Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search
File: 123096_sep96_decls2_0005.txt
Subject: MEDICAL OPERATIONS DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM 9 NOV 91
Unit: VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization: BUMED
Box ID: BX303801
Folder Title: VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 6
Document Number: 2
Folder Seq #: 10
staffz of the two components prolonged the time required for joint planning because
the MARCENT and NAVCENT surgeons did not have access to the same
information at the same time.
COMUSNAVCENT delegated responsibility for medical support to COMUSNAV-
LOGSUPFOR, an echelon M commander located ashore in Bahrain. The NAVCENT
surgeon was assigned ashore as an assistant chief of staff to COMNAVLOGSUPFOR.
This arrangement facilitated formal and informal communications with the large
medical establishment ashore, including the =s and the CINCCENT and other
component medical staffs. However, separation of the NAVCENT surgeon from other
members of the staff limited his involvement in the planning process and his ability to
make timely and informed judgments on theater medical issues. For example, initial
Planning for an amphibious assault took place without representation from the
NAVCENT surgeo@s staff. The SeventhFleet surgeon remained aboard the
COMUSNAVCENT flag ship to act as a @n and medical advisor but this provided
an imperfect solution. Futhermore, this assignment of responsibilities was not
conveyed during the turnover of the command, resulting in confusion as to who
represented naval medicine for COMUSNAVCENT. Although no major problems are
known to have resulted from this confusion, placing the surgeon with the staff
should help avoid this type of misunderstanding in the fature.
Experience from Desert Shield suggests that command and control could be
made more efficient and responsive. If the command structure places Marine Corps
forces under the control of a Navy component commander, the Navy component
ty for coordinating Navy and
Marine Corps theater medical support. If the command structure has separate
Navy and Marine Corps component commanders, other ways of improving medical
command and control should be explored. In addition, the Navy component com-
mander's surgeon should be involved in operational planning. CoUocating the
surgeon with the rest of the component commander's staff makes this easier-,
however, if the component commander is located afloat, there may be valid reasons
for Ir --ating the surgeon ashore.
Changes at the unit level are also needed. A screening board needs to select
active-duty officers for command of fleet hospitals and the MTF aboard hospital
ships just as SELRES are selected for command of naval reserve fleet hospitals.
Those selected should have defined requisite training and experience. Commanding
officers require official orders from the Chief of Naval Personnel to provide them
with the proper authority and legal basis to exercise the responsibilities of
commands Active-duty captains were sent to FH-5 and hospital ship MTFs on
-vii-
Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search
Document 57 f:/Week-37/BX303801/VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 6/medical operations during operation desert storm:1217961126393
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-37
Box ID = BX303801
Unit = VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization = BUMED
Folder Title = VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 6
Folder Seq # = 10
Subject = MEDICAL OPERATIONS DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM
Document Seq # = 2
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 = 17-DEC-1996