OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 5 OCT 90

File: 970107_sep96_decls45_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 4

Subject: OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 5 OCT 90                                

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003205

Folder Title: OPERATION DESERT STORM UPDATE                                                                   

Document Number:          5

Folder Seq  #:         41





             i.,nate. L.1 ziL- 82nci. tnere have oeen no cases of rieat stroke @to my
      @lnowl;oge. Heat exhaustion mas occurred. but in relatively low num@ers. I
      @ttrIOLtre the tavoraole experience to preexisting acclimatization tsummer         '   at
          Liragg), command emphasis on Hydration. availability of datable water. I
          .iV C!On't know tne experience -n tne otmer Divis3.ons.        SunbLLrn nas not
         i-i a orot3.Lem. blowing sand mas often oeen a nuisance. A manotui of
      soldiers nave "c sand oarticies imoedoeo in their Conjunctivae. -.ho issued
      goggles will work to prevent this          can mesti+v to their usefulness when
      riding in amen venicies. The winds nere can be -inoress3.v,ely strong. I would
      auess tnat 20-25 mom is not uncommon.

          @'ests and VE-@tors. You snould nave gotten my
                                                               note about possible     cases
      sanotiv +ever. Aoout 11 in one +Iurrv. None in last 10 days. LA team is
      oalmo to searcn soecitically +or sana+lies in the training area. P1,1@s
      in all encampments. They are Pesky. Tignt sealina a+ latrines is essential
      and works very well, in conjunction witm frequent aoplicition of Destii-id0l
      Keep tne +Lies +rom the latrines. Cj+ course, they go elsewhere. (vteticulau
      attention to trasn cleanup seems to minimize attracting them to one s
      environment. A constant struggle. Fortunately, We (DL=;'Dbl'ej seem to b6'ab--
      to maintain the i.toi3er hand. aithouc.@ total victory is     probably not    attainadl
      After ail. we cc) no", controi the environment outside the Compound. There t,-
      been f, few cases k'.1@) Ot @Ub%C or oodv lic-- rei3orteci from scattered
      c)-=tttc,iions. but no continuing outnreaxs.     No mosquitoes yet. Scorpions are
      -)ot t3it-,.cLt:t @:) -not out --urinq t.@L- aavti-.ne. ano tney are commc3niv coservea
s
      none verv serious. A medic in 8@ne naooens to raise scorpions cack nome
      and me nas orodosee one way to come wnen s--eedina in Lne oesert is to tie ti
      corners ot tne poncno liner to stakes so :nat ail ot tne ecoes are raised 0-
      tne ground. In that Way, any interiaoina scorpion wno approaches the sl
      will remain under che Doncno liner and IT tne scoroion nas occasion to sting
          sleeper in the middle ot tne liner. it will have to sting tnrougn th          'e,
          r. Tne medic Claims neartiiv @ncorses this taCt!C. Snakes are IlKewise
      not tnat hard to encounter. I have not personally seen any. but tnere have
      oeen oerhaps 1/2 dozen bites. none Ll+e threatening. in all Army elements
      .,)ere. @ntivenin is avallaoie. Feral cat on our installation bit a soldier
      (oravoi,,e(2.' at-kci was -@3.lleci in comr)ar with t@e wounded c)aratrc3ooer. -kabi es
      prophylaxis begun. Curiosity- MAJ Christenberry told me a baboon (? wild)
      informally aooozec My the trooos at her Camp bit one of the soldiers. It was
      sacrificed and carcass sent to lab +or raoies studies. Specter of Herpes,B is
      also -.)resent. Question: Are their native monkey@...baboons in Sauci.Arabia
      1 have seen no mention of that in any documents. Perhaps tnis was an esciip'L;d'
      pet. Soldiers have seen feral      rdogs in a pack in tne'd@e'sert at night.' No
      close encounters. Camels and their dung ire everywnere.           Perhaps you heara,
      that a Marine blasted one with a TOW!!

      6. I)iarrmea. In the 82nd, our most forward deployed          Bde has had a very   low
      incidence compared to the two other ones at the installation wmere I am. No
      detailed epidemiologic study has been undertaken. Suffice it to say that the
      sanitary situation at our installation was bad in the beginning. Although
      indoor plumbing and running water are real assets here, the ratio o+ commodes
to the -Fact thae
      we were largely moused in warenouses. wnere the number of commodes was based
      an -=ome -@asonaole estimate oT tne numoer, ta+ workers Likely to be --nere.
      Purtmer, all commooes were a+ the Asian style (hole in the tiaor). Because

Document 4 f:/Week-36/BX003205/OPERATION DESERT STORM UPDATE/operation desert shield 5 oct 90:01029715473646
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003205
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = OPERATION DESERT STORM UPDATE
Folder Seq # = 41
Subject = OPERATION DESERT SHIELD 5 OCT 90
Document Seq # = 5
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 = 02-JAN-1997