Fort Rucker Commanding General issues G.O. 13

Significant increases in COVID-19 cases in the local area and on post—and the start of the new school year—are the reasons that Maj. Gen. David Francis cited as he issued General Order No. 13 Aug. 2.

Francis is the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker Commanding General.

In a series of General Orders tailored to the ever changing COVID pandemic statistics, Francis has outlined precautionary preventive policies for soldiers regarding on- and off-post activities since the United States President declared a national state of emergency March 13, 2020.

The local area has been designated as a high risk of transmissibility area of COVID-19 by the Center for Disease Control, Francis said. “Because of that and because we are about to begin the school year, today we are publishing General Order 13.”

Francis and Sgt. Maj. James Wilson, command sergeant major of the Aviation Branch, held a virtual news conference held Aug. 2 outside the Army Aviation Museum on post. “Effective immediately, all Department of Defense personnel and contractors, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, will wear their masks in all indoor nonresidential facilities on Fort Rucker,” Wilson said. “All military personnel are required to wear their masks while indoors at off post facilities.”

Monday’s General Order replaces the previous order issued July 13 under which all military members not wearing a mask on post were subject to being asked to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

On Friday, July 30, the Fort Rucker Facebook page posted a message noting that updated Department of Defense Mask Guidelines had been issued to all commands. Effective immediately, according to the July 30 social media post, “All individuals including service members, family members, federal employees, onsite contractor employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask indoors while on post and all those not fully vaccinated will continue to socially distance.”

General Order No. 13 applies to all those who are subject to the military authority of the Fort Rucker Senior Commander. “Family members, Department of the Army Civilians, contractors and all visitors are required to abide by this General Order while on the installation and are requested and strongly encouraged to adhere to these restrictions at all times,” according to the order. “Failure to abide by this request may result in denial of access to the installation.”

“Team, what we’ve observed during this crisis is that the most effective way to combat COVID-19 is to get the vaccine. Its been demonstrated that there are low COVID case rates among vaccinated personnel and the effects of the virus are much less severe for them,” Francis said Aug. 2. “While it remains voluntary, we highly encourage everyone to become informed about the vaccine and consider getting vaccinated to help us protect our people, protect our mission and our local communities.

“Thanks for all you do to help us continue to produce the best aviators in the world,” he added. “We will get through this together.”

Daily status updates on operations and services on Fort Rucker are available on the post’s website and social media page. The newest updates are highlighted in red.