Overseas Navy Personnel Sew Masks to Fight COVID-19

Volunteers from U.S. Naval Air Stations across the world have taken out their sewing machines to craft masks for military personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteers at Naval Station Rota, Spain, deliver homemade masks to the installation's commissary. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Benjamin A. Lewis.

At the beginning of April, the Navy released NAVADMIN100/20, which required all service members, civilians and spouses to wear facecoverings on base when social distance couldn’t be ensured. This had a majorimpact on the personnel stationed within Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central(EURAFCENT). The host nations in the region had been hit hard by COVID-19; mosthad gone into a “lockdown” or restriction of movement in early-mid March, whichshut down many businesses, including fabric shops.

A worldwide shortage of medical face masks and the demandfor cloth face coverings in public have created a call to action for theseamsters and seamstresses.

“I was sitting at home and seeing all the news abouthospitals running out of masks, and I started looking for a way to help with mysewing,” said Andi Reyes, founder of the Medical Mask Sewing Effort: RotaMilitary Community Edition group out of Naval Station Rota, Spain.

“I found a post on Facebook that said the local hospitalsneeded help and started calling around to see how I could help," Reyessaid. "I figured I wasn’t the only one that wanted to help and put out arequest for other seamstresses in the area to pool together to sew for ourcommunity, both Spanish and American.”

“When the news reached Sigonella that we would all needmasks every time we entered the commissary, NEX [Navy Exchange], post office,etc., I knew that demand would be high, especially [since] was already ashortage for medical personnel,” said Bonnie Matthews, a seamstress from NavalAir Station Sigonella, Italy.

“I remembered I had a bunch of extra fabric, mostly leftoverfrom Christmas projects. I had been praying for a way to tangibly help amidstthe pandemic, and this seemed to be an answer to that prayer!”

While Rota and Sigonella have individuals working together, NavalSupport Activity Bahrain’s Family Readiness Group (FRG) hosted a Sew-A-Thonevent. Volunteers from the base would sew for upwards of 12 hours a day makingface coverings for personnel on base.

“We love our NSA community,” said Kile Doubravaa, a member of the Bahrain FRG. “Here we become a family because we are all so far from home, so we take care of each other. The need of double-sided face masks was made very clear to us.

"Our community has been asking of ways to help, so wereached out to those who were willing," Doubravaa said. "We haveabout 15 helpers that show up, as well as a handful that sew at home and bringin their finished mask to be distributed. We are able to get make about 100 aday, we will work until the need has been met.”

Selina Parker, from NSA Bahrain, has been making masks fromhome while working and taking care of her children. “I decided to start makingthe masks because I saw a need. Very few people in the base community hadsewing machines or the materials (and the time), and I knew I had the abilityto make the community feel safer,” Parker said.

"What I found to be much better than making eachindividually was to batch sew 10-15 at a time," Parker said. "So youdo step one for all 15 masks before moving to step two and continue working oneach as a group. You'll find you get them done a lot faster. This way I've beenable to make 50 masks in three days, all while being a mom and working!”

While some volunteers use sewing machines, not everyone hasaccess to them. One spouse from NSA Naples, Italy, has been individually sewingall of her masks by hand.

“It takes me anywhere for each mask one to two hours,depending on the materials and how tired I am,” said Louise Arndt. “I hand seweach mask making sure that they are secure and done right because I know itwill be worn by a Sailor multiple times.

"I don’t accept payment," she noted. "I havethe supplies, the experience and ability, and the time to make them. I willgladly make anyone a mask that needs a mask because it is important not onlyfor the individual but for the public as well.”

With materials in short supply and specific appearancerequirements being enforced for some tenant commands, volunteers have had tolook at new material options for creating face coverings while stillmaintaining CDC standards.

“With a worldwide shortage, we have to do what we can withthe materials we have on hand,” said Sarah West, a member of the sewing groupon Naval Station Rota. “This is only part of the solution; we make sure toremind people know that they still must adhere to social distancing policiesand stay at home.

"We're using donations, and Andi and I and a few of theother seamstresses are lucky enough to have a rather large fabric stash. We’vealso been buying sheet sets so that we have enough solid colors on hand to helpwith making sure our military have masks that respect their service.”

West said the group is expected to have more than 900 masksmade within the next week and added that not all the volunteers sew or need tosew. They can help with cutting materials and ironing fabric to expedite thesewing process for those who are able to sew. She added that those interestedin learning to sew in order to help can.

“Sewing is not hard; it’s just practice,” West said. “If youcan sew a straight line, you're good! I would look at the CDC pattern to start,and there are YouTube videos online. Use an old pillowcase or dress shirt andtry it out.”

"If you need supplies, don’t hesitate to put it outthere to your community," she advised "The greatest thing about thisis seeing how so many people have come together to help. Don’t be ashamed andthink your efforts are not good enough. I have a friend, who is one of theombudsmen from our ship, who has been practicing and practicing, and the lastmask she made was brilliant!”

As the communities within Region EURAFCENT’s area ofoperations band together making hundreds of face coverings per week, a globalpandemic and shortage of needed materials has left first responders andmilitary personnel around the world dependent on the generosity and hard workof the very people they swore to protect.