The Mount Rushmore National Monument located in the Black Hills of South Dakota contains the colossal sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. According to the National Park Service, these specific individuals were selected because their leadership helped enable the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. Each had ties to the National Guard through their service in their state or colony’s militia – the precursor to today’s National Guard.
National Guard members are trained to be able to lead in times of unpredictability. The year 2020, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, was one of the most unusual in recent history. During the year, U.S. military service members were deployed around the world in support of ongoing operations and responding to public unrest.
One such Soldier, Staff Sgt. Josh Cunningham of the New Mexico Army National Guard, served both overseas and domestically. In November 2019, Cunningham—with other NMNG Soldiers—deployed as a squad leader attached to the 41st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the Oregon Army National Guard in support of Operation Octave Shield on the Horn of Africa. The 41st BCT established defensive positions through the area of operations and served as the East African Quick Response Force. While on the Horn Africa, Cunningham and the 41st BCT conducted the Battle Damage Assessment of the Manda Bay attack.
Cunningham said that in December 2019, Soldiers in the area began to complain about an upper respiratory infection but recovered in the first month. He added that contractors returning from Afghanistan also complained of suffering from an unusual upper respiratory infection. In January 2020, more information came out concerning coronavirus. Because of their physical separation from the United States, the news about COVID-19 was, at times, confusing.
Information from back home detailed the severity of the pandemic. Cunningham said that his unit had consistently conducted physical training and performed dismounted patrols in the extreme African heat, which enabled the Soldiers to achieve a high level of fitness. This level of fitness potentially led to the Soldiers being able to recover from their upper respiratory infections.
While COVID-19 was reported as being extremely serious, the deployed Soldiers appeared to recover from a similar respiratory infection. Leaders in the National Guard worked to help themselves and their Soldiers understand the situation.
Because of their location, there was still the immediate threat of attacks like Manda Bay. Additionally, most people on the Horn of Africa seemed to be more concerned about diseases like Ebola or malaria.
Cunningham worked to ensure that his Soldiers understood the current situation. Due to the fluid nature of scientific research, safety guidelines were consistently changing.
As the 41st BCT went through the uniqueness of the pandemic, they continued to conduct patrols. At the end of their deployment, the unit returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, in August 2020. They went through new COVID-19 protocols which required their unit to remain in a barracks building. White engineer tape surrounded their building, and the unit was not allowed outside of that area.
They remained in the building for two entire weeks.
While the process potentially helped prevent the spread of COVID-19, the extreme isolation presented a unique problem to leadership. Cunningham and other leaders had to find ways to maintain morale and prevent potential mental health issues due to the extreme isolation.
When Cunningham returned to New Mexico, he and other NMNG members found themselves in the middle of a declared state of emergency. While deployed they hadn’t experienced the surreal experience of the social distancing and lockdowns here in the United States.
After returning, Cunningham went on to State Active Duty orders in December 2020 to help support the New Mexico State government, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Department of Health (DOH) to combat the virus. Cunningham and the NMNG helped distribute supplies and resources to medical facilities throughout the state, as well as conducting testing and vaccinations.
The first planned day of vaccinations brought heavy winds, which made the use of tents impractical. Cunningham devised a solution: Individuals would drive through the vaccination site and receive the shots while still in their vehicles.
This course of action mitigated the effects of the heavy winds, enabled more social distancing, and ultimately allowed for the success of the vaccination sites. Cunningham, as the Northwest Regional Manager, oversaw multiple vaccination sites handling approximately 300 people at each event. NMNG members helped combat the spread of COVID-19 and positively impacted their state.
As strife in Europe, wildfires in New Mexico, and worldwide supply chain issues continue, it may not be easy to see a return to normalcy. As in the past, members of the National Guard will serve our citizens through troubling times. NMNG members like Cunningham will continue to protect their country, state, and communities.
Editor’s Note: The accompanying photograph shows New Mexico National Guard medic Spc. Angelica Vargas explaining the updated COVID-19 vaccination card to a citizen she immunized during a drive-through clinic in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. (Photo by Spc. Cesar Salazar Jr., 200th Public Affairs Detachment)
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