NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Starting yesterday, the Tennessee National Guard has begun supporting ten additional medical centers throughout Tennessee as they continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing the Guard’s total support to 32 medical facilities across the state.

At the request of the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, roughly 80 Soldiers and Airmen from the Tennessee National Guard, who specialize in administration, began supporting medical staff at hospitals in Clarksville, Crossville, Harriman, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Memphis, Murfreesboro, Nashville, and Tazwell.

Guardsmen can work in many types of hospital units and help with various tasks as required. This augmentation of National Guard staff is not impacting civilian health care roles but rather freeing up health care professionals to work more effectively and efficiently.    

Currently, there are more than 310 Tennessee National Guardsmen supporting 24 hospitals and 8 monocolonal infusion centers statewide.

Since March 2020, the Soldiers and Airmen of the Tennessee National Guard have been working alongside and supporting the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and various other state and local agencies to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Thousands of Tennessee Guardsmen have volunteered to help during the pandemic. Over the last 18 months, anywhere from 250-700 Guardsmen have been actively supporting the testing and vaccination efforts across the state. This has resulted in Tennessee Guardsmen supporting the testing of more than 930,000 Tennesseans and the vaccination of over 1 million.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Tennessee National Guard is prepared and ready to support any request for assistance through TEMA.