FORT HOOD, Texas – U.S. troops preparing for deployment in Liberia to help fight Ebola are trading their rifles and body armor for rubber gloves, white germ-proof suits and gas masks.
About 500 soldiers were undergoing training Thursday at Fort Hood in Texas as they prepare to deploy to West Africa. Thousands of U.S. troops are already in the region helping fight the disease, which has killed thousands of people.
Some soldiers acknowledged apprehension about a mission focused on stopping a deadly disease rather than combat or counterterrorism. But they also expressed confidence that if any troops do fall ill, U.S. doctors can successfully treat them.
Trainer John McGuffin is helping prepare the soldiers. He joked about the equipment change, saying it felt like being the Michelin Man “or a marshmallow.”
