WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio - The 120 Airmen from the 88th Medical Group who departed for a COVID-19 mission in Detroit have been diligent by putting shots in arms.

The team has been providing 5,000 vaccines a day, and another thousand have been delivered by mobile vaccination teams, which local health departments and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have supplied.

All doses are scheduled by the Michigan Department of Health. One day last week, there were 300 doses remaining, which allowed vaccines to be given out in less than an hour to any walk-ins.

After announcing the remaining doses on social media, people almost immediately formed a line stretching as long as four blocks outside the community vaccination center at Ford Field, according to 88 MDG officials.  

Team leaders said Wright-Patterson AFB personnel on ground have surpassed expectations by drawing six or seven doses from each vial. This allows more people to get vaccinated at a quicker rate.

“Our medics are incredibly proud to be part of this effort to help the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan,” said Col. Christian Lyons, 88 MDG commander, “and these Airmen are so excited to be part of the solution for our nation to effectively move beyond the COVID pandemic.” 

Wright-Patt teams have been working 11.5-hour days, with 10 committed to vaccination and the other 90 minutes committed to roll call, setup and cleanup.

The 120 Airmen who deployed joined about 2,700 other military medical and support personnel from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force already supporting vaccination efforts in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information regarding the different deployment teams and community vaccination centers, refer to the FEMA playbook at www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_community-vaccination-centers_playbook_03-12-2021.pdf.