Milley, Berger, test positive for COVID-19

Army Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David Berger, have tested positive for COVID-19, officials say.

Milley tested positive Sunday, according to Army Col. Dave Butler, Milley’s spokesman.

Milley “is working remotely and isolating himself from contact with others after a positive COVID-19 test yesterday,” Butler said in a statement. “He is experiencing very minor symptoms and can perform all of his duties from the remote location. He has received the COVID-19 vaccines including the booster.”

Berger also tested positive, Marine Col. Kelly Frushour, a spokewoman, told Military Times.

“The performance of his duties will remain unaffected,” she said.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger receives the COVID-19 vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Maryland, Dec 22, 2020. (photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler W. Abbott, Marine Corps)

Milley’s most recent contact with President Joe Biden was on Jan. 12 at retired Gen. Raymond Odierno’s funeral. He tested negative several days prior to and every day following contact with the President until yesterday.

Milley and Berger the most recent top military leader s to test positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 2.

In a statement released that evening, Austin said he took the test after “exhibiting symptoms” related to the fast-spreading virus. He described his symptoms as mild and said he was working with his doctors to limit any health complications.

Austin said he received both the COVID-19 vaccination early last year and a booster shot in early October. He said doctors told him that “my fully vaccinated status … have rendered the infection much more mild than it would otherwise have been. And I am grateful for that.”

Howard Altman is an award-winning editor and reporter who was previously the military reporter for the Tampa Bay Times and before that the Tampa Tribune, where he covered USCENTCOM, USSOCOM and SOF writ large among many other topics.

官员称，参谋长联席会议主席、陆军上将马克·米利和海军陆战队司令大卫·伯杰上将的新冠病毒检测呈阳性。

据陆军上校戴夫·巴特勒（米利的发言人）称，米利周日的检测结果呈阳性。

巴特勒在一份声明中表示：“米利昨天新冠病毒检测呈阳性，目前正在远程办公，并进行自我隔离。他症状非常轻微，可以在远程地点履行所有职责。他已接种新冠疫苗，包括加强针。”

海军陆战队上校凯利·弗鲁舒尔（Kelly Frushour）发言人告诉《军事时报》，伯杰的检测结果也呈阳性。

“他的工作职责不会受到影响，”她说。

2020年12月22日，美国海军陆战队司令大卫·H·伯杰将军在马里兰州沃尔特·里德国家军事医疗中心接种了新冠疫苗，这是“曲速行动”的一部分。（照片由海军陆战队下士泰勒·W·阿博特拍摄）

米利最近一次与乔·拜登总统接触是在1月12日，当时他正在参加退役将军雷蒙德·奥迪尔诺的葬礼。在与总统接触前几天以及接触后每天的检测结果均为阴性，直到昨天。

米利和伯杰是最近几周新冠病毒检测呈阳性的两名高级军事领导人。

美国国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀于1月2日新冠病毒检测呈阳性。

当晚，奥斯汀发表声明称，他因出现与这种快速传播的病毒相关的“症状”而接受了检测。他形容自己的症状较轻，并表示正在与医生合作，以避免任何健康并发症。

奥斯汀说，他去年年初接种了新冠疫苗，并在10月初接种了加强针。他说，医生告诉他，“我全程接种了疫苗……使我的感染症状比原本可能的情况要轻微得多。对此我非常感激。”

霍华德·奥特曼是一位屡获殊荣的编辑和记者，他曾担任《坦帕湾时报》的军事记者，此前还曾担任《坦帕论坛报》的军事记者，报道过美国中央司令部、美国特种作战司令部和特种作战部队等众多主题。