No decision on monitoring returning anti-Ebola troops: Pentagon

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has not made a decision on a Joint Chiefs of Staff recommendation for how to handle the country's troops returning from areas affected by Ebola in West Africa, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday.

U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey and the rest of the chiefs have recommended "a regimented program of 21 days of controlled, supervised monitoring for all troops returning from Ebola response efforts in West Africa," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said during a news conference.

Hagel has the recommendation, Kirby said, but has made no decision. "The secretary shares the concerns by the chiefs about the safety and well-being not only of our troops, but also of their families," he added, "and he appreciates the thoughtfulness and the gravity of the recommendations Chairman Dempsey sent to him."

When the secretary makes a decision, Kirby said, he will announce it.

In the meantime, he added, Hagel supports the decision made by Army leadership to place Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams and his team from U.S. Army Africa under the same "quarantine-like" program.

Hagel received the recommendation on Tuesday, Kirby said. "I don't have any specifics for you on how that would work," he said, noting that a lot of work remains to be done should the secretary decide to implement it throughout the Defense Department. Enditem