Saturday, November 8, 2014

Joint Base Lewis McChord Prepares to Quarantine Troops

JBLM could house about 1,000 quarantined troops ending Ebola missions
The Olympian
BY ADAM ASHTON
Staff writer
November 7, 2014
“Once they’re in, they’re in for the 21 days,”

American troops finishing overseas Ebola-response missions will be quarantined temporarily at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and four other domestic military bases, the Pentagon announced Friday.

Military service members departing from assignments in West Africa must spend 21 days in isolation under an order issued last week by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. The quarantines are intended to keep them away from civilians during the Ebola virus’ incubation period.

JBLM could be asked to house about 1,000 military service members during quarantines, said I Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Dennis Swanson.

They would be kept in empty, World War II-era barracks that JBLM had used until recently to house ROTC students during summertime exercises, Swanson said. The barracks area already is somewhat separate from other headquarters buildings and barracks.

Quarantined troops would eat their meals within the confinement area. They would not be able to leave unless they have a medical emergency.
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