Sending Soldiers to Fight Ebola

AMSUS  by Capt. Jordan D. Lane and Capt. Sarah S.  McNair                        
Sending the military to fight Ebola is surprising for many Americans including service members, who have come to expect deployments to combat zones, but not necessarily to hot-zones. Although sending military personnel to address Ebola is not a task we as a nation should undertake lightly—perhaps most importantly because soldiers, unlike civilian volunteers, do not have the ability to opt-out of the mission or set parameters for their participation—the choice to engage the military speaks to the severity of the crisis in West Africa and is a testament to the fact that the U.S. military has capabilities unlike any other organization in the world.

However, as a nation, it is important to discuss the role of military personnel in response to a disease outbreak and address the ethical issues surrounding their participation.
Read complete article...

...humanitarian crises often demand the same skills and resources as war, meaning that the military is often called on to respond to situations no one else can. Although not all members of the military may welcome the mission of fighting Ebola, they may come to find, like unexpected missions of the past, that it becomes one of the most meaningful of their careers. We as a nation owe them a thoughtful discourse about their role and their rights..

http://publications.amsus.org/doi/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00679