The Montana National Guard implemented a policy July 6 requiring a cloth face covering be worn by anyone entering a Montana National Guard facility and by members and employees of the Montana National Guard “to preserve military and disaster response readiness for the people of Montana by preserving the health of our military and disaster response force during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to post by the Guard, a cloth face covering must be worn by members and employees of the Montana National Guard:

• While traveling in a vehicle with another, who is not a member of the individual’s household, on official business or during duty hours;
• While conducting official business off the installation if a distance of six feet is not maintained from all others;
• While conducting personal business off the installation in uniform in commercial establishments, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and coffee shops;
• At all times when required for “other personnel in Montana National Guard facilities or installations.”

A cloth face covering will be worn by other personnel in Montana National Guard facilities or installations including contractors, dependents, retirees, state employees, members of other military services, members of the general public and any other individual who enters the premises of a Montana National Guard facility or installation in the following circumstances:

• While within six feet of another person, regardless of location, within any Montana National Guard facility;
• While within common areas such as hallways, break rooms, gyms and latrines, regardless of distance from others;
• While within work spaces such as shared offices or cubicles, where a distance of six feet from all others is not maintained.

The Montana National Guard’s cloth face cover requirements are:

• it must fit snugly and completely cover the mouth and nostrils while worn;
• that while in military uniform, the mask will be professional in appearance, without commercial logos, or faddish designs;
• that while in civilian clothes on duty, the mask will be professional in appearance, without any obscene language or images.

Exceptions and exemptions are:

• While eating or drinking if a distance of six feet from all others is maintained;
• When doing so creates a safety risk, such as while performing military flight duties or while performing firefighting activities;
• When conducting physical training while maintaining a minimum six foot distance from all others;
• While performing funeral honors ceremonies.