The Maryland Defense Force (State Defense Force) have been supporting the Maryland National Guard in their vaccination mission at New Shiloh Baptist Church.
MARYLAND DEFENSE FORCE SERVES THE COMMUNITYMembers of the Maryland Defense Force provided support to the National Guard in vaccinating Baltimore citizens at New Shiloh Baptist ChurchIt was bright and early on a Saturday morning on March 27th when members of the Maryland Defense Force assembled in the parking lot of New Shiloh Baptist Church in downtown Baltimore to assist the Maryland National Guard in providing COVID-19 vaccinations to those living in the neighborhood. Throughout the day there was a steady stream of patients receiving their vaccination shots. Soldiers in the Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) provided administrative support, building security and a qualified emergency medical technician to be ready for urgent medical treatment should the need arise.The Maryland National Guard officer-in-charge, Maj. Dana Truesdale of the Medical Detachment at Camp Fretterd, said this was “actually the third week the National Guard supported vaccinations at New Shiloh Baptist Church.” The mission of the National Guard, she continued was to “provide crowd control and patient flow throughout the facility.” Maj. Truesdale then added, “Having the Maryland Defense Force onsite was important for added assistance. We are all one team.”The success for the day came from a convergence of several varied assets. The church donated their facilities for the vaccinations. Vaccine serum and vaccinators came from Safeway pharmacies. Building security came from the Baltimore City Police, Auxiliary Police and the MDDF. And overall support came from the National Guard and the Maryland Defense Force.The hardest working man at New Shiloh Baptist Church that morning was Damone Timpson, who is a U.S. Navy veteran. His job with Immaculate Cleaning Services was to ensure all surfaces a patient or staff member might touch were completely free of germs and viruses. He had a novel instrument called an “atomizer” that showered both ultraviolet light and a disinfectant spray solution wherever he pointed it. Once every surface and chair in the room was sanitized, he would then start the whole entire process all over again and again.All who were on duty that day were most appreciative of the Maryland Defense Force presence in providing added support. The Maryland Defense Force is the State’s uniformed volunteer military unit providing professional and technical assistance to the Maryland Military Department. Established in 1917, the MDDF consists of over 170 personnel who perform legal, engineering, finance, medical, chaplain, field support and ceremonial services for the State of Maryland.MAJ Rick BarnesMDDF Public Affairs
Source: Maryland Defense Force
