The Rhode Island National Guard (RING) announced on Tuesday that due to health and safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Rhode Island National Guard Open House Air Show will not take place. The Guard canceled the event as a precautionary measure in the fight against the spread of coronavirus.
The show was tentatively scheduled for June. The show was also canceled in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and cancelled in 2019 due to anticipated deployments at that time.
The decision to cancel the event will give RING an additional ability to “focus RING activities on their continued commitment to the COVID-19 response and overall mission readiness of the force.”
“We explored a number of alternatives, but after careful consideration we determined there was no safe way to host this beloved event and deliver that same experience that makes it so cherished,” Maj. Gen. Christopher P. Callahan, the Adjutant General, for the Rhode Island National Guard said in a release.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to you, our community, in the state’s response to COVID-19,” said Callahan. “As your Rhode Island National Guard, we continue to provide training to civilian medical personnel, staffing various call centers, collaborating with community leaders to expand testing to more communities, assist with the COVID-19 vaccination efforts, and a number of other critical functions.”
Callahan continued in the release, “In addition, we must ensure our resources are acutely focused and ready for our mission as the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force, while mitigating the spread of this virus. We are grateful for your unwavering support and understanding, and we will get through this together.”
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