The hospital ship USNS Comfort, crewed by members of the SIU’s Government Services Division, has been activated and is expected to sail for Diego Garcia this week.The Comfort, one of the U.S. Military Sealift Command’s two hospital ships, is based in Baltimore. The vessel was in the news following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when it deployed to New York and served as an aid to the rescue workers.
According to news reports, this latest activation occurred at the same time that the U.S. Navy received orders to prepare two aircraft carriers and two amphibious assault vessels for possible action against Iraq.
The Comfort is 894 feet long and is outfitted with 1,000 beds, 12 operating rooms, 80 intensive-care beds and all the other equipment and capabilities of a typical large U.S. hospital.
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