Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, responding to a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, ordered the Pentagon’s Northern Command, which has a prime focus on protecting homeland security, to compile a team of five doctors, five trainers and 20 nurses to head to Fort Sam Houston in Texas for high-level preparations to respond to any additional Ebola cases beyond the three confirmed in the country.
The training will begin within the next week, according to Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon’s spokesman. Kirby called the move “an added prudent measure to ensure our nation is ready to respond quickly, effectively, and safely in the event of additional Ebola cases in the United States.”
As laid out in the Pentagon’s official statement, this team of military medical experts would then be in a “prepare to deploy” status for 30 days, ready to move into any domestic location to assist local doctors if needed.
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