NEWS MEDIA Q & A

File: DOC_73_NEWS_MEDIA_Q_A_001.txt
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Subject: NEWS MEDIA Q & A

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INFO PROVIDED IN ANTICIPATION OF QUESTION BY NEWS MEDIA DURING ii
FEB 91 EVENING NEWS BRIEFING.   ALSO MAY BE OF BENEFIT FOR THE j4
NEWS CONFERENCE ON THE SAME ISSUE AT 1400 ON 11 FEB 91.

Q:   THE U.s  M17 SERIES MASK (Ml7Al/M17A2) HAS COME UNDER RECENT
PRESS CRITICISM.   PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION TO SUPPORT
     -  ADEQUACY OF Ml? SERIES MASK
     -  REASON WHY M-40 MASK HAS BEEN SLOW TO REACH FIELD UNITS
     -  ANY OTHER INFO TO SUPPORT USE OF Ml7Al/M17A2 MASK

A;.  THIS IS THE., THIRD' TIME IN RECENT MONTHS THAT U.S. INDlYIDUAL.
CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE ,E9UIPMENT, BA,~s. COME UNDER. `FIRE.   EAdH' TIME THE
CRITICISM HAS' STEMMED PRIMARILY FROM' CONTRACTING `FIRMS THAT
REPRESENT COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS' ON THE WORLD MARK~
         THE OTHER SOURCE HAS BEEN A GENUINE CONCERN ON THE PART
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MEDIA THAT WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT OUR
FORCES ARE PROVIDED WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT,

    THE Ml7Al/A2 MASK, ALTHOUGH NOT THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY
AVAILABLE WITHIN OUR CAPABILITY, IS ONE OF THE FINEST MASKS THAT
HAS EVER BEEN DEVELOPED AND IS BEING USED BY MANY COUNTRIES
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.   IT HAS ALSO BEEN REVERSE ENGINEERED BY
OTHER COUNTRIES

FOR USE BY THEIR FORCES.

    THE M4 0 MASK REPRESENTS THE LATEST IN PROTECTIVE MASK
TECHNOLOGY AND IS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION BY TWO U.S
CONTRACTORS.   LIMITED QUANTITIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED TO
THE SOLDIERS IN THE AOR.   THE "WHO SHOT JOHN" BEHIND THE DELAY IN
THE PRODUCTION AND FIELDING OF THIS MASK COULD FILL VOLUMES AND
CAN BEST BE ANSWERED BY THE MATERIEL DEVELOPER WHICH IS THE
UNITED STATES ARMY CHEMICAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING
CENTER, AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, MARYLAND.

    ALTHOUGH THE N17 SERIES MASK HAS.AN INTERNAL FILTER WHICH
REQUIRES MORE TIME TO CHANGE THAN THE SCREW-ON CANISTER TYPE OF
THE M40 MASK, OUR DOCTRINE DOES NOT ADVOCATE THE EXCHANGE OF
EITHER TYPE OF FILTERS IN A CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT.   THE FILTER
CHANGE OUT TIME FOR THE Ml? SERIES MASK HAS BEEN REPORTED BY
FEATHER MERCHANTS WANTING TO SELL THEIR PRODUCT AS 15 TO 20
MINUTES.   A WELL TRAINED SOLDIER CAN ACCOMPLISH THE TASK IN ABOUT
FIVE MINUTES

    ALTHOUGH THE Ml? SERIES MASK REFLECTS 1960'S TECHNOLOGY IT
HAS BEEN PROVEN THROUGH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO BE FULLY CAPABLE OF
PROVIDING THE PROTECTION LEVEL REQUIRED.   THE MATERIAL DEVELOPER
HAS EXTENSIVE VOLUMES OF SPECIFIC TEST DATA THAT COVER PROTECTION
FACTORS AFFORDED FOR A RANGE OF ACTUAL CHEMICAL AGENT
CONCENTRATION LEVELS.   THEY ALSO HAVE COMPILED WEAR-LIFE DATA,
FOR THE PROTECTIVE OVERGARMENTS UNDER REALISTIC OPERATIONAL TEST
CRITERIA THAT MIMICS THE STRESS AND ACTIVITY THAT SOLDIERS PUT ON
THEIR EQUIPMENT UNDER FIELD COMBAT CONDITIONS.