JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – At the request of the State of Mississippi through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 20 military medical personnel have deployed to Jackson, Mississippi, while another 20 will deploy to Tupelo, Mississippi.
The military personnel, including nurses, respiratory therapists and medical doctors, will support the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson and the North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo in Tupelo.
U.S. Army North, under U.S. Northern Command’s oversight, will provide operational command of the active-duty military COVID-19 response team in support of federal efforts and the state.
“Every day we continue to fulfill our mission to supplement medical staffing at our hospitals,” said Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.). “These two teams will be yet another resource supporting Mississippi’s COVID-19 response and we look forward to welcoming them to our state.”
“The Mississippi National Guard is proud to partner with U.S. Northern Command as we work together to provide vital support to our strained medical professionals and resources to continue the fight against COVID-19,” said Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi. “We understand the ongoing challenges that plague our state and our nation, and we want to reassure the citizens of Mississippi that we stand ready and committed to the ongoing efforts supporting our local, state, and federal partners.”
A 20-person team from the Air Force was also deployed to Louisiana to support the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. Last week, 20 military medical personnel from the U.S. Navy deployed to Lafayette, Louisiana to support Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center.