U.S. Military Activates Its Never-Before-Used Federal Response To Combat A Pandemic

Joint Task Force - Civil Support (JTF-CS) conduct a Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drill practicing deployment and objectives on top of a large map of their target disaster site. Department of Defense

Newsweek: Exclusive: U.S. Military Activates Its Never-Before-Used Federal Response to Combat Coronavirus Pandemic

While being hit with coronavirus at rates equivalent to the civilian population, the U.S. military has activated its "defense support of civil authorities" apparatus, establishing liaisons in all 50 states, activating units and command posts, and moving forces to provide medical, transportation, logistics, and communications support in New York and Washington states.

Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, the command of Army North (ARNORTH), has requested and received approval for the deployment of ground units in response to the now declared national emergency. The moves begin to implement two existing contingency plans—CONPLAN 3400 for "homeland defense" and CONPLAN 3500 for "defense support of civil authorities"—as well as numerous new orders specifically relating to coronavirus. Eighteen states have also moved to appoint "dual-status commanders," specially appointed National Guard officers who serve in both state and federal chains of command. The dual-status commanders will report to Gen. Richardson as well as the governors of each state.

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WNU Editor: Governments are going to be doing a lot of things that no one ever expected that they would be doing in the modern age. How the military will be used as this crisis continues to unfold is certainly one of them.

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