Thousands of troops deployed to West Africa to help contain the Ebola virus will have to wait a few more weeks to find out whether the policy of 21-day quarantines after their redeployment will continue, military officials said.

The Pentagon has granted an extension on the deadline for reviewing the controversial rule requiring a 21-day, post-deployment quarantine. The review will now be completed by Jan. 30, 2015.

When Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the quarantine on Oct. 29, he ordered military officials to conduct a review within 45 days to determine whether it was effective and necessary.

That review was due on Dec. 12, but Hagel granted a seven-week extension following a request from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey.

"Gen. Dempsey, along with the Services, wants to examine two complete cycles of controlled monitoring operations before providing a comprehensive review to Secretary Hagel," said one defense official familiar with the review.

At the moment, 106 service members are quarantined in Baumholder, Germany. Forty-nine will complete the 21-day monitoring and return home on Dec. 29, the defense official said.

No U.S. service members have contracted the deadly virus.

About 2,826 service members, mostly soldiers, are deployed in Liberia and Senegal. None are having direct contact with Ebola patients. They are helping to build treatment facilities and providing logistics support for the civilian-run health system.

Military officials overseeing the operation say force levels may soon begin to fall and the operation may be complete by this summer.

About Andrew Tilghman

Andrew Tilghman is the executive editor for Military Times. He is a former Military Times Pentagon reporter and served as a Middle East correspondent for the Stars and Stripes. Before covering the military, he worked as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle in Texas, the Albany Times Union in New York and The Associated Press in Milwaukee.

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