Dempsey Says Combating Ebola a National Security Priority

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
FORT MEADE, Md., Oct. 22, 2014 - In a video message to the force, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff called the fight against Ebola in West Africa a U.S. national security priority and said the health and safety of American service members deployed to the region will be safeguarded.
Army Gen. Martin E, Dempsey told troops that the U.S. military will leverage its unique capabilities to support international and U.S. efforts in response to the crisis.
The disease has claimed the lives of more than 4,500 people in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to United Nations statistics. The World Health Organization says that, left unchecked, 1.4 million people could have Ebola by the end of the year. The mortality rate from the virus is between 60 and 70 percent.
Up to 4,000 U.S. service members may eventually deploy to western Africa, and 632 personnel are already in the region -- 511 in the Liberian capital of Monrovia and 121 in a staging area in nearby Dakar, Senegal.
Fully trained and equipped
The U.S. military mission to West Africa will not include direct patient care, Dempsey noted. Still, "the safety and health of the men and women of our Joint Force -- and our families -- remains of the utmost importance to me and the Joint Chiefs," he said.
"We're making sure the men and women who deploy are provided with the right training and the proper protective equipment," the general said. "We have ensured the highest medical and safety protocols are in place before, during and after deployment."
During deployment, leaders will conduct daily temperature and symptom checks of all service members. Before the troops return to their home stations, "we will conduct controlled assessments based on the degree to which they've been exposed and risk," Dempsey said. "We will also ensure daily monitoring by leadership for 21 days upon return to quickly identify any signs of illness."
As the deployment continues, officials will conduct continual assessments to determine if there are better ways to protect American forces or if more stringent medical protocols need to be in place.
"Our training and equipment is the best in the world," Dempsey said. "And our leadership and our discipline will ensure that we accomplish our mission effectively and safely.
"While we have every interest in keeping this terrible disease an away game, domestically we will also have a team of medical experts on standby to assist our civilian professionals if they're needed," he continued.
American forces are working to build a 25-bed hospital for medical personnel who might be exposed to Ebola, and officials have said construction should finish by Nov. 5. Public Health Service personnel will staff the facility and are scheduled to arrive Nov. 1.
Personnel are also constructing 17 Ebola treatment facilities, and labs staffed by U.S. personnel have already tested thousands of samples for Ebola.