DoD introduces domestic travel restrictions
The US Department of Defense (DoD) on 15 March announced new domestic travel restrictions for service members and civilian personnel in response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
The DoD reported that Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist signed a memorandum to prevent all domestic travel, including temporary duty travel. These restrictions will remain in place between 16 March and 11 May.
DoD personnel also are restricted from travelling to countries for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a Level 3 travel warning.
As of 15 March, ten US service personnel had tested positive, as well as one DoD civilian employee and two DoD contractors. Eight service personnel relatives have also been diagnosed with COVID-19.
On 13 March, one soldier from the US Army Europe headquarters tested positive and was forced to self-isolate at home in Wiesbaden, Germany.
More from Defence Notes
-
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
-
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
-
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.