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File: 102496_aug96_decls9_0001.txt
Subject: OP DESERT SHIELD 483RD MED DET VS JB 6 AUG 90 16 JAN 91
Unit: ARCENT
Parent Organization: CENTCOM
Box ID: BX000481
Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT
Document Number: 17
Folder SEQ #: 17
OPERATION DESERT SHIELD
483RD MEDICAL DETACHMENT (VS)(JB)
6 AUG 90 - 16 JAN 91
I. UNIT CREATION AND DEPLOYMENT:
The 483rd Medical Detachment (VS) was an ALO 7 JB Team,
Veterinary Service Large organized under MTOE 08680HE111 and
located in Augsburg, Germany. On approximately 12 August 1990 the
Commander and the Detachment NCOIC were called to Heidelberg and
informed that the 483rd had been selected from other 7th MEDCOM
veterinary units to deploy to Saudi Arabia. The decision was made
not on the unit readiness posture but based on the unit location in
communities scheduled for reduction under CFE. The unit was
augmented by personnel and equipment from the 100th from
Munchweiller, and the 168th from Berlin, both JA teams scheduled
for reduction under CFE. Additional personnel and equipment to
create an ALO 1 JB team came from the following 7th MEDCOM units:
72nd (Nurenberg, Germany)
110th (Frankfurt, Germany)
Vet Det Eur (Giessen, Germany)
196th Hosp. (SHAPE, Belgium)
2nd Gen. Hosp. (Landsthul, Germany)
655th (Landsthul, Germany)
769th (Augsburg, Germany)
10th Med Lab (Landsthul, Germany)
24th (Schweinfurt,Germany)
167th Med Det (Stuttgart, Germany)
7th MEDCOM also increased the rank structure of personnel to
insure that the 483rd had an abundance of experience. This
increase in rank structure resulted in a hinderance to mission
accomplishment because of constant bickering between NCO's and a
lack of "workers" to perform the mission. The decision to piece
sulted in many
problems. The auqmentees from other units were exposed to the high
stress environment of deployment and imminent war, without having
a chance to develop unit cohesion or to feel like part of a team.
On or around 28 August 90 the 483rd and a new NCOIC, SFC
Sharpless from the 72nd Med Det (VS) at Nurenberg, moved the unit
to Landsthul where we were met by the fillers from all the units
listed above. While at Landsthul we completed the POR of newly
arriving personnel, prepared equipment for movement and continued
intensive training of unit personnel in NBC to include the gas
chamber, weapons familiarization and zeroing, and physical
training. The wait was monotonous and tensions were high. The
unit was on constant alert to move within 12 hours. As had
happened with the unit movement from Augsburg, we were moved to the
airhead at Ramstein without movement orders, where we waited an
additional 5 days until the first flight left for Saudi Arabia.
1
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Document 20 f:/Week-32/BX000481/COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT/op desert shield 483rd med det vs jb 6 aug 9:10119615402310
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-32
Box ID = BX000481
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT
Folder Seq # = 17
Subject = OP DESERT SHIELD 483RD MED DET VS JB 6 AUG 9
Document Seq # = 17
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 11-OCT-1996