With the mere presence of military personnel on the streets of cities and towns in our national territory, as well as in airports, railway and port stations, hospitals, health centres, residences to carry out disinfection tasks or to collaborate in surveillance missions and support the Local Police, Civil Guard and National Police, our compatriots perceive that the fight against the coronavirus is very serious. They also see that the different military units and their logistical services are organised and trained not only to fight but also to provide immediate aid and relief to the civilian population.<\/p>\n
The vanguard of military action in the all-out war against the relentless coronavirus that is ravaging the Spanish population is the Military Emergency Unit (UME), which on Sunday afternoon, 15 March, the date on which the state of emergency was officially activated, deployed its first thousand troops in Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Le\u00f3n, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the seven cities closest to where the UME's Emergency Intervention Battalions are stationed.<\/p>\n
Under the direction of the Chief of Defence Staff (JEMAD), Air General Miguel \u00c1ngel Villarroya, the Commander-in-Chief of the Operations Command (MOPS), Army Lieutenant General Fernando L\u00f3pez Del Pozo, has activated Operation Balmis - in homage to the Alicante-born military doctor (1753-1819) who brought the smallpox vaccine to the Philippines and Spanish America - and assumes direct command of all operational capabilities, The UME, the General Health Inspectorate (IGESAN) and the operational military units of the army and the navy have been given direct command of all operational, health, logistical and infrastructure capabilities.<\/p>\n
The number of towns and personnel has been progressively increased so that on Thursday, 19 March, a total of 2,662 EMU military personnel<\/strong>The Marine Infantry, the Legion and other Army and Air Force units were already deployed in 59 locations<\/strong>Both in the main provincial capitals and in smaller towns such as, for example, Alc\u00e1zar de San Juan, Astorga, Avil\u00e9s, Benidorm, Cari\u00f1ena, Don Benito, Laredo, Linares, Legan\u00e9s, Manacor, M\u00e9rida, Zafra...<\/p>\n From hospitals to mobile bakers<\/strong><\/p>\n But how can military units assist the civilian population in cases of extremely serious health problems?<\/p>\n The Spanish Armed Forces have a extensive team of medical specialists<\/strong>The vast majority of them have served and risked their lives in conflict zones abroad, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Gabon, Gabon, Lebanon, Mali, Central African Republic, Somalia, Senegal and others. The vast majority of them have served missions and risked their lives in theatres of conflict outside our borders, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Gabon, Lebanon, Mali, Central African Republic, Somalia, Senegal and many others.<\/p>\n The military organisation has specialised biological warfare units with special equipment to deal with highly lethal pathogens. As a whole, it has hospitals, ambulances and medical equipment and is able to provide material to set up camps quickly, hundreds of transportable kitchens for hot food seasoning, bakeries, laundries and mobile showers for communities, and has hundreds of thousands of varied food rations for breakfasts, lunches and dinners in stock for immediate distribution.<\/p>\n In addition, there are dozens of power generators and generators, water and fuel tankers, thousands of transport vehicles of all types, sizes and tonnages, mobile satellite communications and a host of air and naval transport services.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Juan Pons<\/strong>