FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hand washing and bleach.
They're two of the most critical protective components for soldiers headed to, or on standby for, an Ebola response mission in West Africa.
"You don't have to fear it, but you damn well better respect it," said Keith Esham, a Fort Detrick, MD based instructor handling the first tier phases of response training on Fort Bragg.
Esham led the training for hundreds of Fort Bragg and Fort Lee, VA troops on Thursday afternoon. They started in the classroom with Q&A about Ebola, and instructions on how to maintain and put on protective gear--including face masks, white Tyvek suits, latex gloves and boots.
"You've got to keep it off your hands, and off your face," Esham told the group, emphasizing a 10 percent bleach mix sure be used to decontaminate protective gear if any holes are discovered. "If you've been contaminated , or expect you have, take a full body shower."
The troops are just a handful of thousands of personnel the Department of Defense is providing in Operation Unified Assistance, an international humanitarian assistance effort to contain the deadly virus.
From Fort Bragg, there are seven units of about 120 engineers and medic personnel heading to the region. Military police and public affairs officers also took part in the training, held at the 44th Medical Brigade Headquarters.
They'll provide security, logistical, engineering and medical support.
The soldiers were told to expect the worst-case scenario deployment length-one year.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
The local soldiers heading to West Africa come from the 18th Airborne Corps.
Over the weekend, the 44th Medical Brigade Headquarters will be home to training for troops stationed in Texas, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. Some have deployment orders for October, and other units are on standby.
For some, who have had multiple combat deployments, there's definitely a sense of the unknown.
"I mean when I was in Afghanistan it was totally different," said SGT. Raymond August, a Fort Lee soldier echoing other soldiers' concerns expressed during training. "I was concerned about my health, but not really as (much as) this one. I'm very concerned about my health. What kind of diseases can I get."
August added that by the end of training, he's confident the troops will be prepared to take on this mission. Most of them described the assignment as exciting, recognizing its critical nature.
In the classroom, Esham explained that Ebola is spread through bodily fluids, and can live outside the body up to seven days. Liberia, with a population of 4.29 million, has seen just over 3100 cases of the disease as of September 2014. About half of them, 1644, have resulted in death.
But the troops are also learning how to deal with other diseases prevalent to the region.
Colonel Mike Talley, commander of the 44th Med Brigade, called Ebola a "wimp" of a disease compared to Typhoid and Malaria, because those are airborne spread illnesses.
"When we're talking about the Ebola virus, this is a disease where you have to come get it. (It) Takes direct contact," explained Talley.
"But we're going to treat the wimp like the bully," Talley told troops. "I think one of our biggest fights will be complacency."
"I've been around Ebola for 17 years, and I'm still here," said Esham. "If you follow what you learn today, you'll be fine."
The group also learned to avoid contact with the region's animals. To prevent the spread of Ebola, military working dogs are unlikely to join Military police on this particular mission.
RETURNING HOME
One soldier asked whether there's a possibility of quarantine upon arriving home.
There is, but only if the soldier is showing Ebola symptoms.
Otherwise, Talley told the group their normal post-deployment health assessments would take place.
Talley said families of deployed Fort Bragg troops will have a chance to ask questions regarding the deployment in upcoming town hall meetings.
He understands the concerns of post-deployment contact, but wants families to rest assure in the military's training.
"They are certainly not going to be in direct contact intentionally," said Talley. "But if there is by chance exposure or even the risk of exposure, we want to make sure that they have every means to protect them; that they're well-trained and that they certainly don't contract EBD."