FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel defended the Pentagon’s involvement in the international effort to combat Ebola in West Africa by saying the disease needs to be contained for national security reasons.

On a Monday visit to the post, Hagel told soldiers and families that the Pentagon was taking every step to ensure their safety, that their presence was making a difference and that Ebola spreading to the U.S. would be devastating.

“Pandemic diseases are a threat to the security of this country,” he said. “It’s clearly in the United States’ interest to take the capabilities that we have ... to do everything we can to assist [and] contain Ebola so it doesn’t get to the United States.”

Hagel said he understands why some are questioning the U.S. military involvement.

“I think it’s a legitimate, obvious question: What’s the Defense Department doing on a mission like this?” he told reporters during a visit to Fort Campbell on Monday. He said there are indications that the situation in West Africa is improving, but it’s too soon to declare victory.

“There are some positive trend lines,” he said during a talk with troops. “But we also know that these are up-and-down dynamics … We’re not at the end of it. And when we may be in a position to make some determination that we’ve accomplished the mission, I don’t know.”

Hagel told soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division — based at Fort Campbell — that the logistical, engineering and training assistance that they’ve provided to the international effort has paid dividends.

“What you all have been responsible for so far has made a huge difference ... in containing Ebola,” he said. “If you had not been there ... there would be no infrastructure. There would be very limited capability for those [civilian] caregivers to do their job.”

About 1,100 troops from Fort Campbell are in Liberia and Senegal participating in Operation United Assistance. More will be deploying there in the coming weeks.

Hagel sought to reassure soldiers and their families that the Pentagon would give them the training and equipment they need to operate safely in West Africa, where Ebola has killed about 5,000 people.

“We will never ever … send our men and women into [dangerous] situations if you’re not prepared,” he told the troops.

Sgt. Matthew Bartlett, a maintenance technician who is getting ready to deploy to Liberia, isn’t too concerned. He’s already served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This is not a combat mission,” he told reporters. “There’s no one shooting back at us.”

His family, however, is “nervous [and] apprehensive,” he said.

“I was worried about Ebola,” Pvt. Matthew Kippes told reporters. But after seeing Army PowerPoint presentations during pre-deployment training, he said he’s now more concerned about malaria.

Kippes, 18, will be cooking for American troops in Senegal in about a month, he said.

This will be his first overseas deployment.

“I’m kind of excited to see [and] experience something that someone my age wouldn’t be able to experience,” he said.

The troops from the 101st aren’t the only ones who will be deploying to West Africa soon. A number of National Guard units are being mobilized as well.

On Sunday, Hagel was asked by a reporter whether he anticipated that further Guard call-ups will be needed for the Ebola mission in the future.

“None are planned at this point,” he said.

harper.jon@stripes.com Twitter: @JHarperStripes

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