Posted Friday, April 3, 2020 10:47 am

About 40 members of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 193rd Special Operations Wing, based at Harrisburg International Airport, have been on the front line fighting the COVID-19 pandemic at a drive-through testing center in Montgomery County.

Part of the wing’s highly skilled Medical Group, the airmen — the term applies to men and women of all ranks — all volunteered for the mission, said Maj. Jay Ostrich, wing spokesman.

The 193rd airmen are among about 80 state National Guard members who were directed by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to support Montgomery County officials in setting up the county’s first mass testing site for the coronavirus in Upper Dublin Township.

The 193rd was “proud to partner with our sister Wing,” the 111th Attack Wing, in working to open the drive-through testing location at Temple University’s Ambler Campus on March 21, Ostrich said.

The Guard members teamed with officials from the county, Upper Dublin Township, Temple, and from state and federal agencies to stand up the center, according to a story posted by the 111th.

Testing was by appointment only, and no treatment was being administered on site.

Otherwise, the 193rd has taken steps to limit access to the base on HIA to prevent spread of the virus. The office on base that issues military identification cards to retirees is closed, according to the wing’s Facebook page.

An expired ID card does not mean your military health care benefits have expired, as these benefits are not directly connected to one’s ID card, according to the notice.

“Our focus continues to be on maintaining combat capability and readiness for our federal missions while standing ready to continue our support for the citizens of our commonwealth,” Ostrich said. “To do so, we have limited access to the base to mission-critical personnel only, and reduced our footprint with telework and adhering to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance on social distancing.”

The 193rd is based at HIA and has more than 1,900 members, most of them traditional National Guard members from throughout Pennsylvania who serve one weekend a month and at least 15 active duty days per year.

The wing is home to the only airborne Military Information Support Operations broadcasting platform in the U.S. military, according to the wing’s website.

The unit has the capability to conduct information operations, military information support operations and broadcast in FM, television and military communications bands, all aboard a four-engine Hercules transport aircraft, the EC-130J Commando Solo.

In peacetime, the wing serves under the governor of Pennsylvania and supports civilian authorities during natural disaster or homeland security. In wartime, the wing is part of the Air Force Special Operations Command based at Hurlburt Field in Florida.