OPERATION DS AFTER ACTION REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

File: 971208_sep96_decls5_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 24
Subject = OPERATION DS  AFTER ACTION REVIEW   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY           

Box ID = BX000078

Folder Title = 24TH ID AARS                                                                                    

Unit = XVIII CORPS 

Parent Org = ARCENT      









                      12) OBSERVATIOVI Warti-me accident reporting and
                          record keeping requirements are not addressed
                          adequately in AR 385-40, Accident Reporting and
                          Records. Accident reporting by-the-book creates
                          an extremely heavy administrative burden.
                          Telephonic versus written reporting for accidents
                          of "minor" nature greatly helped reduce the load.

                      13) OBSERVATION% Eight news-media representatives
                          are too many for a Division PAO to support given
                          the needs peculiar to each news agency. Size of
                          combat media pools should be limited to five
                          personnel from three agencies (TV crew - 3,
                          writer, and photographer).

                      24) OBSERVATION: In offensive operations, PAO
                          broadcasters and journalists should be provided
                          to the maneuver brigades with remaining PAO staff
                          following the forward-most division command post.
                          During the attack, division level coverage was
                          absent until the DMAIN displaced from Saudi
                          Arabia into :[rag on -4 March.

                      15) OBSERVATION: The operation of the postal support
                          system was inadequate. Postal units must deploy
                          earlier in -the unit flow7 they must train for
                          deployment missions-, and -they must train in
                          handling large quantities of -mail.

                      '16) OBSERVATION: The operation of the -morale,
                          recreation, and welfare system was inadequate.
                          MWR personnel should be deployed earlier for
                          extended deployments. Additionally, MWR
                          personnel need to develop a written plan to be
                          used during deployments.

                      17) OBSERVATION: Casualty reporting was slow during
                          combat operations. Communications must improve
                          as well as -the procedures used to report,
                          casualties on -the battlefield.

                      '18) OBSERVATION: Units did not complete casualty
                          feeder cards -to standard. However, -the use of
                          recruiting and retention NCO's to help monitor
                          patient affairs in hospitals greatly contributed
                          to the success of casualty reporting.