Citizen soldiers from the Golden State will be joining the fight against the Ebola outbreak. Six linguists from the California National Guard are slated to deploy to Liberia in Spring 2015 to aid in communication efforts.
According to an Army National Guard news release, California’s 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion of San Francisco was among guard units from six states chosen to deploy to West Africa:
[The 223rd] includes interpreters, translators as well as counter-intelligence and interrogation specialists.
None of the linguists will be providing direct medical care to patients with the Ebola virus. California National Guard Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, said of his soldiers' well-being:
“We are working closely with the Department of Defense to take all the necessary steps and provide the best possible training to ensure the safety of our soldiers. It is vitally important the we stop the spread of Ebola in West Africa, and the California National Guard is proud to participate in this mission.”
The 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion will undergo training on "Ebola prevention, malaria prevention, other medical threats, and medical readiness requirements." Once training is complete, the battalion will deploy to West Africa for a time period ranging from six months to a year.
