Exodus amid pandemic
Even the coronavirus doesn’t halt GIs’ annual departure
They got up earlier than usual Tuesday at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, but it was unlikely many of the troops were complaining.
It was Exodus, after all, and those in medical training were boarding buses headed to San Antonio International Airport and a flight home to see family and friends.
“Even in the early hours of movement, as early as 3 a.m., every soldier I spoke to was overflowing with excitement,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Skaggs, assigned to the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence. “The common theme expressed by all was eagerness to take a well-deserved break and happiness to reconnect with family and friends.”
Exodus has been a staple of life for decades, but perhaps held even greater significance in 2020, the Year of COVID-19.
Many of the soldiers, sailors and airmen in training around town have been isolated even more than usual to ensure they don’t catch the coronavirus.
Going home was on the minds of the troops at Terminal 2 at the USO lounge. Off for up to two weeks for the Christmas holidays, they scrolled through phones and iPads while waiting for their flights.
One of the homeward
bound GIs was Pvt. Zachry Sanmartion, 19, of Fort Eustis, Va. Sitting in a big recliner at the USO lounge, Sanmartion said he was looking forward to being with family and seeing snow.
Others were dreaming of turkey and all the trimmings, reunions with friends and lovers, and the chance to bake a pie with mom. And they literally dream, falling asleep in their recliners while sports and movies blare from big-screen TVs.
Scenes like these unfold at this time every year at the airport’s Terminal B. The military’s holiday pilgrimage has seen a small legion of troops roll through the lounge since last week. More than 3,300 soldiers and airmen are headed out of town for the COVID-19 edition of Exodus.
Soldiers from the Army’s medic training program were among the throng, rising well before first light from their barracks at Fort Sam Houston. Sailors assigned to the Medical Education & Training Campus were going home, too.
At Joint Base San AntonioLackland, as well as other military training bases around the country, graduation ceremonies no longer bring family and friends to town to celebrate the occasion. At Lackland, basic military training graduations are shown over Facebook.
Airmen in basic training will remain at Lackland this Christmas. But the Air Force said 800 others in technical training are leaving today for one week’s leave.
Like soldiers at Fort Sam, they started out their Air Force careers in isolation, spending the first two weeks in restriction-ofmovement flights before undergoing the most physical boot camp in ages.
Instead of having most of the soldiers leave the Army Medical Center of Excellence at Fort Sam, many made their escape last week. Saturday was the single heaviest travel day as 1,300 of 2,500 soldiers converged on the airport, said Letitia Williamson, a spokeswoman for the school.
The soldiers will be screened
for COVID-19 symptoms and fill out questionnaires when they return to San Antonio, but also were advised to check temperatures and watch for other symptoms while at home.
It’s possible the Army will test all returning soldiers for the virus when they come back, but no decision has been made.
“This year’s COVID environment has been especially tough on our soldiers and their families,” Army Capt. John K. Vallery, commander of C Company, 264th Medical Battalion and the overall planner in charge of this year’s holiday block leave.
“The opportunity for them to spend time with loved ones, reset and come back ready to train is vital to their success as Army medical professionals,” he added. “We have planned extensively to ensure their safety as they depart and return, and the soldiers could not be more excited for this much needed break.”