AFTER ACTION RPT ODS AND DESERT STORM 6 MARCH 91

File: 980404_sep96_sagwi11_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 4

Subject = AFTER ACTION RPT ODS AND DESERT STORM 6 MARCH 91

Box ID = BX000284

Folder Title = AAR COMMENTS OPERATION DESERT SHIELD STORM 14TH PREVENTIVE MEDICINE UNIT 9 APR 91

Unit = VII CORPS

Parent Org = ARCENT

by using telephones of other units. In the future, planners should
provide for an alternative communication system, especially when
consideration is given to the need for PM teams to be mobile and to
cover large, remote areas where land-line based communication is not
available. Such additions to the unit's MTOE should be provided.

e. Navigation in the desert is a more difficult "art" than can be
imagined. The 14th Medical Detachment had no organic compasses or
electronic navigation aids (LORANs). Despite extensive training in
the desert using personnally-owned compasses during the days and
nights prior to the ground war, it was easy to get lost in a 10-mile
square area. Given that PM Teams are required to travel to remote
sites, often knowing only the grid coordinates of the site but not the
route to it, consideration should be given to providing improved
navigation aids to PM Teams. Such additions to the unit's MTOE should
be made.

f. Field Sanitation Teams are inadequately trained. Each unit is
supposed to appoint, and see to the training of, a Field Sanitation
Team. It was found that many units had no such teams, and those who
did have them didn't get them trained in field sanitation measures.
This was especially true of medical units, who were often the worst
when it came to human waste disposal and kitchen waste disposal. it
is recommended that all units appoint competent Field Sanitation Teams
and have them trained by PM personnel. If another mobilization
occurs, FST training should be conducted at the MOB station in
conjunction with weapons familiarization, NBC training and other
training. In SWA, the 14th Medical Detachment provided this training
and, in many cases, assisted units in construction of field sanitation
facilities.

g. Food inspection activities cannot be stressed enough, especially when
all food is being provided for troops by the host nation. An
excellent job was done by the JA teams in diligently monitoring food
warehouses and ration break-down points. on numerous occasions,
inspectors headed of potential problems due to food items that were
not on the "approved" list or were not fit for distribution to troops.
However, it is bad planning to use host nation foods and water since
these items could be readily sabotaged and contaminated by enemy
infiltrators/terrorists. To depend so heavily on local foodstuffs and
drinking water could have been a tragic error. The Army should feed
itself, using supplies from the U.S.

h. There were several morale issues which were inexcusable. The first
was pay% To this day a number of unit members, all of whom have been
on sure pay for years, have not been paid or paid properly. Two
officers got two paychecks sent to them is Saudi Arabia. Even though
repeated efforts were made to correct the situation, this problem
still exists with the majority of unit members. This is very
demoralizing to service members and especially to their families who
are, at best, living on less than before the unit was activated. When
the paycheck is not received or is less than it should be, significant
financial hardships are the result and, with the spouse several
thousand miles away without a copy of the LES to even look at, the
extend of the problem is expanded. Congressional investigations
have been initiated by several families of this unit on this issue.
The second morale issue deals with the mail service. Not only was it