STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERSIAN GULF

File: 110596_sep96_decls2_0008.txt
Page: 0008
Total Pages: 48

Subject: STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERSIAN GULF        

Unit: VAR. BUMED  

Parent Organization: BUMED       

Box ID: BX303818

Folder Title: USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992                                                  

Document Number:          4

Folder SEQ  #:         13










               information was delivered in a calm, matter of fact manner,

               and questions were addressed.

                   After the briefing, the talk of missile attack

               diminished greatly. People wanted to believe that they were

               safe and that those in charge would be able to provide

               protection. Despite the obviously unreasonable nature of

               the explanation of safety, people believed it, possibly

               because they were looking for some way to avoid thinking

               about the unthinkable.

                   During the height of the air war, there was an

               intelligence briefing given by a member of the medical

               intelligence group, an infectious disease specialist. He
               informed the crew that Saddam Hussein had an ample supply of

               anthrax spores that could easily be distributed using an
               agricultural sprayer. Such a sprayer could be mounted on a

               small boat and would be undetectable. Anthrax spores would

               float onto the ship and infect the entire crew. The early
               signs of infection would consist of flu-like symptoms but

               the illness would be 100% fatal and would make the ship

               "uninhabitable" for decades. The briefer explained that

               there was a vaccine, but it was not yet available.-

               Antibiotics could suppress an infection, but the supply of

               antibiotics was also limited and rationing would probably be

               necessary. Anthrax was a true weapon of terror.






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Document 48 f:/Week-39/BX303818/USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992/stress and coping with trauma of war in the pers:1104960910243
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-39
Box ID = BX303818
Unit = VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization = BUMED
Folder Title = USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992
Folder Seq # = 13
Subject = STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERS
Document Seq # = 4
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 = 04-NOV-1996