WASHINGTON, Apr 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – U.S. Department of Defence extended its freeze order on the movement of U.S. troops through June 30, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a Pentagon official announced on Saturday.
Undersecretary of Defence for Personnel and Readiness, Matthew Donovan, said, the new order, which comes into force on Monday, would include eased restrictions and more exemptions allowed, compared to the previous order.
Donovan said, the latest extension order is “a necessary measure to keep our people safe and our military ready,” adding that, Defence Secretary, Mark Esper, would review the policy every 15 days.
Last month, Esper issued an order to stop movements of overseas U.S. forces for up to 60 days, to curb the spread of the virus in the military.
The Department of Defence reported nearly 3,000 COVID-19 cases among U.S. services members, as of 5.00 a.m. Apr 17.
