• Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has directed combatant commanders to provide advanced notice before taking action to protect troops from the coronavirus, The New York Times reported.
• The directive is reportedly intended to ensure that the government is communicating in one voice on this pressing public health issue, as well as make sure that responses do not come as a surprise to the White House.
• The US military has not been severely affected by the coronavirus so far, but military leaders have been taking increasingly drastic measures to protect US troops in impacted countries like South Korea.
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As the deadly coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China spreads, the US military is having to act quickly, especially in places like South Korea, Italy, and Japan, where thousands of US troops are based.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, however, has instructed combatant commanders not to make coronavirus response decisions without providing advanced notice to Pentagon leadership to ensure that their actions and messaging is consistent with that of the Trump administration and does not come as a surprise to the White House, The New York Times reported Monday, citing US officials.

President Donald Trump, even …continued .
[Source: Business Insider]