U.S. Army Public Affairs
March 24, 2020

As more people are exposed to COVID-19, the U.S. Army is preparing to provide medical support and hospital capacity to help states and other national agencies to contain the virus and protect the nation.

Moving on the orders of Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, the Army recently issued deployment orders to the 531st Hospital from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the 627th Hospital from Fort Carson, Colorado, and the 9th Hospital from Fort Hood, Texas, to deploy to New York and Washington state.

"Army health care professionals are adequately equipped with first-rate training, equipment and technology in order to deal with emergent health issues," said McCarthy, Secretary of the Army. "Protecting the health of the force and the American people are our top priorities."

Army hospitals are expeditionary facilities with full hospital capability. Each hospital has intensive-care-unit beds and intermediate-care beds. In addition, Army hospitals have operating rooms, an emergency department, X-ray facilities and a pharmacy. Although they are designed to serve as trauma hospitals, they have the capability to function as full-service hospitals for all patient types.

Army hospital staffs can provide routine and emergency medical support to community medical staffs, allowing them to focus their resources and efforts on detecting and treating patients believed to have been exposed to COVID-19.

This response is part of the whole-of-nation approach to fighting COVID-19. The Army is working with interagency partners – including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense Military Health System and others – to support and protect our military force and the American people.

For more information, please contact Ms. Cheryle Rivas at 703-692-5743 or Cheryle.a.rivas.civ@mail.mil.

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