Photo By Staff Sgt. Ashley Cohen | First Lt. Korey R. Flinton, native of Leesburg, Va., and executive officer, Bravo...... read more read more
FORT BRAGG, N.C. – On the eve of Veterans Day about 70 Soldiers from the 35th Signal Brigade (Theater Tactical) began their journey to Monrovia, Liberia, to serve in the battle to contain the Ebola virus outbreak.
The Soldiers left Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Nov. 10, for an estimated nine-month humanitarian mission to provide signal and communications expertise and equipment in support of Operation United Assistance.
The team is comprised of 20 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th TTSB, out of Fort Gordon, Georgia, and about 50 from Bravo Company, 50th Signal Battalion (Expeditionary), 35th TTSB, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The Soldiers from HHC, 35th TTSB, will provide network operations support and the 50th ESB Soldiers will install, operate and maintain satellite communications.
“It’s going to be a real experience for me,” said Spc. Chadvis K. Cabbagestalk, native of Columbia, South Carolina, signal support systems specialist for HHC, 35th TTSB. “I’m excited to get this experience. It makes me feel good as a person and as a Soldier knowing that I’m doing something to help out with something bigger than myself.”
The Soldiers and their families prepared for OUA for nearly two months in anticipation for the official departure date.
“I feel a little sad and a little relieved,” said Cabbagestalk’s wife Vernica S. Cabbagestalk about saying goodbye. “I’m relieved that the time has come for him to go and come back. I know that he’s going to help people who need help. I’m excited and honored to be a part of it. I’m honored to be a military wife supporting him like he supports others.”
Soldiers of other specialties, including human resource specialists and mechanics, were also a part of the team and will provide support to the 35th TTSB Soldiers.
“I’m 100 percent confident in our Soldiers. Everybody who is going volunteered,” said 1st Sgt. Felix L. Perez, native of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, and first sergeant for B Company 50th ESB. “We will be ambassadors for the United States there and that’s the greatest thing we could do right now. I want to give back, that’s my purpose in life. I’m here to serve my Soldiers.”
The team will fall under the operational control of the Joint Force Command-United Assistance. The JFC-UA will be headquartered in Monrovia, Liberia, with U.S. Africa Command serving as the interim lead agency until the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) military support reaches full planned capability.
The 35th TTSB Soldiers will be among the approximate 4,000 members of U.S. military forces the Pentagon intends to send to add to the comprehensive U.S. Government effort, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
U.S. military focus is coordination of military support efforts in conjunction with the interagency, providing logistics, training and engineering support.
“The most important asset to the brigade is our Soldiers. It is my primary focus to bring them home safely,” said Maj. Jason A. Foreman, who will be the network operations director in charge of the 35th TTSB in West Africa.
Leading up to their departure, all Soldiers received personal protective equipment and thorough training on proper wear, decontamination and disposal.
“It’s good for them to get the training because it provides them education on precautionary preventive measure,” said Foreman a Brooklyn, New York, native, who added that the Soldiers will most likely stay in environments with low-risk of Ebola virus exposure. “The Soldiers will not be close to, or taking care of, any patient who has Ebola. But, they will be ready and prepared in case something unexpected happens or an emergency.”
All troops must receive regionally specific training on Ebola prevention, malaria prevention and other medical threats. They must also have immunizations ranging from chickenpox, influenza and hepatitis to yellow fever and pneumococcal vaccines, according to a DoD official.
All troops returning from West Africa will be required to enter a 21-day isolation at one of the designated locations including: Joint Base-Lewis McChord, Washington; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia and Army garrisons in Baumholder, Germany, and Vicenza, Italy, according to Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby.
Soldiers, families and friends, lined the sidewalk at the 50th ESB headquarters, waving as the buses departed, many with eyes swollen with tears, as they experienced and bared witness to the same kind of sacrifice and service that Veterans Day honors.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.11.2014 07:43 |
| Story ID: | 147533 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Hometown: | JUANA DIAZ, PR |
| Hometown: | BROOKLYN, NY, US |
| Hometown: | COLUMBIA, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 693 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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