A C-17 U.S. military transport aircraft landed Wednesday carrying Army Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, who will command Operation United Assistance, along with a team of 12 military personnel to conduct site surveys and planning for construction of Ebola treatment units in Liberia.
-----------snip---------
Speaking to reporters Friday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said thousands of promised American troops will be moving into Africa over the next 30 days to set up facilities and form training teams to help the Africans treat Ebola victims.

Before troops are sent in, Odierno says the Army needs to make sure they are prepared to operate in that environment, which includes health care safety. The military units expected to deploy have not been identified.

Kirby said U.S. troops -– operating in support of Liberian government and the U.S. Agency for International Development -– would not be in direct contact with Ebola sufferers. Instead they’ll be providing logistics, engineering and other non-medical support.

"It's a potential threat to global security if these countries break down, if their economies break down, if people panic," Mr. PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. said after a briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has deployed more than 100 staff to the affected countries, one of the largest deployments in its history.
--------------snip--------
The operation will require the military to fuse its experience in responding to natural disasters with its training in biowarfare to minimize the risks of Americans contracting the disease. Personnel will bring medical assistance and training, logistical expertise and engineering experience to set up 17 field hospitals with 100 beds each, more than tripling current capacity.

"This is unprecedented as a public-health operation led by the U.S. military," Mr. Morrison said.

A defense official said the Pentagon anticipates having the Ebola treatment units running "in the next several weeks.'' The official said the centers would be turned over to Liberia and staffed by local and international health-care providers, not U.S. military personnel.