NARRATIVE BRIEF OPN ASPECTS BIO DEFENSE ODS

File: 980409_aug97_decls2_0004.txt
Page: 0004
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     



                                       UNfaLASSIFIED


          COLLECTED MATERIAL. THE 513TH WAS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT SAMPLES

          FROM THE 9TIl CHEMICAL COMPANY TEAMS, TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE TEAMS

          OF THE TECHNICAL EXPLOITATION BATTALION IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF


          EACH CORPS, AND NBC RECONNAISSANCE TEAMS WITHIN THE NBC DEFENSE

          COMPANIES AND THE SPECIAL FORCES GROUP. BACKGROUND READINGS WERE


          TAKEN IMMEDIATELY UPON EMPLOYMENT OF THE TEAMS. SAMPLES


          COLLECTED WERE TO BE FORWARDED TO THE NEAREST G2 OR TECHNICAL


          INTELLIGENCE SECTION. RESPONDING TO CONUS REQUESTS FOR

          BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES FROM WITHIN THE AOR, THE 513TH MI FOUND

          SERIOUS DOCTRINAL SHORTFALLS TO INCLUDE PROPER COLLECTION, CHAIN-

          OF-CUSTODY, AND PROPER DISPOSITION OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL

          SAMPLES TO AN APPROPRIATE LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS. THE 513TH'S


          EFFORTS IN RESOLVING THESE ISSUES WERE PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL IN


          STANDARDIZING UNIT OPERATING PROCEDURES WHICH HAVE BEEN


          SUBSEQUENTLY BRIEFED TO THE U.S. ARMY CHEMICAL SCHOOL. HOWEVER,

          THESE PROCEDURES HAVE NOT YET BEEN CERTIFIED BY HQ DA. ALL

          BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES WERE EITHER COLLECTED DIRECTLY BY OR TURNED


          OVER TO THE 513TH MI BRIGADE FOR PROCESSING THROUGH APPROPRIATE


          CHANNELS. ALTHOUGH THE ARMY AND AIR FORCE DEVELOPMENTAL


          BIOLOGICAL DETECTION SYSTEMS PROVIDED A UNIQUE FIRST-TIME

          CAPABILITY, THEY WERE VIEWED BY SOME AS TOO COMPLEX AND

          SENSITIVE, WITH A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FALSE POSITIVES. INITIAL

          OPERATIONAL TESTS IN THE AOR RESULTED IN SEVERAL REPORTS OF


          DETECTION OF ANTHRAX. THESE REPORTS WERE LATER PROVEN TO BE


          FALSE BY SUBSEQUENT IN-THEATER LABORATORY TESTS AND WERE

          DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO IMPROPER OPERATING PROCEDURES.


          DISCONTINUING THE PRACTICE OF INCLUDING A PORTION OF THE WATER


                                       mSQQRCOJ6-


                              UNCLASSIFIED