Tenn. Republicans ask DoD for Ebola mission clarity
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Two days after a visit to 101st Airborne Division headquarters at Fort Campbell to discuss the unit's controversial Ebola mission in Liberia, Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-Brentwood) gathered signatures of fellow Tennessee House Republicans on a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asking further clarification on the mission.
Joining Blackburn were Tennessee Representatives Diane Black (TN-06), Scott DesJarlais (TN-04), John Duncan (TN-02), Stephen Fincher (TN-08), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) and Phil Roe (TN-01).
The letter begins: "On Oct. 3, 2014, we were advised by the Army that 1,500 members of the 101st Airborne from Fort Campbell would be deployed to West Africa to participate in efforts to quell the Ebola outbreak. We have since been gathering information about the deployment. Many of the brave men and women serving our country at Fort Campbell are our friends, family and constituents. Their families are very concerned about the mission.
"On Wednesday, Ft. Campbell provided us with additional information about the mission, but we believe there are several issues that warrant further examination…"
Among the issues of concern are the scope of the mission, force protection and logistics support for U.S. soldiers provided by contractors or other countries, vetting of non-DoD personnel involved in the mission, perimeter security of U.S. facilities, protective equipment available for U.S. service members, training, protocols for treating service members who contract Ebola, safeguards against attacks on U.S. personnel in Liberia and prioritization for treatment with new drugs and emerging therapies for Ebola.
The letter asks for a response from DoD within 10 days of receipt.
The full text of the letter is available at: http://blackburn.house.gov/uploadedfiles/fort_campbell_letter.pdf
Only 700 of the 1,500 soldiers alerted on Oct. 3 for the Liberia mission are Fort Campbell personnel. Other soldiers, including engineer and medical personnel, are being contributed by Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Gordon, Georgia, Fort Carson, Colorado, and other Army installations. The total number of U.S. military personnel on the ground in West Africa is expected to be between 3,000 to 4,000.
Cramer response
Said Blackburn's Democratic opponent for the Tenn. 7th congressional district seat , U.S. Army veteran Dan Cramer, "While I am not privy to every detail of the training and equipping of the soldiers that are being deployed, I am confident that the Army is making sure every deploying soldier is protected and still able to perform their mission.
"From my own experience deploying to theaters with dangerous diseases, threats of chemical warfare or other unusual hazards, I can say the Army is very good at conducting predeployment training. I am also confident that no military leader would allow the soldiers under their command to deploy unless they were completely ready to perform the mission in as safe a manner as possible.
"Clearly the uncontrolled spread of Ebola would be a worldwide security disaster, and the disease needs to be stopped as soon as possible. The U.S. Army has the capabilities to help stop the spread of the disease ultimately protecting the U.S."
101st takes charge Saturday
Joint Forces Command – United Assistance, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the Liberian Ministry of Defense have invited available media to observe Saturday's Transfer of Authority ceremony at the Barclay Training Center, Monrovia, Liberia at 11 a.m.
During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, the JFC-UA commander, will officially transfer authority of the military forces assigned to Operation United Assistance to 101st Airborne commander Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky.
The 101st Airborne colors will be uncased during the ceremony signifying a formal transfer of authority to the 101st Airborne from U.S. Army Africa.
Philip Grey, 245-0719
Military affairs reporter
philipgrey@theleafchronicle.com
Twitter: @PhilipGrey_Leaf