NARRATIVE BRIEF OPN ASPECTS BIO DEFENSE ODS

File: 980409_aug97_decls2_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 5
Subject = NARRATIVE BRIEF OPN ASPECTS BIO DEFENSE ODS                     

Box ID = BX002326

Folder Title = BRIEFING-OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE OPERATIONS                                   

Unit = FORSCOM     

Parent Org = FORSCOM     



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           OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF USCENTCOM J3-NBC. THE MONITORS OF THE


           CENTAF SYSTEMS WERE LOCATED AT CRITICAL FORWARD AIRBASES IN A


           FIXED-SITE MODE. WHEN THEY INDICATED AN INCREASE IN RESPIRATORY-

           SIZED PARTICLES ABOVE BACKGROUND LEVELS, AIR SAMPLES WERE TO BE

           ANALYZED BY A CO-LOCATED FIELD LABORATORY. THESE LABS COULD

           IDENTIFY SPORES WITHIN 15 MINUTES AND CONFIRM AN ANTHRAX ATTACK


           WITHIN TWO HOURS. THIS REPRESENTS A POTENTIALLY SLOW ALARM

           PROCEDURE AND EXTENDED TIME IN MOPP. THE ARMY SYSTEM WAS

           ADVERTIZED TO HAVE A DISTINGUISHING CAPABILITY WITH POTENTIAL

           CONFIRMATION TIME OF 90 MINUTES FOR ANTHRAX AND BOTULINUM. THIS

           WOULD GREATLY ASSIST IN MEDICAL TREATMENT BUT WAS FAIRLY SLOW


           WHEN YOU THINK OF FULL MOPP IN 115 DEGREE WEATHER. NEITHER

           SYSTEM PROVIDED AN AUTOMATIC DETECTION AND WARNING CAPABILITY.

           THE U.K. SYSTEM WAS BASED ON IMMUNOASSAY TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURED

           BY MOLECULAR DEVICES                                    $'MADE IN OUR

           OWN BACK YARD BUT NOT IN THE HANDS OF OUR TROOPS." DUE TO THE

           LATE DEPLOYMENT OF THE 9TH CHEMICAL COMPANY, ARCENT WAS UNABLE TO

           DEVELOP AN EMPLOYMENT CONCEPT FOR THIS THEATER ASSET. CENTCOMts

           DIRECT CONTROL WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE RAPID UNIT EMPLOYMENT AND

           THE BEST DISPERSAL OF THE LIMITED ASSETS TO THOSE LOCATIONS

           THROUGHOUT THE AOR WITH THE HIGHEST TROOP DENSITY AND GREATEST

           BIOLOGICAL THREAT. DEPLOYMENT TOOK PLACE IN TWO PHASES.

           FOURTEEN INTMV'S WITH 3/4 TON TRAILERS, 5 XM-2'S, 10 XM-IO'S, 5

           XM-21, AND 60 PERSONNEL WERE DEPLOYED. ATTACHMENT OF THE 9TIf

           CHEMICAL COMPANY WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE 513TI1, AS

           USCENTCOM EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR FOREIGN MATERIAL EXPLOITATION, HAD

           EXISTING COLLECTION PROCEDURES AND CHANNELS FOR FORWARDING




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