An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News | April 23, 2020

Excess property site at Camp Pendleton provides N95 masks to Navy hospital

By Jeffrey Landenberger DLA Disposition Services Public Affairs

Materials Examiner and Identifier Shawn Guy made a valuable find March 26 when he discovered 2,680 N95 masks at the Defense Logistics Agency property disposal site at Camp Pendleton, California.

Pendleton employees had been looking for items that could potentially help fight COVID-19 when Guy recognized the name of a medical device manufacturer he’d encountered in a previous job on the side of some boxes. Inside, Guy found masks that had been turned in to DLA Disposition Services after exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended shelf life. Knowing masks are in high demand, Guy informed his supervisor and local property disposal area manager, Luis Guzman, who then went to work researching whether the masks were still useable.

Two men load boxes into a pickup truck
Materials Examiner and Identifier Shawn Guy of DLA Disposition Services at Camp Pendleton, California, helps a civilian staff member of the local Naval Hospital load N95 Mask that had been turned into DLA but are needed to help keep health workers safe in the fight against COVID-19. Photo by Stephen Kempf
Two men load boxes into a pickup truck
Mask hand off
Materials Examiner and Identifier Shawn Guy of DLA Disposition Services at Camp Pendleton, California, helps a civilian staff member of the local Naval Hospital load N95 Mask that had been turned into DLA but are needed to help keep health workers safe in the fight against COVID-19. Photo by Stephen Kempf
Photo By: Jeff Landenberger
VIRIN: 200413-D-AA987-283

“I first contacted the manufacturers to ask them what their coding was on their tags because it did not specify exactly when it was expired,” Guzman said.

Armed with the answer, he contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was told the masks could be used except in surgical settings. According to the CDC, expired N95 masks provide greater protection than mouth and nose covers such as bandannas.

The masks have been evaluated by DLA Troop Support and offered to Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, which is in the process of acquiring them.

“It makes me feel really good, you know?” Guy said. “What I do here at DLA directly impacts the hospital on base.”