MEDICAL OPERATIONS

File: 970107_aug96_decls3_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 6

Subject: MEDICAL OPERATIONS                                              

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organization: CENTCOM     

Box  ID: BX000473

Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS 11TH ADA BDE  LESSONS LEARNED 1 OF 2 PERMANENT DESERT SHIELD-STORM              

Document Number:         22

Folder Seq  #:          5



                                                                  UNCLASSIFIED
                                           MEDICAL OPERATIONS



              I. Overview of Medical Operations.

                  A. Introduction

                      Operation Desert Shield/Storm ultimately developed a medical service
              program consisting of 3000 physicians, 30,000 supportive medical personnel
              and approximately 10,000 hospital beds. This huge medical build-up dwarfed
              the medical system developed during the peak of the Vietnam War. The mission
              of providing optimal health services for the llth ADA Brigade was a
              formidable challenge. Since the ADA is a relatively new and still evolving
              component of the U.S.Army, the present wartime medical doctrine is tailored
              more toward an infantry unit or even an engineering unit than air defense
              artillery. Much of the challenge arose in trying to obtain health services
              for llth ADA soldiers from a health care system that was not familiar with
              the unique operations of the ADA.    The difficulty of coordinating health
              care was compounded by having 7 Bns  dispersed over a wide geographical area
              of Saudi Arabia. Each Bn because     of its location and specific mission
              often presented with unique medical  issues.

                  B. Predeployment - Ft. Bliss

                      1. Personnel

                          In August none of the four Ft. Bliss ADA Bns were at full
              strength according to the TO&E in regard to medics. Furthermore$ some of the
              medics were non-deployable. The two most common reasons for being non-
              deployable were pregnancy and being single parents. LTC Taplin, personnel
              director at WBAMC, was instrumental in assisting the Brigade Surgeon and
re of
              top quality. LTC Taplin also exchanged Ilth ADA's non-deployable medics
              for deployable medics.

                          Ilth ADA was authorized 3 medical officers and WBAMC was
              tasked.There were no PROFIS physicians previously slotted with Ilth ADA
              ,Inits.  Three non-PROFIS physicians were selected, 2 General
              Medical Off,.cesr and a board certified dermatologist. In order to assist
              only in the Predeployment, LTC Taplin attached CPT Gonzalez, a MSC officer.
              In order to prepare the soldiers for deployment, the POM board was set up.
              Medical   input was immunizations: meningococcal;          tentanus-diphtheria;
              typhoid; and gamma globulin. The POM Board was established August 90, and
              continued on a regular schedule for the rest of the year.

                      2. Training

                          Utilizing WBAMC cadre, the third week of August was setup to
              teach combat medic skills. Training tasks varied from donning
              MGPP Level 4, inserting an IV catheter, land navigation, CPR, field
              communication, MEDEVAC procedures etc. All newly attached medics and
              medical officers were required to attend. Other relevant classes were
              s--heduled for Ilth ADA medical personnel including Preventive Medicine in
              the Middle East, Handling Battle Stress, Environmental Injuries, and Middle
              East medical diseases. These classes were scheduled during the months of
              August, September and October at Ft. Bliss.







                                              UNCLASSIFIED

Document 6 f:/Week-33/BX000473/COMMAND REPORTS 11TH ADA BDE LESSONS LEARNED 1 OF 2 PERMANENT DESERT SHIELD-STORM/medical operations:010297184301102
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-33
Box ID = BX000473
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS 11TH ADA BDE LESSONS LEARNED 1 OF 2 PERMANENT DESERT SHIELD-STORM
Folder Seq # = 5
Subject = MEDICAL OPERATIONS
Document Seq # = 22
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 = 02-JAN-1997