Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the military. Many military training and exercises have been postponed or cancelled. Responses: On 27 February, South Korea and the United States (US) cancelled joint military exercises scheduled for March 2020. On 11 March, the Norwegian Armed Forces cancelled the Cold Response 20 exercise planned to involve NATO and allied personnel. On 16 March, the National Defense Industrial Association in the US cancelled the 2020 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference scheduled for May 2020. On 27 March, the United States cancelled large-scale exercises involving thousands of troops in the Philippines that had been scheduled for May 2020. On 6 April, the United States Forces Japan declared a Public Health Emergency on the Kanto Plain installations. In June 2020, the United States Navy comes up with guidance to combat the coronavirus and deploy safely using the smallest effort possible. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq: On March 20, 2020, CJTF-OIR confirmed that certain troops would be withdrawing from Iraq due to the coronavirus pandemic. Infection: Military bases- India: INS Angre: -On 2020.04.18, it was announced that 21 sailors staying at INS Angre, a naval base in Mumbai, had tested positive. Most of the cases were asymptomatic, and all of the cases had been traced to a sailor who tested positive on 2020.04.07. The Navy emphasized that no sailors serving on a ship or submarine had been infected. United Kingdom- Akrotiri and Dhekelia: -On 15 March, the first two cases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia were confirmed. United States: Guantanamo Bay Naval Base: -Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base -On 24 March, the first case in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was confirmed. United States Forces Korea: -On 26 February, the first case was confirmed to have spread to the Camp Humphreys. -As of 22 April, a total of 22 SARS-CoV-2 cases were laboratory confirmed at United States Forces Korea bases: 10 at Camp Humpreys, 8 at Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk Province bases (Camp Carroll, Camp Henry and Camp Walker), 3 at the Osan Air Base, and 1 at the Camp Casey). Naval ships: -The COVID-19 pandemic spread to a number of naval ships, with the nature of such ships, including working with others in small enclosed areas and the lack of private quarters for the vast majority of crew, contributing to the rapid spread of the disease, even more so than on cruise ships.