My Q to DoD Acquisition Chief: "Joint Chiefs on Feb 1 warned a pandemic was coming, what did you do to begin stockpiling masks, [PPE,] and ventilators at that time, can you take us back to when you started and why there isn't a greater stockpile in the U.S. military right now?"
Ellen Lord: "There is actually a very significant stockpile in the U.S. military... There are I believe 200 ventilators.
Griffin: "I believe it was 2,000 ventilators that you had, did you start buying more ventilators? 2,000 is not going to solve the current crisis?"
Griffin: "I believe it was 2,000 ventilators that you had, did you start buying more ventilators? 2,000 is not going to solve the current crisis?"
Ellen Lord: "I understand. We are working on procuring more ventilators right now."
My Q: But 6-weeks later, Feb. 1st was when the EXORD [execute order] went out, it's hard to understand why this is just beginning right now?
My Q: But 6-weeks later, Feb. 1st was when the EXORD [execute order] went out, it's hard to understand why this is just beginning right now?
Ellen Lord, DoD Acquisition chief: "There were a lot of different efforts going on throughout the services throughout the agencies within DoD... We just started standing up [an all of government] capability on Friday." Says they must wait for FEMA and HHS demand.
