JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Team 446th,
On Monday, the Secretary of Defense extended the DoD Response to COVID-19 2019 Travel Restrictions through June 30th. This may affect our June UTA.
As your leadership team has done with April and May UTAs, we are currently evaluating factors and options associated with the June UTA. We are looking into all options to ensure we balance the risks with keeping you healthy and keeping you combat-ready.
We will not likely make a decision regarding the June UTA within the next few weeks, as this situation will continue to evolve.
I do not take this decision lightly. We keep you and your families foremost in our minds, which is why we are methodically looking into all options for the June UTA. We know some rely on continued and predictable UTA participation, while others are maybe a bit more flexible. We are working to create options that address the full spectrum of risk to force and risk to mission.
That said, thank you. Thank you to all the personnel who are working tirelessly in the 446th Airlift Wing. Thank you to our 446 ASTS personnel who deployed to New York City to support COVID-19 relief efforts with less than 48-hours’ notice. Thank you to the many people who worked through the weekend to help them. And thank you. Thank you for staying resilient and flexible with us during this pandemic.
I ask for your continued flexibility as this may last 12 to 24 months, as you are already seeing in the media. We do not know what the future holds. But we will get through this together.
Please continue to connect with your chain of command if you need any resources, from financial information available from 446th Airman and Family Readiness, to resiliency support from our Chaplains and Director of Psychological Health.
Last, CMSgt Neitzel and I will hold a virtual Leadership Update on Saturday, May 2 at 1000 on the Wing’s Facebook page. I invite you to join us.
Please stay connected, stay healthy, and stay ready. We are in this together.
Best regards,
PAUL M. SKIPWORTH, Colonel, USAF
Commander, 446th Airlift Wing