ARLINGTON, Va. - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel signed an order Thursday authorizing the involuntary mobilization of approximately 2,100 Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers to support Operation United Assistance (OUA) beginning in early spring 2015. More than half of the troops being mobilized -- approximately 1,200 Citizen-Soldiers -- will come from the Minnesota, Ohio, California, Texas, Iowa and Kansas Army National Guard.
Mobilizing Army National Guard units include:
- 34th Infantry Division Headquarters, Minnesota Army National Guard
- 16th Engineer Brigade Headquarters, Ohio Army National Guard
- 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Linguist Detachment), California Army National Guard
- 272nd Engineer Company (Vertical Construction), Texas Army National Guard
- 294th Area Support Medical Company, Iowa Army National Guard
- 891st Engineer Battalion, Kansas Army National Guard
The units were selected based on their capabilities and ability to respond to the unique demands of the mission. They will deploy as part of the second rotation of OUA forces in West Africa supporting United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Army National Guard personnel will not be providing direct medical care to Ebola patients.
The Defense Secretary’s decision to mobilize National Guard units for OUA was not unexpected; the October 2014 Executive Order authorized the mobilization of selected Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve units and members of the Individual Ready Reserve in support of OUA. The executive order gave the National Guard Bureau and United States Army Reserve advance notification to prepare units and personnel for a possible deployment.
All Soldiers will conduct regionallyspecific training on Ebola prevention, malaria prevention, other medical threats, and medical readiness requirements before deploying. All Soldiers will undergo a 21-day controlled monitoring period for all redeploying Soldiers returning from Operation United Assistance to ensure they are healthy and have not contracted the Ebola virus.