Nearly 500 United States Troops Heading to Africa In Response to Ebola Outbreak
By David Burge / El Paso Times
09/30/2014 03:29:10 PM MDT
Nearly 500 service members from Fort Bliss will be deploying to Africa as part of the U.S. effort to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, according to a statement issued by U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, on Tuesday.
Fort Bliss officials confirmed that the installation and the 1st Armored Division will be providing soldiers, helicopters and support equipment associated with what is being called Operation United Assistance.
They will be part of a contingent of 3,000 service members who are being sent to West Africa, according to O'Rourke's statement.
Fort Bliss officials said family members of soldiers who will be deploying are being notified, but the exact number of troops, the unit or units affected, location, length and date of the deployment to West Africa haven't been determined. Pentagon officials said during a press briefing earlier on Wednesday that troops would be going to Liberia sometime in October.
The mission of Fort Bliss troops will be to "provide logistical and transportation support to U.S. personnel and international health-care workers," according to the statement from the post.
O'Rourke called this an "important humanitarian mission" that will save lives in Africa and by stopping the spread of the virus, could potentially save lives in the United States as well.
"It's another reason we're grateful for and proud of our Fort Bliss service members," O'Rourke said.
"Our thoughts, prayers and gratitude follow" these troops, he added.
Lt. Col. Lee Peters, a spokesman for Fort Bliss, said commanding general Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty has named as his top priority having a force that is well trained and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
"This is a prime example of that," Peters said.
The 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Ky., will serve as the higher headquarters during this mission to Africa.
At a briefing at the Pentagon Tuesday that focused in part on the military response to the Ebola outbreak, Defense Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby was asked about protection for the soldiers being sent.
"All the troops that are going are getting trained on personnel protective equipment and on the disease itself. As we've said before, I mean, (Defense) Secretary (Chuck) Hagel has no higher priority than force protection and making sure that the threat down there is the disease, it's not an armed threat, and so just like any other threat, we take it very, very seriously, and we'll make sure that they've got the protection that they need," Kirby said.
When asked about the length of the West Africa mission, he said, "in general we're looking at least six months, but it could go longer than that, depending on the needs of the mission."
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| Healthcare workers in West Africa on the frontline against Ebola. |
09/30/2014 03:29:10 PM MDT
Nearly 500 service members from Fort Bliss will be deploying to Africa as part of the U.S. effort to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, according to a statement issued by U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, on Tuesday.
Fort Bliss officials confirmed that the installation and the 1st Armored Division will be providing soldiers, helicopters and support equipment associated with what is being called Operation United Assistance.
They will be part of a contingent of 3,000 service members who are being sent to West Africa, according to O'Rourke's statement.
Fort Bliss officials said family members of soldiers who will be deploying are being notified, but the exact number of troops, the unit or units affected, location, length and date of the deployment to West Africa haven't been determined. Pentagon officials said during a press briefing earlier on Wednesday that troops would be going to Liberia sometime in October.
The mission of Fort Bliss troops will be to "provide logistical and transportation support to U.S. personnel and international health-care workers," according to the statement from the post.
O'Rourke called this an "important humanitarian mission" that will save lives in Africa and by stopping the spread of the virus, could potentially save lives in the United States as well.
"It's another reason we're grateful for and proud of our Fort Bliss service members," O'Rourke said.
"Our thoughts, prayers and gratitude follow" these troops, he added.
Lt. Col. Lee Peters, a spokesman for Fort Bliss, said commanding general Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty has named as his top priority having a force that is well trained and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
"This is a prime example of that," Peters said.
The 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Ky., will serve as the higher headquarters during this mission to Africa.
At a briefing at the Pentagon Tuesday that focused in part on the military response to the Ebola outbreak, Defense Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby was asked about protection for the soldiers being sent.
"All the troops that are going are getting trained on personnel protective equipment and on the disease itself. As we've said before, I mean, (Defense) Secretary (Chuck) Hagel has no higher priority than force protection and making sure that the threat down there is the disease, it's not an armed threat, and so just like any other threat, we take it very, very seriously, and we'll make sure that they've got the protection that they need," Kirby said.
When asked about the length of the West Africa mission, he said, "in general we're looking at least six months, but it could go longer than that, depending on the needs of the mission."
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