President Trump signed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday, the largest fiscal relief measure passed in U.S. history. The Department of Defense will receive $10.5 billion funding the following categories: health care and insurance, personnel, investment, purchasing, and operation and maintenance. An abridged overview of the Pentagon’s portion of the relief package can be found here.   

Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator James Inhofe, issued a message regarding the recent confirmation of Jordan Gillis to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. “Mr. Gillis will play an essential role in responding to the COVID-19 crisis within the military. I am also glad that we will have Senate-confirmed leadership managing the Military Housing Privatization Initiative as we work to clean up this program and ensure we are taking care of our military families,” wrote Inhofe. The confirmation occurred during the Senate’s approval of the CARES act.  

Over 14,600 National Guardsman have been deployed throughout the United States. Military Times reports a 2,300 increase in Guard troops since Friday morning.  

Hospital ship USNS Mercy arrived in Los Angeles on Friday, bringing over 1,000 hospital beds to the region and 800 Navy medical personnel. USNS Comfort departed Norfolk, Virginia recently and is expected to arrive in New York on Monday. 

Lockheed Martin announced it will give $50 million to small and medium-sized business partners to keep supply chains fluid during the pandemic. Additionally, the company will donate $10 million to nonprofits supporting COVID-19 response efforts, as well as offering use of its corporate aircraft and vehicle fleet for logistic support and delivering medical supplies.  

The Department of Veteran Affairs announced it will be opening 50 beds in New York City to non-Veteran, non-COVID patients to help with the outbreak in the region.

U.S. Navy photo // Kelsey L. Adams