Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the military. Many military training and exercises have been postponed or cancelled.^[1]

Responses[]

Asia[]

On 27 February, South Korea and the United States (US) cancelled joint military exercises scheduled for March 2020.^[2]

Europe[]

On 11 March, the Norwegian Armed Forces cancelled the Cold Response 20 exercise planned to involve NATO and allied personnel.^[1]

During the first wave of the pandemic in Italy, the Italian armed forces worked with the national government to provide civilian healthcare and logistical support throughout the country, in addition to serve as lockdown enforcement alongside the police.^[3][4]

On 25 March, president of France Emmanuel Macron launched "Operation Resilience" to enable the French armed forces to provide civilian support during the pandemic in France and overseas French territories.^[5]

North America[]

United States[]

On 16 March, the National Defense Industrial Association in the United States cancelled the 2020 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference scheduled for May 2020.^[6] On 25 March, the Department of Defense prohibited the deployment of servicemembers for 60 days to mitigate spread of the virus.^[7] On 27 March, the United States cancelled large-scale exercises involving thousands of troops in the Philippines that had been scheduled for May 2020.^[8] On 6 April, the United States Forces Japan declared a Public Health Emergency on the Kanto Plain installations.^[9][10] In May 2020, the Department of Defense issued a memo banning survivors of COVID-19 from joining the military.^[11] In June 2020, the United States Navy came up with guidance to combat COVID-19 and deploy safely using the smallest effort possible.^[12]

Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq[]

On 20 March 2020, CJTF-OIR confirmed that certain troops would be withdrawing from Iraq due to the pandemic.^[13]

Infection[]

Military bases[]

India[]

INS Angre

On 2020.04.18, it was announced that 21 sailors staying at INS Angre, a naval base in Mumbai, had tested positive.^[14] Most of the cases were asymptomatic, and all of the cases had been traced to a sailor who tested positive on 2020.04.07.^[14] The Navy emphasized that no sailors serving on a ship or submarine had been infected.^[14]

United Kingdom[]

Akrotiri and Dhekelia

On 15 March, the first two cases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia were confirmed.^[15]

United States[]

United States Air Force Academy cadets partake in social distancing during their graduation ceremony, April 18, 2020

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base

On 24 March, the first case in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was confirmed.^[16]

United States Forces Korea

On 26 February, the first case was confirmed to have spread to the Camp Humphreys.^[17]

As of 22 April, a total of 22 SARS-CoV-2 cases were laboratory confirmed at United States Forces Korea bases: 10 at Camp Humpreys, 8 at Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk Province bases (Camp Carroll, Camp Henry and Camp Walker), 3 at the Osan Air Base, and 1 at the Camp Casey).^[18]

Naval ships[]

The COVID-19 pandemic spread to a number of naval ships, with the nature of such ships, including working with others in small enclosed areas and the lack of private quarters for the vast majority of crew, contributing to the rapid spread of the disease, even more so than on cruise ships.^[19][20]

References[]