DOD orders all on federal installations to cover their face in public

  • Published
  • By Ray Bowden

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.-- The secretary of defense instructed everyone on a federal installation to wear cloth face coverings in public and at work when they can’t keep their social distance.

The order applies to service members, civilian employees, family members and Defense Department contractors, but not at a service member’s home if they live on base.

“Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or work areas,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper wrote in the April 5 memo sent across the Defense Department.

During the commute to the Air Force Academy, base police at the South Gate will require drivers and in some cases, passengers, to lower their face coverings for proper identification.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

“The Department of Defense is committed to taking every precaution to ensure the health and wellbeing of our service members, DoD civilian employees, families, and the nation,” Esper said in the memo.

In an April press briefing, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked everyone in the state to wear face coverings when they leave their homes.

Visit https://www.usafa.af.mil/Coronavirus and https://www.usafa.edu/news/coronavirus for more information.