A two-star Army general is among a dozen soldiers being isolated
in Italy after returning from Ebola-stricken West Africa, although there
are no signs of infection, the Pentagon said Monday.
They are the first troops to be placed into what’s effectively a 21-day quarantine under a new Army policy that calls for isolating and monitoring the health of all soldiers who have deployed to the Ebola zone.
It isn’t clear yet whether soldiers based in the U.S. will be isolated at a central facility or whether they can return to their various home stations.
The decision to isolate the soldiers follows reports about the Obama administration pressing state governors to check a trend toward the imposition of quarantines for people connected with Ebola.
“The Department of the Army” decided to isolate the troops, Warren said, but he did not know who — Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, Army Secretary John McHugh or some other leader — had ordered it.
The Army’s order does not affect the Marines, sailors, airmen or U.S. civilians who have been posted to West Africa in the Ebola campaign. The Pentagon’s other two military departments of the Navy and Air Force may decide on their own to isolate their troops, or Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel may decide to issue his own order.
Warren would not confirm reports Monday that the Joint Chiefs of Staff has recommended to Hagel that he order all troops, from every service, be placed into isolation when they return home from Africa.
There’s no sign that Williams or any of his team were exposed, Warren said, explaining the “enhanced monitoring” was ordered “out of an abundance of caution” and not as the result of any “triggering event.”
Williams recently handed over command of Operation United Assistance, the Ebola response, to Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), which is sending soldiers, helicopters, equipment and other support. The American military presence in West Africa could grow to 4,000 troops or more and last for a year or beyond, defense officials say.
It wasn’t clear Monday what role the government of Italy might have had in the Army’s decision to isolate Williams and his team upon their return. Williams told reporters at the Pentagon by phone earlier this month that he knew there might be complexities involved with troops returning to their home stations in Europe as well as the U.S.
For example, commanders have also sent about 100 Marines from a base in Moron, Spain, and officials weren’t sure whether the Spanish government might insist they be isolated once they return.
“We are also starting to work with — not just Spain, Moron, but also Italy and the other places where my current forces are coming from,” Williams said. “We have folks that are here from Germany, from Italy, and all over. So, that’s being worked at higher levels to work those pieces.” http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/us-troops-ebola-quarantine-112224.html
They are the first troops to be placed into what’s effectively a 21-day quarantine under a new Army policy that calls for isolating and monitoring the health of all soldiers who have deployed to the Ebola zone.
Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, the head of U.S. Army
Africa, and 11 of his staff members were put under “enhanced monitoring”
when they returned to their headquarters after traveling to Liberia to
help kick off President Barack Obama’s military response to the Ebola
outbreak.
Another group of soldiers also due back at U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza
also is to be put into “enhanced monitoring,” Defense Department
spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters at the Pentagon. Soldiers
based in the U.S. will also get the same kind of “enhanced” response
when they return, he said.It isn’t clear yet whether soldiers based in the U.S. will be isolated at a central facility or whether they can return to their various home stations.
The decision to isolate the soldiers follows reports about the Obama administration pressing state governors to check a trend toward the imposition of quarantines for people connected with Ebola.
“The Department of the Army” decided to isolate the troops, Warren said, but he did not know who — Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, Army Secretary John McHugh or some other leader — had ordered it.
The Army’s order does not affect the Marines, sailors, airmen or U.S. civilians who have been posted to West Africa in the Ebola campaign. The Pentagon’s other two military departments of the Navy and Air Force may decide on their own to isolate their troops, or Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel may decide to issue his own order.
Warren would not confirm reports Monday that the Joint Chiefs of Staff has recommended to Hagel that he order all troops, from every service, be placed into isolation when they return home from Africa.
There’s no sign that Williams or any of his team were exposed, Warren said, explaining the “enhanced monitoring” was ordered “out of an abundance of caution” and not as the result of any “triggering event.”
Williams recently handed over command of Operation United Assistance, the Ebola response, to Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), which is sending soldiers, helicopters, equipment and other support. The American military presence in West Africa could grow to 4,000 troops or more and last for a year or beyond, defense officials say.
It wasn’t clear Monday what role the government of Italy might have had in the Army’s decision to isolate Williams and his team upon their return. Williams told reporters at the Pentagon by phone earlier this month that he knew there might be complexities involved with troops returning to their home stations in Europe as well as the U.S.
For example, commanders have also sent about 100 Marines from a base in Moron, Spain, and officials weren’t sure whether the Spanish government might insist they be isolated once they return.
“We are also starting to work with — not just Spain, Moron, but also Italy and the other places where my current forces are coming from,” Williams said. “We have folks that are here from Germany, from Italy, and all over. So, that’s being worked at higher levels to work those pieces.” http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/us-troops-ebola-quarantine-112224.html
