Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby on the Mobilization of Reserve Forces in Support of Operation United Assistance
November 14, 2014

Last night, Secretary Hagel signed an order authorizing the involuntary mobilization of approximately 2,100 Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers to support Operation United Assistance. Army officials are in the process of notifying individual soldiers and their families of this mobilization. Once all of the appropriate notifications have been completed, we will provide additional information about units and specialties being mobilized.

These troops will replace forces in Senegal and Liberia who are supporting our whole-of-government response to the most devastating Ebola outbreak in history.

All soldiers will conduct regionally-specific training on Ebola prevention, malaria prevention, other medical threats, and medical readiness requirements before deploying. As we rotate U.S. military personnel, we will take all prudent steps necessary to ensure their safety and implement procedures and protocols to reduce or eliminate the risk of transmission of the Ebola virus.