OBSERVATIONS AND THOUGHTS OF DESERT SHIELD

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SUBJECT:  OBSERVATIONS AND THOUGHTS OF DESERT SHIELD                           

                            OBSERVATIONS AND THOUGHTS
                                  DESERT SHIELD
                           
       THE following are some thoughts about Air Force medical
       deployment during Desert Shield. They are the result of a very
       narrow window of observation,  a trip with CINCSAC 20 Nov-26
       Nov,1990. And they naturally reflect the bias of my previous
        training and experience, though I've tried to think as generical-
       ly as possible. They are presented in the chronological order of
       the trip itself.
       
       UPPER HEYFORD
       [(b)(2)]                                           Toured 317th Contingen-
       cy Hospital, RAF Bicester. Excellent progress being made to
       prepare for casualty surge. Folks are doing a superb job within
       facility constraints. Once again, a victory for pre-positioning.
       Nevertheless, the layout will be very people intensive if the
       wards fill. Do our standards accurately reflect the human
       resources needed ? Some Specific facility items passed on to
       USAFE:
       Fixed facilities are not well served by the field lights we've
       provided for the ORs. Appears to be our iso-shelters are actual-
       ly better lighted
       Heyford needs much larger cant room(s). The plan to augment
       on the ward will result in dust and other particulate contamina-
       tion.
       Heyford needs a covered walkway from the triage building to
       the surgery building. Estimates are high. Maybe something
       simple, like an awning, wouldn't be prohibitive.
       
       Strategic concern: In the sense of relatively large numbers of
       cardiac monitors/defibrillators, respirators, suctions, oxygen
       delivery systems, pulse oximeters, and even blood gas machines,
       it appears our configuration is still largely Europe-looking. By
       that I mean- for the receipt of fairly fresh CW, as well as other
       casualties. It the configuration were more Middle East-looking,
       we'd have a much greater concentration of these items in or at
       least nearer the AOR [where, at the places I happened to visit,
       the relative paucity of such items was acutely felt]. Without
       turning our backs on continuing NATO requirements,  is it possible
       to do that? I'm not suggesting that we strip the hospitals just
       cranking up. But perhaps the TOA of a place like Donna Eschigau,
       if its not opening, could be made available. Ibid other WRM
       sources, not only in Europe, but elsewhere as well. One way or
       another, our forward Sites need more cardio-pulmonary capability
       than was seen. Add: USAFE/SG discussed with EUCOM/SG; they'll
       support materiel requests on an as needed basis. [12/04/90]