Army Contracting Command Soldiers deployed in support of fighting the Ebola virus in West Africa are conducting market research and seeking out suppliers to assist in providing suitable living and training locations for the mobile training team.

"The joint forces command is tasked with training health care workers to work in the Ebola Treatment Units," said Lt. Col. Robert L. McDonald, commander, 922nd Contingency Contracting Battalion, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and currently deployed in Africa. "The training is being conducted by teams from the 86th Combat Support Hospital out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky."

McDonald and more than two dozen ACC contingency contracting officers are in West Africa supporting Operations in United Assistance. McDonald said the training teams stay at the ETUs a week at a time conducting training.

"There are four MTTs that move across Liberia and conduct health care worker training at each of the ETU sites," he said.

McDonald said the challenge for his team is conducting market research in areas that can only be reached by helicopters.

"Most sites we visit require us to travel by helicopter. The contracting officers normally only have about three to four hours on the ground to conduct market research before they have to get back on the helicopters to return to camp."