National Guard May Go to Africa to Fight Ebola

Members of the National Guard may soon find themselves in West Africa helping to contain the spread of Ebola. President Obama today authorized the Pentagon to call up Guard troops and reservists if necessary, reports AP. The executive order doesn't mean these troops are definitely going, however, notes USA Today. But the move "gives us the option to do so if we need to," says a Pentagon spokesman. The US military already has committed to sending 4,000 troops to the region. (A Yale student is in isolation after showing symptoms following a trip to Liberia.)