MEDICAL OPERATIONS DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM 9 NOV 91

File: 123096_sep96_decls2_0017.txt
Page: 0017
Total Pages: 57

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










                 would probably be improved if the NAVCENT surgeon is at the same command level
                 as the other component surgeons. @y, the Navy component commanders
                 surgeon should be involved in operational planning. Collocating the surgeon with
                 the rest of the component cornmander's staff makes this easier. If the component
                 commander is located afloat, however, there may be valid reasons for locating the
                 surgeon ashore.


                     Inadequate staffing also hampered medical command and control. COMUS-
                 NAVCENT active-duty medical staffing at the onset of Desert Shield consisted of a
                 single medical planner augmented with a reservist. As the operation evolved, the
                 staff grew to include seven officers and eight enlisted personnel. Staffing in the
                 areas of medical logistics, intelligence, and planning, however, was inadequate. The
                 medical staff lacked experience, particularly in a unified command structure, and
                 specific expertise in medical supply and regulating in a joint operation. A require-
                 ment for enhanced training for plans, operations, and medical intelligence (PO@)
                 officers and detailing to appropriate operational bmets is indicated

                     Command and control within individual N=s could be strengthened by requir-
                 ing a screening board 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 had defined, requisite              g
                 and experience. Commanding officers require official orders from the Chief of Na-.,al
                 Personnel to provide them vnth the proper authority and legal basis to exermse the
 Active-duty captains were sent to FH-5 and the hospital
                 ship MTFs on temporary additional duty (TAD) orders. No authoritative orders were
                 issued designating them as commanding officer. The lack of acceptable evidence of
                 command to establish authority for committing hmds and p                   g controlled
                 medi@ caused delays in obtaining supplies and services for FH-5.

                     In addition, the internal and external communications equipment supplied with
                 the deployable platforms was inadequate, in both quality and quantity. The hand-
                 held radios that came with the fleet hospitals were of insufficient power to commu-
                 nicate necessary security and patient arrival information within the confines of the
                 compound. Existing radios for external communications had insufficient power and
                 the wrong antenna configuration to meet range requirements for effective command
                 and control and patient regulating, even before the outbreak of hostilities. Com-
                 milnir.qtions be,--Rme less reliable after 15 January. In addition, all forces should be
                 made aware that secure communications by hospital ships is prohibited during
                 hostilities in order for them to receive protection under the Geneva Convention.
                 Occasionally, lack of this knowledge hampered lwson with the hospital ships.



                                                           .8-

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