Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM - Environmental Health Experience

File: 970207_aadch_001.txt
Page: 001
Total Pages: 46
   
                                                DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
                                      HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
                                                           WASHINGTON. D.C.

 REPLY TO 
                     SGPA                                                                                               7 DEC 1991
 ATTN Of:

SUBJECT: Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM - Environmental Health Experience
                and Issues
    
   TO:  HQ ATC/SGPM                            HQ AU/SGPM                      HQ AFLC/SGPM
         HQ AFSC/SGPM                          HQ MAC/SGPM                   HQ SAC/SGPM
         HQ TAC/SGPM                            HQ USAFE/SGPM                HQ USAFA/SGPM
         HQ PACAF/SGPM                        HQ AFRES/SGPM                NGB/SGB
         HQ AFIA/SGM                             HQ AFSPACECOM/SGPM   DeCA/ W C
                                                  
         1. The attached "After Action Report" assembled by Colonel Butts and the men
         and women of Tactical Air Command is forwarded for your information and
         appropriate action. Many lessons were learned--and again one of the most
         basic being the vulnerability of the food supply and its ability to produce
        disease. As noted in the report, "Foodborne illness was the most significant
         public health problem for deployed Air Force personnel."
         
         2. Although significant public health events occurred during the deployment,
         everyone recognizes that the dedicated efforts of Air Force envirormental
         health (military public health) personnel minimized cemmunicable disease
         outbreaks and environmental incidents during the deployment. Without their
         hard work and diligence, there would have been much higher incidence of these
         events. Our gratitude is given to all of those who were deployed and to those
         who performed critical missions stateside.

         3. If there are questions, please call me at [(b)(2)] HQ TAC/SGPM at

         [(b)(6)]

         RICHARD L. SHAFER, Colonel, USAF, BSC                       1 Atch
         Chief, Military Public Health                                                 HQ TAC/SG Ltr, 11 Jul 91
         Office of the Surgeon General
                                                                                                        cc: AL/OEMH
                                                                                                        USAFSAM/EH
                                                                                                         HQ AAFES-PD(Q/V)
                                                                                                         HQ AFMWRA/MWHF