Military, veteran activities

Naval Air Station Fallon and Nevada National Guard installations continue to monitor the COVID-19 virus on a daily basis.

To help prevent the potential spread of the virus among visitors to the Navy installations, security forces are implementing "no-touch" ID checks at all access points onto and within the installations.

Personnel accessing the installations and other entry control points should be prepared to maintain possession of their IDs while the gate guards view or scan them for access verification.

According to Navy guidelines, HPCON C coincides with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning level 3 that indicates sustained community transmission. NAS Fallon has been implementing the measures formalized by HPCON C to include strict hygiene (no handshaking, wipe common-use items); social distancing, postponing or cancelling non-essential activities and avoiding large groups of more than 10 people.

DOD directive on face coverings

Service members and civilians are required to wear face coverings effective Monday at all Department of Defense installations including those in Northern Nevada and Mono County, Calif., to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper issued a military-wide memo Sunday afternoon and said individuals should make their own face coverings.

This new policy will affect Naval Air Station Fallon and the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, the Nevada National Guard in Carson City, Fallon and Reno, the Navy-Marine Reserve Center at Stead, the Hawthorne Army Depot and the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center northwest of Bridgeport and the commissary and exchange at Coleville.

“Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance in public areas or work centers (this does not include in a service member’s or service family member’s personal residence on a military installation),” according to the memo.

This includes all military personnel, DoD civilian employees and contractors, family members and all other individuals on DoD property, installations and facilities.

NAS Fallon essential and nonessential services and tenants:

The commissary, Navy Exchange, gas station and micromart, medical (including dental and pharmacy), housing office, Fleet and Family Support Center, DEERS ID card office, Pass and Decal office, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, legal assistance (active-duty only) and the Child Development Center and School Age Care are open.

Commissary hours

The commissary has also implemented restrictions. Doors open for everyone at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The commissary is open Tuesday and Friday for active-duty personnel, dependents and drilling Reservists. Every patron must have an official ID card. Guests will not be allowed. Also, limitations have been placed on the purchase of certain items such as cases of water, bleach, eggs and milk.

Governors in every state and the territories have issued Declarations of Emergency, which will allow for the mobilization of National Guard units. So far, governors in 80% of the states including Nevada have mobilized various units of the National Guard to assist in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current National Guard COVID-19 response missions include, but are not limited to: Weapons of Mass Destruction — Civil Support Teams (WMD-CSTs); Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) training and sample collection; response planners; support to medical testing facilities; response liaisons and support to state Emergency Operations Centers; support to healthcare professionals — assessments, transportation; logistics support; assisting with disinfecting/cleaning of common public spaces; providing transportation support for health care providers; collecting and delivering samples; and assisting with sample administration.

Each state that has declared an emergency has the authority to call up the National Guard.

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services 

For those seeking the assistance of a Veterans Service Officer (VSO), call 702-830-2000 and a VSO telephone call will be arranged.

For those seeking interments at either the Northern or Southern Veterans Memorial Cemetery, the NDVS is asking families if they will agree to postpone interments. Arrangements are being made for some scheduled casket interments, but ceremonies will be limited to immediate family members only (Spouse, sibling, children).

NDVS has launched “virtual visits” at the state’s veterans homes in Boulder City and Sparks to keep families connected and residents safe.

The NDVS said residents have access to devices programmed with video messaging software, and families can call to check on their welfare throughout the day.

Updates are added each week.