Granville man deploying to combat virus

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Butch Hurlburt

In what he calls his civic effort to combat and halt the spread of COVID-19, a Granville man is being deployed downstate along with several other members of the four New York military branches.

Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 Taskforce directive known as “Operation Sustained COVID-19 Support”, Granville VFW Post 1653 Commander Wayne “Butch” Hurlburt, 67, is being shipped down Jan. 18 to Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, just outside of Peekskill, along with 70 other servicemen and women in the New York State Naval Militia, to assist with the distribution and vaccination process.

“In effect, we’re the governor’s navy,” Hurlburt said. “This is my civic duty; I’ve been doing this since 1977.”

Hurlburt is unaware of his exact responsibilities and orders at the moment, as it’s up to commanding officers on site to provide tasks and have Hurlbert and others help where they can. He is just as excited for this mission as he was when he assisted with relief for flooding in Puerto Rico many years ago.

“Our job is going to be whatever the surveying counterparts say we need to do,” Hurlburt said.

Deputy Commander of the NYS Naval Militia Captain David Hawley provided insight on the general purpose personnel’s orders when they arrive and who makes up the NYS Naval Militia.

“We are tasked with providing personnel for COVID support,” Hawley said. “Personnel in the Naval Militia are members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Marine Reserves, or they are former members.”

Hawley explained the deployed individuals will be responsible for “behind-the-scenes” work in the vaccination process including anything from operating a forklift loaded with supplies to directing traffic and dealing with the registration forms.

“We’re only writing orders for 90 days at a time, approximately,” Hawley said. “Because they are volunteer orders, it could end at any time.”

Disaster relief is typically where the Naval Militia come in to assist at the orders of the governor. Hawley and Hurlburt both mentioned taking action during the 2019 Lake Ontario floods in Rochester.

Eric Durr is the director of public affairs for the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs, and he spoke about the state’s military branches’ steady approach for almost a full year.

“We have been at this mission since March 10 of last year,” Durr said, “5,066 members were on that detail last year.”

Durr elaborated on the three facilities where the focus is centralized, downstate at the Jacob K. Javits Center in the Hell’s Kitchen section of New York City and the Westchester County Center in White Plains, as well as Western New York at the New York State Fair Expo Center in Syracuse.

Photo Courtesy of New York National Guard Flickr page. The New York National Guard gets briefed at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Gov. Cuomo announced in a Jan. 13 press release the three locations mentioned were open for vaccinations by appointment only beginning that day, with Jones Beach in Wantagh joining on Jan. 14 and SUNY Albany’s campus on Jan. 15. To date, this makes 13 vaccination sites across the state when appointments are available.

“Our singular focus is getting shots into arms and with the opening of these state-run sites today, we are doing just that,” Gov. Cuomo said in his press release. “We are making the vaccine available based on federal guidance and are continuing to push it out the door quickly and efficiently, but due to the federal government’s limited allocation, appointments are filling up fast. At the end of the day, this is a supply issue and we need the federal government to provide us with more vaccine(s) as quickly as possible because there is simply not enough and this is the weapon that will win the war.”

Durr expressed his appreciation as well as further insight to the responsibilities of both NYS Naval Militia and NY National Guard members.

“We’re doing the administration and logistic support,” Durr said. “We appreciate the efforts of all of our service members.”

Hawley spoke briefly about the willingness of everyone who is being sent down without fully knowing the situation and their respective tasks.

“It makes me extremely proud that the first thing they say is ‘yes’,” Hawley said. “They volunteer and then they ask what they’re going to do.”

Confirming around 150 total members of the NYS Naval Militia will be deployed by the end of next week and 3,000 total military men and women in NYS by the end of the month, Hawley said it’s a combined effort of the New York National Guard, the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard and the New York Naval Militia to do their part to create peace in drastic times.

“All of these things happen behind the scenes in order to end the pandemic a little faster,” Hawley said.

Hurlburt is ready to move on from the pandemic and get back to what’s important to him, spending time with his family.

“I think it’s everybody’s responsibility to help where you can and when you can,” Hurlburt said. “It takes a team… let’s drive this damn thing away.”

For those wondering if they are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, go to https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/Public/prescreener, and to read Gov. Cuomo’s full press release from Jan. 13, go to https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-state-vaccination-sites-now-open