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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
                         Acute diarrheal diseases occured frequently (7%) to the early
             incoming troops. The fluid loss from diarrhea could seriously worsen the
             effects of the heat. Efforts to minimize diarrheal diseases through good
             field hygiene were aggressively implemented with hand washing stands by the
             latrine and mess tent, drinking only bottled water, eating only food
             obtained from military sources, chlorinating the unit water supply properly
             and controlling the flies especially around food services.          2-7 ADA
             provided a model site in regard to preventive medicine activities including
             chlorinated water for washing/showering, screens on the burn out latrines,
             excellent waste water drainage through ground gutters leading to soakage
             pits etc.

                         Though the Bde had anti-malarial pills available, malaria was not
             endemic to most of the areas occupied. However the sand fly was very
             prevalent and was the vector transmitting sand fly fever and less often
             leishmaniasis.   Since ongoing medical diseases monitoring is essential in the
             early recognition of infectious outbreaks or biological warfare, a weekly
             medical surveillance report was implemented at battery level. The data was
             analyzed at Bn levels Bde level and Corps level in order to
             broaden the medical intelligence base.

                D. Operation Desert Shield - Defensive Preparation

                     1. Overview

                         During the months of Oct-Nov the four Ilth ADA Bns concentrated
             on further establishing and developing their organic medical assets in their
             various geographical locations-. TF 2-1 along MSR MERCEDES; HHB 5-62 near
of Saudi Arabia.
             Areas of health care focused on were supply$ training of medics and
             clinical care. MAJ Nowell, the Bde Surgeon, attached CPT Patel with 5-62,
             MAi Ching with TF 2-1, and CW3 Diaz with 2-7. Unable to persuade the
             Arcen@, Surgeon 'lo provide another physician to llth ADA, 3-43 ADA remained
             w'th no medica' officer.


                    2. Medical Care

                         Sick call averaged 10-20 patients a day at the BAS.
             MLtsculoske.etal injuries such as ankle sprains were the most common category
             seen by the medics. Upper respiratory infections, gastrointestinal
             complaints and dermatology rashes were fairly common. Hospital admissions
             and MED-@VACs were few. Since SA had no large prostitute population, the rare
             sexually transmitted diseases were those the troops brought with them.
             Another benefit of deploying in SA was the scarcity of alcohol, thus alcohol
             related injuries or accidents were minimal.

                         Because soldiers were not authorized liquor, more soldiers with
             alcohol withdrawal symptoms were expected. However the overall number seen
             by the Bns was low. As the number of pregnant soldiers increased,
             pregnancy became a command issue. Concerns about allowing conjugal visits
             and the dispensing of condoms and birth control pills at the BAS were just
             some of the controversies that went unresolved.











                                           UNCLASSIFIED

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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