An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Jan. 22, 2021

Maryland National Guard assisting with vaccinations

By Lt. Col. Wayde Minami 175th WG - Maryland Air National Guard

MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – Maryland National Guard Mobile Vaccination Support Teams are working hard supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts around the state.

At Gov. Larry Hogan’s direction, the MDNG created the MVSTs to help state and local health officials administer vaccinations in accordance with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.

“This is just another great example of the responsiveness and agility of our National Guard,” Hogan said. “Whether it was the massive response when the pandemic first hit last spring or the incredibly rapid deployment to the Capitol just recently, they’ve never failed to come through in a crisis.”

Since the MVST effort kicked off on Jan. 6, the Maryland Guard has assisted county vaccination efforts in Charles, Prince George’s, Talbot, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, St. Mary’s and Cecil counties. As of Jan. 21, Maryland National Guard MVSTs had administered more than 6,000 immunizations against COVID-19 and were supporting an average of six locations a day. These efforts are continuing to ramp up as more counties request support and more vaccine becomes available.

The teams of medical professionals and support personnel come from both the Maryland Army National Guard and the Maryland Air National Guard.

“Once again, we’re breaking new ground in the fight against COVID-19,” said Army Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, the adjutant general for Maryland. “Last year, it was helping to protect the most vulnerable at nursing homes. Now, we’re helping get the vaccine to the people who need it most. Neither of these are traditional military missions, and it really shows the versatility of our Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen that they can pivot so quickly to tackle new missions.”

In addition to the county-led efforts, the state also has plans to establish mass vaccination sites in Maryland. The MDNG is working closely with state health officials in planning and preparing for the launch of these sites as soon as early February.

The MDNG has also deployed troops to help local health departments operate coronavirus testing sites.

Approximately 375 members of the Maryland National Guard are now on duty supporting the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Air Force Airman Johnnie Boggs of the 175th Medical Group works at a computer terminal entering a patient's information before they receive the COVID-19 vaccine at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., Feb. 25, 2021. The Maryland National Guard is supporting Maryland's COVID-19 vaccination initiative.
Maryland Air Guard helps out at stadium vaccination site
By Master Sgt. Christopher Schepers | Feb. 26, 2021
BALTIMORE – The Maryland Air National Guard supported the opening of a COVID-19 mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium Feb. 25. In addition to the sites at Six Flags in Bowie and the Baltimore Convention Center, Maryland...

Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers of the 200th Military Police Company, 115th Military Police Battalion, and members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina Light Infantry Battlegroup conduct reconnaissance and convoy situational training with oppositional forces during Immediate Response–DEFENDER 25, near the Red Land Training Area, Knin, Croatia, June 1, 2025. Immediate Response 25 is a U.S. Army large-scale exercise enhancing NATO integration through state partnership readiness programs, such as between the Maryland National Guard and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to further equip NATO’s regional plans and uphold U.S. commitments to the Alliance.
Maryland Guard, Croatia Support Immediate Response 25
By Airman 1st Class Sarah Hoover, | June 13, 2025
KNIN, Croatia – More than 100 Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers trained with the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) to support NATO’s large-scale exercise Immediate Response 25 at the Red Land Training Area in...

Airmen and Soldiers of the Maryland National Guard and members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina pose for a group photo after scenario injects of changing a tire and engine repair during a convoy operation from Zenica to Visoko, in Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, April 7, 2025. The Maryland National Guard and the AFBiH held a joint logistics, vehicle maintenance, and public affairs exchange — Maryland’s largest State Partnership Program event in BiH — to help prepare AFBiH for Immediate Response–DEFENDER 25.
Maryland Guard Strengthens Ties With Bosnia and Herzegovina
By Maj. Benjamin Hughes, | April 8, 2025
SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Maryland National Guard and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) conducted a joint logistics exchange as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program,...