Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, stand in formation during a demobilization ceremony honoring their return from overseas deployment, March 4, 2018 in Salem, Oregon.
Sgt. 1st Class April Davis / Oregon Military Department Public Affairs
As hundreds of Oregon-based soldiers return from overseas deployment, more than 60 have tested positive for coronavirus after a 10-month deployment in Kosovo. According to the Oregon Military Department, it’s unclear if service members contracted the virus overseas, or if they were infected upon their return to Fort Bliss, Texas. Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation penned a letter to the U.S. Department of the Army expressing concern for the soldiers’ safety amid a surge in coronavirus infections. We speak with Col. Eric Riley, the commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, about what the military is doing to keep service members safe before they return home to Oregon.
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