Minnesota National Guard Troops No Longer Needed In Liberia
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The 34th Red Bull Infantry Division was set to help the U.S. military in containing the Ebola virus in the west African nation.
Since the number of those infected with the virus has dropped dramatically, there's no need for the national guard's support. Spokesman Kevin Smith said there is some relief among the soldiers and their families.
"First and foremost it is a relief for the Liberian people. For our soldiers, there is some level of relief for their families," Smith said.
The original mission was for 700 guardsmen and later reduced to 300.
"Let's not forget that our service members are ready to deploy for any deployment of our state or nation," he said.
The guardsmen had begun their training and had their immunization shots, and officials said they remain ready to go if they're called out for any mission.