text: Chapter 5
  UNITED ASSISTANCE 2014
  Liberia experienced an outbreak of the Ebola virus in December 2013. Ebola
  overwhelmed the medical capacity of Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the
  international emergency health response community. This outbreak quickly became a
  public health, humanitarian, and socioeconomic crisis with devastating impact on
  families, communities, and multiple West African countries. During this outbreak, over
  11,000 died and over 28,000 were infected. The severity of this outbreak prompted the
  United States to employ military assets to assist in controlling the spread of the virus.
  In October of 2014, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) headquarters deployed to
  Liberia as a JTF and assumed control of Joint Forces Command-United Assistance
  from U.S. Army Africa who had established the JTF in September 2014. The division
  headquarters was also tasked as the ARFOR, the JFLCC, and with establishing an
  austere theater of operations. The division was responsible for the command, control,
  and synchronization of joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational assets
  to combat Ebola in West Africa. Among these attached assets were a medical brigade,
  Marine Corps and Army aviation assets, engineers, logistics support elements, and
  contractor support. The main lines of effort for the division were to provide logistics
  support in theater, provide life support for all forces, and construct medical treatment
  facilities.
  During this operation, the division headquarters served in multiple roles and performed
  multiple functions including shaping operations, massing effects, assuming directed
  Army and joint authorities and responsibilities, leveraging joint capabilities, and
  organizing and employing brigades and battalions. The 101st Airborne Division (Air
  Assault) headquarters executed a disciplined operation that supported the United
  States Agency for International Development (the lead federal agency) and
  demonstrated the versatility and capability of the division.
  LIMITED CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS
  5-82. Divisions are uniquely suited to create safe and secure environments in limited contingency operations.
  Divisions provide offensive, defensive, and stability capabilities to deter or defeat adversaries and establish
  security. They provide specialized support to other government agencies as necessary, and they can serve as
  a tactical headquarters, ARFOR, JTF, or joint forces land component.