With 700 Fort Campbell soldiers on their way to help in Ebola containment efforts in Africa, many have questions about exact nature of their mission.
To explain and reinforce the need for an American presence on the continent, executive director of the United Nations Association of the United States Chris Whatley spoke with Kentucky’s UNA-USA division last week.
"Everyone has a role to play in the fight against Ebola, but it's going to take the kind of helicopter assets and logistical capabilities that only a uniformed presence can provide," he told WAVE3-TV.
Whatley stressed that U.S. troops would not be dealing directly with infected patients but rather hauling supplies and settling up hospitals. Still, soldiers are being taught methods for avoiding the deadly virus.
Members of the 101st Airborne Division will build Ebola care centers and train health care workers in Liberia.