Operation United Assistance

The largest outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which likely began in a rural area of Guinea in December 2013, was first detected in March 2014 and is now also affecting regions of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Several thousand suspected and confirmed cases of EVD have been reported from the affected countries; about 70% of the cases have died. Disease control efforts in affected regions have been difficult due to lack of sufficient healthcare resources, poor living conditions, misinformation, local traditions (such as burial/funeral practices which increase disease transmission), and not seeking medical care due to distrust.

At the President’s direction, the U.S. Government is coordinating and operationalizing a comprehensive strategy to respond to the threat of Ebola here at home, enhance our broader domestic preparedness, and contain the epidemic in West Africa.

The President’s priority is the health and safety of Americans, and he has directed his team to take all necessary steps to stop the chain of transmission and address any shortcomings that come to light. Over the longer-term, we recognize that the only way to prevent additional cases at home will be to contain and end the epidemic at its source in West Africa.

The Army’s mission is to provide support in the areas of:

• Engineering (such as building medical treatment centers)
• Logistics (such as providing supplies and equipment to help local health care workers successfully take care of Ebola patients)
• Training for local health care workers to help them better take care of their patients while protecting themselves from possible infection 

The Army has not directed US military personnel to provide direct medical care to Ebola patients. They do have processes and trainings in place to best support those deploying Soldiers and DA Civilians.

For more information please access the resources and links provided on this page.

The video posted 21 October 2014, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said the operation in West Africa is a national security priority and the Defense Department will do all it can to protect the health of its personnel before, during and after their deployments.

A total of 13,703 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in six affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain, and the United States of America) and two previously affected countries (Nigeria and Senegal) up to the end of 27 October. There have been 4,922 deaths. View the Ebola Response Roadmap Situation Report to find out more information.

For more information regarding Operation United Assistance and EVD visit the following links:

Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby on Controlled Monitoring for Personnel Returning from Operation United Assistance