Hagel credits U.S. military with Ebola progress

National Security Writer

FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday there are encouraging signs of progress against the Ebola virus in West Africa, and he said the U.S. military can take some credit for containing it.

Hagel told a group of 101st Airborne Division soldiers Monday that it is too early to say when the U.S. military’s Ebola mission in Liberia and Senegal will be finished.

“We’re not at the end yet,” he said.

Hagel toured the pre-deployment training that is given to soldiers before they go to West Africa. The soldiers are providing logistics and other support there but are not in direct contact with people infected with the virus. Nevertheless, soldiers are required to undergo 21 days of quarantine upon their return.

One soldier who has completed his training for deployment to Liberia, Sgt. Matthew Bartlett, told reporters his wife and children are “nervous, apprehensive” about him going.

A veteran of two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, Bartlett, 31, from Goldsboro, North Carolina, said he considers the Ebola mission less stressful by comparison.

“There is no one shooting back at us,” he said.

Brig Gen. Mark Stammer, the 101st Airborne’s deputy commanding general for operations, said spouses of troops deployed in Liberia are keenly focused on the issue of monitoring the soldiers after they return home to ensure they are symptom-free, but said “they understand perfectly why that is” necessary.

There currently are about 2,200 U.S. military members in Liberia and Senegal as part of the international response mission. About half of them are from Fort Campbell, he said. That number will rise to about 2,899 by December, but is well below the original plan to deploy up to 4,000 troops to do logistical and security support for medical teams fighting the virus that has killed thousands in West Africa. Recently, the numbers of new infections has begun to drop.

“There are some positive trend lines with Ebola in West Africa,” Hagel said, adding that it’s too early to say what the future holds for the military’s role there.

Hagel alluded to questions that have arisen about why U.S. troops are needed for such an unusual mission.

“The question is obvious: What is our military doing involved in a mission like Ebola?” he said. The answer, he said, is that the world faces an increasingly diverse set of threats, and pandemic diseases are among them.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

South County Fire plans push-in ceremony for newest fire engine

Anybody who attends will have the opportunity to help push the engine into the station.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

National Weather Service issues red flag warning for slopes of Cascades

High temperatures, low humidity and winds are combining for critical fire weather conditions, either “imminent or occurring now.”

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Photo courtesy of Graphite Arts Center
Amelia DiGiano’s photography is part of the “Seeing Our Planet” exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through Aug. 9 at the Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds.
A&E Calendar for July 10

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Lynnwood
Lynnwood child, 4, accidentally shoots mother, father arrested

The child retrieved a loaded firearm from his father, who was asleep at the time, South County deputies said.

Opponents of President Donald Trump’s executive order indefinitely halting refugee resettlement in the U.S. rally on the steps of the federal courthouse in Seattle on Feb. 25, 2025, after a judge issued a ruling blocking the president’s order. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
Refugees from travel ban countries must be allowed to enter US, Seattle judge rules

It’s the latest twist in the legal battle over President Trump’s attempt to block refugee resettlement.

Position 1 candidates prioritize public safety, differ on tax increases

Derica Escamilla is looking to retain her seat against challengers Dio Boucsieguez and Brandon Kimmel.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.