Tennessee guard hits milestone by administering 400,000 COVID-19 tests to residents

Members of the Tennessee National Guard working in special projects since early Spring recently achieved a milestone.

Guardsmen assigned to 21 regional assessment sites across the state to administer COVID-19 exam just completed test number 400,000 last week, according to a report from the agency.

More than 57,000 of those tests were given to residents in the most vulnerable populations. National Guard soldiers also collected thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment and worked with state emergency management officials to distribute 12 million units to those in need.

(Sgt. Robert Neal (left), an Infantryman assigned to 2nd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and Spc. Jason Bahr, a Combat Medic with the 208th Area Support Medical Company, perform COVID-19 testing at a Regional Assessment Site in Montgomery County, Sept. 28. Since late March, up to 2,000 Tennessee National Guardsmen have been activated in some capacity to provide support to the Tennessee Department of Health in their fight against COVID-19. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Cordeiro)