DoD Releases Overseas Stop Movement Order

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper enacted a 60-day stop movement order for all Department of Defense (DoD) uniformed and civilian personnel and their sponsored family members overseas. This measure is taken to aid in further prevention of the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to protect U.S. personnel and preserve the operational readiness of its global force.

Building upon previously enacted movement restrictionsgoverning foreign travel, permanent change of station moves, temporary duty andpersonal leave, this stop movement order will also impact exercises,deployments, redeployments and other global force management activities.Approximately 90,000 service members slated to deploy or redeploy over the next60 days will likely be impacted by this stop movement order.

Embedded within the order are mechanisms by which exceptionscan be granted. Authorized exceptions to the order include: Travel by patientsand medical providers for the purposes of medical treatment for DOD personneland their families, scheduled deployments/redeployments of U.S. Navy vesselsand embarked units (provided they are in transit for 14 days and have met therestriction of movement (ROM) requirements associated with current force healthprotection guidance), individuals who have already initiated travel, and individualswhose TDY ends while this order is in effect are authorized to return to theirhome station.

Additional exceptions may be granted on a case-by-casescenario where travel is deemed mission essential, humanitarian in nature orwarranted due to extreme hardship. Such exceptions may be approved by CombatantCommanders, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Secretaries ofMilitary Departments.

Currently, this order is not expected to impact thecontinued drawdown of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, which is scheduled to becomplete within 135 days following the signed agreement.

All authorized DOD travelers must adhere to department forcehealth protection requirements during travel.