Military members deployed to Stamford Hospital got a special thank you Tuesday for their help with the influx of COVID-19 patients.

Staff lined the lobby, holding signs and flags, in a final salute to the men and women who've worked by their sides for the past six weeks.

In April, members of the Connecticut National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves arrived at the hospital and recommissioned a closed down building as an alternative care site.

"I think we developed a genuine bond," says Dr. Rohit Bhalla, the vice president of clinical affairs and quality at Stamford Health. "They are the military, we are Stamford Health but at the end of the day, they're doctors, they're nurses, they're therapists; we're doctors, we're nurses, we're therapists."

Navy and Air Force reserves have also joined the fight against coronavirus at the hospital, bringing the total number of military members to about 130.

With COVID-19 hospitalizations dropping, the service members are headed home.

"You were called upon during this pandemic to leave your homes and your family behind in order to support your fellow citizens. Connecticut citizens were in need and you answered the call," says Brig. Gen. Ralph Hedenberg, the commander of the Joint Task Force-Connecticut.

Staff members say while they'll miss their military colleagues, their departure is a sign of hope.

"You became, for this short moment in time, part of the fabric of the care that we provided to our patients," says Kathleen Silard, the president and CEO of Stamford Health.