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Together to Defeat COVID-19

By Sgt. Arcadia Hammack, 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade Public Affairs

Nurses from Maxim Healthcare Services work alongside a Maryland National Guardsman at the Six Flags Mass Vaccination Site on Feb. 24, 2021, in Bowie, Maryland.

More than 115 Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers from Task Force 291, 58th Troop Command, and 29th Combat Aviation Brigade are providing direct support to county health departments in Maryland to assist with the acceleration of COVID-19 vaccination efforts at the Six Flags Mass Vaccination Site in Bowie, Maryland, beginning on Feb. 3, 2021.

Through the partnership with the MDNG, Maryland Department of Health, and Maxim Healthcare Services, the teams were able to vaccinate 4,000 Marylanders in one day for the first time on March 5, 2021, with a plan to eventually vaccinate up to 6,000 Marylanders a day.

“It’s awesome working with the civilians here, they support us and we support them. It’s a good dynamic,” said U.S. Army Spc. Joseph Wolfe, a healthcare specialist with the 104th Medical Company Area Support. “It kind of shows that we don’t just fight wars, we’re also here helping out on the on the home front.”

Maryland National Guard Spc. Joseph Wolfe, a combat medic with the 104th Medical Company Area Support, and Fatou Holley, a nurse with Maxim Healthcare Services, pose for a photo at the Six Flags Mass Vaccination Site on Feb. 24, 2021, in Bowie, Maryland.

At the mass vaccination site, there are more than 200 MHS nurses, MDH contractors, and Guard members working each day, getting as many Marylanders vaccinated as possible.

“This crisis has been weighing heavy on a lot of people, mentally and physically, so it feels really good to be able to help with the solution,” said Ariana Snyder, a nurse with MHS. “It’s been fun just to see how the Guard operates, and then see how we operate and do it together.”

Four white tents make up the vaccination site. Each tent has two vehicle lanes, and there are 2-3 stations in each lane. In each tent, there are approximately 8-14 nurse contractors and 2-4 Guard members, with the rest of the Service members assisting with screening patients, observing patients after receiving the vaccine, and providing traffic control.

U.S. Army Spc. Paul Seegren, a member of the 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion, directs traffic at the Six Flags Mass Vaccination Site on March 3, 2021, in Bowie, Maryland.

“We are here to make sure the patients are safe while they’re here waiting, as well as when they go to leave,” said U.S. Army Spc. Damon Dallas, a traffic guide and observer at the vaccination site assigned to Task Force 291.

Through the partnership with the Maryland Department of Health, Maxim Healthcare Services, and the Maryland National Guard, the teams have been able to work together to help protect their community against the virus.

“They have been very grateful,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Conlon, a healthcare specialist with the 104th MCAS. “And we’re happy to be here.”

In addition to the Six Flags site, the Maryland National Guard is assisting Marylanders to a receive their vaccine at the Baltimore Convention Center and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, along with the mobile vaccination support teams at local health department vaccination.

“I want to thank the state of Maryland, Maxim Healthcare Services, and the National Guard,” said Snyder. “The structure is amazing here and I want to thank everybody just coming together.”