The evolution of training during a pandemic: reservists at Sector Courpus Christi, Texas, in February (left) and June, another example of reservists continued adaptiblity in mission-focused execution. Cmdr. Rebecca Albert, a reservist at Coast Guard Reserve Unit Northern Command, was already working on active duty as the Coast Guard’s liaison to the Navy’s Second Fleet, when the U.S.N.S. Comfort called the unit requesting support. Albert volunteered to be part of the advance team in the Javits Convention Center in downtown New York City—at the time, a well-known COVID-19 hotspot. In late March, she reported to the JCC to help bridge the gap between the hospitals requesting support and the staff on the Comfort who were supporting them. Albert got used to the daily temperature checks and meticulous sanitary procedures, while at the same time, coordinating more than 400 patient transfers. She shepherded the process from working with doctors to gain approval for the transfers, to working with the contracted transfer service, to navigating the dockside security procedures to get the patients on board without incident. “It was a logistical nightmare—I got really used to answering my phone at all hours of the day and night,” said Albert. “I got to know the medical operations on the ship, the people at the transfer points. In a new, unknown environment, Albert began writing down the protocols and lessons learned, mapping out a standard operating procedure for these types of transfers—processes that were already complicated by an unknown disease and complex ventilator requirements. For over a month without a day off, Albert and a fellow lieutenant commander, Brett Workman, worked on transfers to the Comfort. She said there were a lot of “3 a.m.-ers” – transfers that were easier to complete when hospital operations slowed down in the middle of the night. Albert, who graduated the Coast Guard Academy in 2002, joined the Reserve in 2009. One of her more recent tours was with a Navy CORIVERON from 2012-2014, which she said was helpful for understanding inter-service operations. Likewise for the two years of experience at her current command, CGRU NORTHCOM. Assignments in DOD combatant commands or in joint commands are colloquially known as “purple tours.” These interservice opportunities help the services get to know each other’s structures and strengths. Albert said her history of purple tours and 10 years as a reservist helped her integrate easily into the Second Fleet’s operations at the JCC. “We easily fall into that structure and know how to work with all the agencies,” she said. “We’re used to the response mentality. This is what we do. We get this.” While the Comfort didn’t handle the amount of transfers anticipated, Albert said she was glad to help the patients she could. “It’s like the starfish story,” she said, remembering the ancient tale of a man throwing individual starfish back into the sea, knowing he couldn’t help every one of them, but trying. “It wasn’t the mass of patients that was anticipated, but I know about these patients; I can help these patients.” � Cmdr. Brett R. Workman, from Bethany Beach, Del., and Cmdr. Rebecca Albert, from Colorado Springs, Colo., work in the Javits Convention Center in New York City as liasons transferring patients from hospitals to the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Keia Randall, U.S. Navy Issue 2 • 2020 � RESERVIST 23
