Posted on 08/18/2009 2:12:58 PM PDT by Lucky9teen
According to CNN, the Pentagon is “to establish regional teams of military personnel to assist civilian authorities in the event of a significant outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall, according to Defense Department officials.”
“The proposal is awaiting final approval from Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The officials would not be identified because the proposal from U.S. Northern Command’s Gen. Victor Renuart has not been approved by the secretary.
The plan calls for military task forces to work in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. There is no final decision on how the military effort would be manned, but one source said it would likely include personnel from all branches of the military.
It has yet to be determined how many troops would be needed and whether they would come from the active duty or the National Guard and Reserve forces.
Civilian authorities would lead any relief efforts in the event of a major outbreak, the official said. The military, as they would for a natural disaster or other significant emergency situation, could provide support and fulfill any tasks that civilian authorities could not, such as air transport or testing of large numbers of viral samples from infected patients.
As a first step, Gates is being asked to sign a so-called “execution order” that would authorize the military to begin to conduct the detailed planning to execute the proposed plan.
Orders to deploy actual forces would be reviewed later, depending on how much of a health threat the flu poses this fall, the officials said.” (CNN, Military planning for possible H1N1 outbreak, July 2009, emphasis added)
The implications are far-reaching.
The decision points towards the militarization of civilian institutions, including law enforcement and public health.
A nationwide vaccination program is already planned for the Fall.
The pharmaceutical industry is slated to deliver 160 million vaccine doses by the Fall, enough doses to vaccinate more than half of America’s population.
The Pentagon is already planning on the number of troops to be deployed,. with a view to supporting a mass vaccination program.
It is worth noting that this involvement of the military is not being decided by the President, but by the Secretary of Defense, which suggests that the Pentagon is, in a key issue of of national interest, overriding the President and Commander in Chief. The US Congress has not been consulted on the issue.
This decision to mobilise the Armed Forces in the vaccination campaign is taken in anticipation of a national emergency. Although no national emergency has been called, the presumption is that a national public health emergency will occur, using the WHO Level 6 Pandemic as a pretext and a justification.
Other countries, including Canada, the UK and France may follow suit, calling upon their Armed Forces to play a role in support of the H1N1 vaccination program.
US Northern Command
Much of the groundwork for the intervention of the military has already been established. There are indications that these “regional teams” have already been established under USNORTHCOM, which has been involved in preparedness training and planning in the case of a flu pandemic (See U.S. Northern Command – Avian Flu. USNORTHCOM website).
Within the broader framework of “Disaster Relief”, Northern Command has, in the course of the last two years, defined a mandate in the eventuality of a public health emergency or a flu pandemic. The emphasis is on the militarization of public health whereby NORTHCOM would oversee the activities of civilian institutions involved in health related services.
According Brig. Gen. Robert Felderman, deputy director of USNORTHCOM’s Plans, Policy and Strategy Directorate: “USNORTHCOM is the global synchronizer – the global coordinator – for pandemic influenza across the combatant commands”(emphasis added) (See Gail Braymen, USNORTHCOM contributes pandemic flu contingency planning expertise to trilateral workshop, USNORTHCOM, April 14, 2008, See also USNORTHCOM. Pandemic Influenza Chain Training (U) pdf)
“Also, the United States in 1918 had the Spanish influenza. We were the ones who had the largest response to [a pandemic] in more recent history. So I discussed what we did then, what we expect to have happen now and the numbers that we would expect in a pandemic influenza.”
The potential number of fatalities in the United States in a modern pandemic influenza could reach nearly two million, according to Felderman. Not only would the nation’s economy suffer, but the Department of Defense would still have to be ready and able to protect and defend the country and provide support of civil authorities in disaster situations. While virtually every aspect of society would be affected, “the implications for Northern Command will be very significant.”
“[A pandemic would have] a huge economic impact, in addition to the defense-of-our-nation impact,” Felderman said. The United States isn’t alone in preparing for such a potential catastrophe. (Gail Braymen, op cit)
Apart from the CNN dispatch and a FOX news report, there has been virtually no mainstream press coverage of this issue. No statement has been made by USNORTHCOM. The Fox New Report suggests that US troops would be involved in organising military quarantines (see videoclip at link).
ping to #17
There are two huge ironies with this. The first is that this is not being done to prepare for the H1N1 Swine flu influenza, but the H5N1 Avian flu influenza.
That is, a “worst case scenario” for H1N1 is just three times the typical mortality for a flu season, 100,000 American dead instead of 39,000 dead that happens almost every year.
Compare that to H5N1, that could have projected mortality of as many as 30,000,000 Americans.
So the H1N1, even in a “worst case scenario” is just a “dry run”, but an important one. This is because the US is pulling out all the stops against H5N1. A close to “total war” emphasis on preventing millions of Americans from dying. Yet we know that the actual disease will be faster than our best efforts.
Our vaccine production used to be limited to just one or two companies, who once they got the “actual” strain of influenza, could produce only 30 million vaccinations in the following six months. While adequate for ordinary flu, this is intolerable when facing a killer disease the likes of which the world has never seen in humans.
So all the drug companies have been told to produce as much vaccine as possible, as fast as possible, and to distribute it as fast as possible. A huge undertaking. And one almost guaranteed to have problems. Which is why the H1N1 “dress rehearsal” is a godsend.
They aren’t going to be forcing people to be vaccinated, but they will *know* how much and how fast that probably unneccesary vaccine will get out to where it needs to be. Vital information.
The other huge irony of this is the efforts of the military. In truth, the Pentagon is utterly helpless, other than providing helping hands if major parts of the US economy are close to collapse.
That is, if for example, so many truckers are sick that they cannot transport food from the warehouses to the stores. Or to construct field hospitals for the sick, or help dispose of tens of thousands of human and animal bodies instead of them laying there and rotting.
I can say this with some confidence, because soldiers during an epidemic are either directed by doctors, or they are doing things that are ordinarily done by other people who are too sick to do them.
And likely a lot of soldiers will die while trying to help.
They will use the swine flu as an excuse.
You weren’t around, so I borrowed your info for #17.
Our stupid dolittle Gov...would welcome the Obamanation...with open arms.
I call Bravo Sierra.
http://www.fumento.com/disease/flu2005.html
I always get the flu shot, but this swine flu vaccine I am going to stay away from. I have heard that there have been quite a few cases of one of the side effects being a nerve disorder that can eventually kill you.
Do you trust in getting the vax when it comes out?
My husband and I have agreed wholeheartedly....NO MORE VACCINES. There are waiver forms we will legally be signing from here on out.
shibumi —
Bearing in mind that I see your point about clinical trials and ‘stuff’ in an injectible ...
I used to be a cell physiologist before I decided I needed a real income.
If those chemicals, even in trace amounts worry you, then don’t drink tap water, don’t drink/eat anything in a package with an unrefrigerated shelf-life of more than 10 days, don’t shake anyone’s hand ... you get my point.
MY point is that, ignoring likely risks associated with a poorly tested H5N1 vaccine, the logically projected (not hyped) mortality rates of H5N1 infection in a population of moderately healthy, non-immuno-compromised young adults and older kids is scarily high. It really would be important to try to stop/contain a genuine outbreak AND inoculate the healthy at-risk population. That does imply a trusted provider of said inoculation.
I trust a Marine. I hope I can trust his chain of command.
A warning that the new swine flu jab is linked to a deadly nerve disease has been sent by the Government to senior neurologists in a confidential letter.
The letter from the Health Protection Agency, the official body that oversees public health, has been leaked to The Mail on Sunday, leading to demands to know why the information has not been given to the public before the vaccination of millions of people, including children, begins.
It tells the neurologists that they must be alert for an increase in a brain disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which could be triggered by the vaccine.
GBS attacks the lining of the nerves, causing paralysis and inability to breathe, and can be fatal.
The letter, sent to about 600 neurologists on July 29, is the first sign that there is concern at the highest levels that the vaccine itself could cause serious complications.
I heard a local healthcare official say a few days ago that if a patient shows flu-like symptoms, it’s reported as ‘Swine Flu’ , with no verification.
Swine flu was reported to be ‘sweeping’ through the Duke football team.
Then reported so mild players were back in a few days.
IMHO a bunch of hype. Bird flu scare didn’t work out so they dredge this one up.
You DO think I am paranoid, don’t you? Everyone does!
Everyday I read and listen to things like this and wonder whether we’ve just slipped into a Twilight Zone mania groupthink or whether there’s a real danger in these events coming true. Either way, it’s making alot of people feel unduely paranoid, myself included.
Hard to say. Depends on the info available, and the source/verification thereof.
Quality and efficacy will vary from batch to batch/ supplier to supplier.
The point again is that H1N1 is a few sick days; H5N1 is legitimately a death sentence for millions, and catastrophic social disruption. H5N1 hits the core of the population the hardest - our ‘producers’.
If you are a ‘bug out kit’ kinda person/family, subscribe to google alerts for H5N1. Right now it’s all noise and paranoia, BUT if there ever is a human-to-human vector and an H5N1 outbreak, you’ll have 10 - 30 days MAX to be self-sufficient for 90 days.
good post ;-) (seriously)
Thank you for the reply. It is certainly something to
keep an eye on.
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