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File: 102496_aug96_decls9_0014.txt
Subject: OP DESERT SHIELD 483RD MED DET VS JB 6 AUG 90 16 JAN 91
Unit: ARCENT
Parent Organization: CENTCOM
Box ID: BX000481
Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT
Document Number: 17
Folder SEQ #: 17
OPERATION DESERT STORM
17 January 1991 - 15 April 1991
483RD NEDICAL DETACHMENT (VB)(JB)
GENERAL:
The period encompassing Operation Desert Storm was one of
rapidly changing conditions, in the mission as well as the living
environment. All normal duties had to be performed under Threatcon
D; with inspectors carrying weapons, live ammunition, masks, flak
jacket, Kevlar helmet and co-drivers in each vehicle. All unit
personnel were exhausted from almost nightly SCUD alerts with a
good portion of each night spent in MOPP 4 and operating M8 Alarms.
Performance of commercial sanitary inspections were severely
reduced because of terrorist threats and the closure of many small
establishments as the owners departed the country. officers
performing the inspections still wore civilian clothes but had to
carry weapon, mask, kevlar helmet and flak vest wherever they went.
Each site was required to stockpile ten days supply of MRE's
and bottled water in their living areas in the event that the
supply system was stopped. Due to an increase in the Threatcon
level and the number of guard positions, unit personnel were
pulling twelve hour guard shifts almost every other day. This
allowed little available time in which. the mission could be
performed.
A unit decontamination site was selected southwest of Dhahran
and intensive NBC training was conducted to insure each soldier
could survive in an NBC environment. Unit personnel were directed
to start PB tabs after one of the initial SCUD attacks. All unit
personnel were given a total of two Anthrax shots as immunization
The vaccine caused
considerable swelling, erythema, and pruritis, lasting up to seven
days after the vaccination, in approximately 20% of the personnel.
Adequate quantities of the Anthrax vaccine were not available and
the normal time period of 2 weeks between injections was increased
to more than one month for the majority of the soldiers.
Each soldier was issued a blister pack of ten, 750,mg
Ciprofloxin tablets, as prophylaxis in the event of a potential
biological threat. Instructions were to take I tablet every 12 hrs
upon notification or suspicion that biological agents were being
used. This antibiotic also was excellent for the treatment of
resistant strains of Salmonella and Shigella. In fact it quickly
became the drug of choice as many of the bacterial enteritides were
resistant to common antibiotics such as Septra and Tetracycline.
An inadequate number of CANA autoinjectors, 19 for 45 people,
were issued to the unit to use in the event of a nerve agent
exposure after all 3 chemical agent antidote autoinjectors had been
administered. The purpose of the CANA (diazepam) was to reduce the
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Document 20 f:/Week-32/BX000481/COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT/op desert shield 483rd med det vs jb 6 aug 9:10119615402310
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-32
Box ID = BX000481
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS 422SD MED DET VETERINARY SVCS COMMAND REPORT
Folder Seq # = 17
Subject = OP DESERT SHIELD 483RD MED DET VS JB 6 AUG 9
Document Seq # = 17
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 = 11-OCT-1996