[icopyright one button toolbar]
As America was sending the first of our troops to West Africa to help combat the Ebola virus, the safety and wellbeing of those troops was foremost on everyone’s mind:The families of those being deployed, the American people in general and the military leaders responsible for such a mission.
These were some initial reactions from those who would be most directly affected by those deployments, who would just be doing their jobs.
Sgt. Jesus Sanchez at Fort Campbell says, “I’ll be honest with you…I’m kind of scared … but we’re going out there to help.
Maj. Jim Wade, also from Fort Campbell, who has two young kids, says he is confident he can remain safe, despite the dangers. “It’s our job,” he says.
Spc. Michael Potts, 29, a 5-year Army veteran at Fort Hood, Texas, who has previously deployed to Afghanistan, says he’s not nervous — but his family’s a bit jittery.
“They are always worried,” he says. “As long as we’re taken care of and we’re focused on what we have to do in order to help out … then we’ll be all right,” he adds.
As the first of these troops were being deployed, Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of U.S. Africa Command promised: “As we deploy America’s sons and daughters to support the comprehensive U.S. government effort led by the U.S. Agency for International Development, we’ll do everything in our power to address and mitigate any potential risk to our service members and civilian employees and their families.”
So far, “knock on wood,” the concerns and worst fears have not materialized.
Last week, Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the operation’s commander, said no U.S. troops have shown symptoms of infection in twice-daily health checks.
Nevertheless, the military are taking every precaution.
The first group of 90 service members returned from missions combating the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa to Joint Base Langley-Eustis’ Langley Transit Center on Nov. 13 to begin a 21-day “controlled monitoring period” prior to returning to their home stations.
Soldiers look on as service members disembark a bus upon arrival at Langley Transit Center Nov. 13, 2014, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Service members from multiple branches of the armed forces will undergo a 21-day controlled monitoring period at the transit center after returning from fighting the spread of Ebola in West Africa in support of Operation United Assistance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jason J. Brown)
The 633rd Air Base Wing (ABW) at Langley-Eustis has established “a precedent-setting controlled monitoring area to comfortably house and serve military personnel returning from missions combating the Ebola virus in West Africa.”
The camp, dubbed Langley Transit Center, is comprised of 21 buildings, including dormitories, bathroom and shower facilities, a fitness center, cafeteria, and an entertainment and recreation center — all built and managed by 633rd ABW personnel, according to DOD.
Senior Airman David Royal cleans equipment transferred from base fitness centers Nov. 6, 2014, to the Langley Transit Center at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Royal is a 633rd Force Support Squadron fitness assessment cell monitor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard)
The Center will not only provide comfortable accommodations but also routine medical check-ups, including twice-daily body temperature checks, for the returning members during the controlled monitoring period. However, returning members will be physically separated from family members and the general public.
In the event a service member exhibits symptoms consistent with Ebola, “the transit center staff has a robust disease monitoring and mitigation plan in place.”
Langley-Eustis is one of five military installations in the U.S. designated by the Department of Defense as “controlled monitoring sites.”
In the meantime, the Army has identified 15 National Guard and Reserve units from around the United States to deploy early next year to West Africa in support of the fight against Ebola.
On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Hagel signed an order authorizing the deployment of about 2,100 Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers to Africa to replace deployed troops.
A list of those units can be found here.
Lead photo: U.S. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Wayne Pritt, 633rd Medical Group commander (wearing vest), speaks to Service members arriving at the Langley Transit Center at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Nov. 13, 2014. The arriving personnel were deployed to combat Ebola in West Africa as part of Operation United Assistance, and will undergo a 21-day controlled monitoring period at the transit center before returning to their home stations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jason J. Brown)
Sources:
1. Transit Center opens to house Ebola response returnees
2. First 90 returnees enter controlled monitoring period after Ebola response
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.