. But I think like most of us, I'm growing tired of the never-ending Covid nonsense. Information fatigue has very much set in, taken root, set up shop, and is now flourishing in my psyche.

We get it. It's a thing. It's contagious. It's probably airborne, but they don't want to admit it. The vaccines are out, people are starting to get them. And each year, they'll probably come out with a new version of it, similar to the flu vaccine.


(No disrespect to daft&barmy -- glad you posted it!!)

Always happy to be that little cloud in a sunny sky :)

the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy life GIF
 
So less than 1%...

I suppose it's kind of newsworthy. But I think like most of us, I'm growing tired of the never-ending Covid nonsense. Information fatigue has very much set in, taken root, set up shop, and is now flourishing in my psyche.

We get it. It's a thing. It's contagious. It's probably airborne, but they don't want to admit it. The vaccines are out, people are starting to get them. And each year, they'll probably come out with a new version of it, similar to the flu vaccine.


(No disrespect to daft&barmy -- glad you posted it!!)

Okay, I understand your viewpoint, but let's look at it from a military perspective - after all, that is supposed to be the primary focus of this site.

DNBI. For those that don't know the acronym, Disease and Non-Battle Injuries. They may call it something else these days, but for those of us who used to study those numbers it's more of a problem that bombs, bullets and other hard sharp items that penetrate. During the big (and small) wars of the 20th Century DNBI accounted for more casualties than battle injuries.

So what would those 200 positive diagnoses mean in a military sense. While some may sniff (sure it's not a sniffle and the start of something else) and just say it's only 1% that will have "flu-like symptoms" for a couple of days, no big deal; the reality is something different.

Those 200 soldiers will have to be isolated (not available for duty for 14+ days) and some may require medical attention (I'll skip that for now, whole other kettle of fish). Those who have been in close contact with them will have to be traced and quarantined (and tested) until such time as they are cleared (again approx 14 days). Let's be overly generous and assume a 50% contact rate (I'm thinking a lot of the original 200 were already cohorts - one of the advantages/disadvantages of military organization) so that's another 100 soldiers not available for duty. What would that mean to a commander (depending on the doctrine 25,000 is a large division) - 300 troops is half a battalion gone without a shot fired. Again depending on the doctrine - half a battalion may mean a 5% reduction in combat power. Beside the WTF moment that the DCNG commander likely had, he probably also had a thank f*** moment that this wasn't a continuing combat operation where he needed that 5%.
 
Okay, I understand your viewpoint, but let's look at it from a military perspective - after all, that is supposed to be the primary focus of this site.

DNBI. For those that don't know the acronym, Disease and Non-Battle Injuries. They may call it something else these days, but for those of us who used to study those numbers it's more of a problem that bombs, bullets and other hard sharp items that penetrate. During the big (and small) wars of the 20th Century DNBI accounted for more casualties than battle injuries.

So what would those 200 positive diagnoses mean in a military sense. While some may sniff (sure it's not a sniffle and the start of something else) and just say it's only 1% that will have "flu-like symptoms" for a couple of days, no big deal; the reality is something different.

Those 200 soldiers will have to be isolated (not available for duty for 14+ days) and some may require medical attention (I'll skip that for now, whole other kettle of fish). Those who have been in close contact with them will have to be traced and quarantined (and tested) until such time as they are cleared (again approx 14 days). Let's be overly generous and assume a 50% contact rate (I'm thinking a lot of the original 200 were already cohorts - one of the advantages/disadvantages of military organization) so that's another 100 soldiers not available for duty. What would that mean to a commander (depending on the doctrine 25,000 is a large division) - 300 troops is half a battalion gone without a shot fired. Again depending on the doctrine - half a battalion may mean a 5% reduction in combat power. Beside the WTF moment that the DCNG commander likely had, he probably also had a thank f*** moment that this wasn't a continuing combat operation where he needed that 5%.

Contact tracing should be easy: 'First Sergeant, form up the Brigade!'
 
Okay, I understand your viewpoint, but let's look at it from a military perspective - after all, that is supposed to be the primary focus of this site.

DNBI. For those that don't know the acronym, Disease and Non-Battle Injuries. They may call it something else these days, but for those of us who used to study those numbers it's more of a problem that bombs, bullets and other hard sharp items that penetrate. During the big (and small) wars of the 20th Century DNBI accounted for more casualties than battle injuries.

So what would those 200 positive diagnoses mean in a military sense. While some may sniff (sure it's not a sniffle and the start of something else) and just say it's only 1% that will have "flu-like symptoms" for a couple of days, no big deal; the reality is something different.

Those 200 soldiers will have to be isolated (not available for duty for 14+ days) and some may require medical attention (I'll skip that for now, whole other kettle of fish). Those who have been in close contact with them will have to be traced and quarantined (and tested) until such time as they are cleared (again approx 14 days). Let's be overly generous and assume a 50% contact rate (I'm thinking a lot of the original 200 were already cohorts - one of the advantages/disadvantages of military organization) so that's another 100 soldiers not available for duty. What would that mean to a commander (depending on the doctrine 25,000 is a large division) - 300 troops is half a battalion gone without a shot fired. Again depending on the doctrine - half a battalion may mean a 5% reduction in combat power. Beside the WTF moment that the DCNG commander likely had, he probably also had a thank f*** moment that this wasn't a continuing combat operation where he needed that 5%.
Pfffttttt... fine, look at it in a more detailed and practical perspective than me...
 
Some interesting coverage in Politico:


“Ideally, these guys should all be in hotels. When they’re taking rest time, they should be taking it outside the campus with an ability to be separated and socially distanced,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said. “Ultimately we’ve got to make sure that they’re not taking their extended rest time on campus, that they’re in hotel rooms.”

The problem was compounded on Thursday night, when thousands of troops who had been standing duty in the U.S. Capitol were told to vacate congressional buildings and take their rest breaks outside and in nearby parking garages. POLITICO obtained photos of Guard members packed together and sleeping on the ground in the garages. One unit was forced to rest in a garage with only one bathroom available for 5,000 troops.
The Senate Rules Committee is investigating the issue, with a particular focus on concerns about the Guard implementing proper coronavirus precautions, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, the top Republican on that panel, told POLITICO. The decision to force thousands of troops into a packed parking garage created a Covid-19 hazard, senators said.

Meanwhile, social distancing is “almost impossible” in the halls of Congress, the D.C. armory and the parking garages, one guard member said, troops were packed into tight spaces that made it impossible to socially distance.

“You should have seen late-coming states scavenge for space,” another Guardsman said. “It would have made a great sitcom: people literally making offices out of hallways and any unoccupied space.”

Many of the Guard members who spoke to POLITICO said their units had been given no clear guidance on Covid-19 testing plans, either for arrival in Washington, D.C., or before they depart. The troops who are currently in quarantine will pose a “logistical challenge” as their units start to head home.

The Guard has not finalized a plan for these members, but they will most likely either stay in their hotels until their quarantine is over, or be transported home in separate vehicles with other Covid-19-positve troops, the person said.

 
Calling up 25,000 troops on short notice for this sort of duty in D.C. would pose a real challenge in finding suitable lodging. Hotels & motels included, finding accommodations for 25,000 troops on short notice would be tough - I imagine a lot of troops would be either in rapidly built field camps, or whatever infrastructure may be suitable.

A lot of civilians would also be in DC to attend the inauguration, which would add to the challenge.

All things considered, the National Guard didn't have the luxury of time in their planning for this 😬
 
Calling up 25,000 troops on short notice for this sort of duty in D.C. would pose a real challenge in finding suitable lodging. Hotels & motels included, finding accommodations for 25,000 troops on short notice would be tough - I imagine a lot of troops would be either in rapidly built field camps, or whatever infrastructure may be suitable.

A lot of civilians would also be in DC to attend the inauguration, which would add to the challenge.

All things considered, the National Guard didn't have the luxury of time in their planning for this 😬


Just thinking .... that number of troops represents about half of the strength of the CAF.
 
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