{"id":120771,"date":"2020-05-06T16:55:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T16:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/06\/more-than-5000-troops-positive-for-coronavirus-as-military-expands-testing\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:42:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:42:17","slug":"more-than-5000-troops-positive-for-coronavirus-as-military-expands-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/05\/06\/more-than-5000-troops-positive-for-coronavirus-as-military-expands-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 5,000 troops positive for coronavirus as military expands testing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How does the Pentagon plan to get all troops and service members tested for COVID-19?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

The total number of service members who have tested positive for COVID-19<\/a> hit 5,019 on Wednesday morning, according to the latest Defense Department<\/a> data, as the military services work through a plan to strategically test<\/a> asymptomatic service members according to their missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DoD has ramped up its testing capacity to about 30,000 a week, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs told reporters Tuesday, and is now shooting to be able to test about 60,000 a week by June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut testing the entire force \u2026 is probably not a complete requirement,\u201d Army Gen. Mark Milley told Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three weeks ago, Milley set a goal of 60,000 tests a day, but that number has been revised. Now, Milley says, doing 60,000 a week would be enough to sustainably test all of the key groups who will need to be cleared of COVID-19, on a rotating basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four testing tiers, starting with basic trainees, as well elite counter-terror and nuclear deterrence units. Those numbers will fluctuate week to week, as recruits flow in and units are tapped for duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor the strategic forces, you can rest assured that they\u2019re all squared away,\u201d Milley said, after the Joint Staff set a goal to have tier one completed by the end of April. \u201cWe\u2019re working our way through tier two. Tier two is a much larger population.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tier two includes forces deployed abroad, as well as units preparing to deploy, a number that will also fluctuate from week to week. Tier three includes troops forward-deployed to countries like Germany, Italy, Japan and Korea, as well as troops currently deployed who are preparing to head home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe believe we have the capacity right now to do the testing that\u2019s requested,\u201d Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told Military Times on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tier four, considered to be most other troops stationed in the U.S., will not be 100 percent tested. Instead, there will be program dubbed \u201csentinel testing,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhereby we randomly test groups of people \u2026 to understand how many asymptomatic carriers may be out there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the numbers <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cases among troops have grown 2 percent this week, from 4,912 on Monday to 5,019 on Wednesday. The new number brings the infection rate to just over 0.2 percent, while the overall U.S. rate is just under 0.4 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy has been the hardest hit, with 42 percent of cases, or 2,110, following outbreaks on an aircraft carrier and destroyer. The Army has just under half that number, reporting 1,050 as of Tuesday. The Marine Corps is reporting 434 and the Air Force 397, while the National Guard totals 910 soldiers and airmen diagnosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\t