Guard Helps at Allegany County Testing Site
Article by Master Sgt. Christopher Schepers, 175th Wing Public Affairs
Photos by Tech. Sgt. Enjoli Saunders, 175th Wing Public Affairs
The Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers are assisting local health departments with operating coronavirus testing sites in addition to Air and Army members supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts with mobile vaccination support teams. The 1729th Maintenance Company, stationed in Havre de Grace, Maryland, is supporting the testing site in Allegany County.
Soldiers made the trek nearly the length of the state, from Northeast Maryland all the way to the far Western part, to support the mission and free up health department staff.
“The healthcare workers are really understaffed and overwhelmed, so it [feels] nice for us to come here and give them a helping hand,” said U.S. Army Spc. Braxton Price, a bridge crew member assigned to the 1729th Maint. Co. “It kind of gives them a little break and a little breathing room so they have the time to administer the vaccine.”
The community testing site helps to ensure that citizens in the county and the surrounding areas have access to free COVID-19 testing. The site clinical lead for the Allegany County Health Department, Amanda Smith, credits the MDNG for the site remaining open.
“They brought the manpower to keep the site up and running, if you all [the National Guard] weren’t here, we wouldn’t be operational,” explained Smith. “The Guard are people that you are side-by-side with in the workplace, side-by-side in the community and they go above and beyond to serve our country and when called upon — just drop everything and go.”
Price left his family in Cecil County to support Marylanders hours away. He also did the same last year, while assisting with food distribution in Baltimore City, leaving a lasting impression on him.
“It may have only looked like a small food box but people really needed it and it brightened their day,” Price recalls.
Price, who served on active duty for three years at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Lakewood, Washington, as an engineer with the 7th Infantry Division, learned interpersonal skills that prepared him to interact with the public during this pandemic.
“Once I joined the military, especially in active duty, it really opened me up and brought me out of my shell,” explained Price.
According to Price, it is important for citizens to feel comfortable as testing requires the patients to do something they may have never done before, like a self swab COVID-19 test.
“We are there [to assist with] self swabbing, the nurses do the actual swabbing,” said Price. “We give patients the option if they want the nurse to do it or if they want to try out the new self swab, and if they want to do the self swab, my role is talking them through it and making them comfortable with doing the swab themselves.”
U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Anton Schultz, officer in charge at the Allegany County testing site, spoke highly of his Soldiers who impressed him daily with their dedication and care, even in freezing conditions.
“They are in direct contact with many people getting tested and are actually processing those testing kits individually on their own,” said Schultz. “They have hands on the swabs, they have hands on the vials and they are making sure the paperwork is getting done. I’m asking a lot of them and we’re out here, usually in subfreezing temperatures and these guys are standing outside all day and I haven’t heard a single [complaint] from them.”
The MDNG is also supporting testing sites in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Garrett, Montgomery and St. Mary’s Counties as well as the city of Baltimore.
