EAST POINT, Ga -- Ten U.S. Army Reserve units, including one from Georgia, will be involuntarily mobilized and sent to West Africa in the next few months.
The 324th Expeditionary Signal Battalion from East Point will join units from across the U.S. made up of 850 reservists called up to serve in West Africa. They'll be part of a larger group of 2,1000 National Guard and Reserve deploying as part of Operation United Assistance in Africa.
A press release from the Army Reserve said the units were selected because of their "capabilities and ability to respond to the unique demands of the mission".
"The United States Army Reserve is the Army's flexible, tailorable, and accessible Warrior-Citizen force that provides life-saving and life-sustaining capabilities to the Nation," said Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley.
The team will be providing satellite communications and tying into strategic networks, according to Col. Nikki Griffin Olive of the 335 Signal Command Theater.
An exact deployment date isn't given, but the units will mobilize sometime in early 2015. They could be deployed in West Africa up to six months. Specific medical concerns for the soldiers were also addressed in the Tuesday announcement:
All mobilizing Soldiers will conduct regionally-specific training on Ebola prevention, malaria prevention, other medical threats, and medical readiness requirements before deploying. As U.S. military personnel rotates, the Army 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.
Join the Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs