Mission first mentality
Ohio National Guard, State Defense Force members complete corrections mission
Story by Stephanie Beougher, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
COLUMBUS, Ohio (03/31/21)
At the request of Gov. Mike DeWine, the Ohio National Guard has provided temporary inmate housing, staffing and medical support to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction throughout the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Beginning last April, the National Guard provided short-term medical and security support for state correctional facilities. A more robust state active duty rotation started in September 2020. Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers were deployed first, and it became a joint mission when members of the Ohio Air National Guard, Ohio Military Reserve and Ohio Naval Militia came on board at the end of December.
Guard members augmented the staff at 23 of the state’s 28 correctional institutions, providing support where critical personnel shortages arose due to COVID-19-related health issues and concerns.
“Service members were given the same duties as corrections officers. This mission presented many challenges, but our members responded with professionalism and a mission-first mentality,” said Ohio Army National Guard Capt. Michael Kappa, the officer in charge of the mission’s joint task force.
In addition, Kappa said some personnel were assigned to do medical screenings to help control the spread of the coronavirus in the facilities.
At the peak of the support in December 2020, about 290 service members were deployed to support the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) in several state prisons and the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center in Cleveland.
At the peak of the support in December 2020, about 290 service members were deployed to support the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) in several state prisons and the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center in Cleveland.
“The support and assistance provided by the Ohio National Guard over the past year has been so incredibly important to the overall operations of our agency,” said ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith. “Their Soldiers stepped up and filled in the gaps at critical times when we were faced with extreme staff shortages due to illnesses related to COVID-19. I am very grateful for this partnership and I appreciate all that they have done to ensure our prisons operated safely during the pandemic.”
Airman 1st Class Miles McFadden, of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing, based in Columbus, was deployed to the ODRC’s Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio. While it took him out of his comfort zone to be working in a prison, McFadden said he enjoyed the experience and had positive interactions with the staff and inmates.
“The COs (corrections officers) thought it was great that we were there and helping. Some of the (inmates) would say as I walked by, ‘Thank you for your service.’ I can’t recall any of them being rude or disrespectful and they appreciated us,” McFadden said.
As COVID-19 cases among the prison staff declined, so too did the need for National Guard support, with March 15 marking the final shifts by Ohio National Guard members supporting the mission. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Austin Henry, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 216th Engineer Battalion, based in Cincinnati, was among those who worked the last shift that day at the Franklin Medical Center in Columbus.
“I learned a lot and I have a lot of respect for the COs and what they do,” Henry said. “After about a month, a lot of the Soldiers, myself included, started to understand what we were there for and understood that the reason we were there was to assist where needed because corrections officers and staff were coming down with COVID. They saw the big picture and every last one of them pushed through to do the mission.”
While this mission is complete, Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr., Ohio adjutant general, said the National Guard continues to support the state’s COVID-19 response in several other roles.
“The Ohio National Guard has a no-fail contract with the state and the citizens of Ohio, and, as we have since the beginning of the pandemic, we are here to help where and when needed,” Harris said. “We are seeing progress in the fight against this virus, but it’s important we all remain vigilant by wearing our face masks, maintaining social distance and getting vaccinated when eligible.”