DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW

File: 102896_jun96_decls6_0011.txt
Page: 0011
Total Pages: 64

Subject: DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW                                   

Box ID: BX001608

Unit: 101ST ID    

Parent Organization: XVIII CORPS 

Folder Title: DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C                                                    

Folder SEQ  #:         83

Document Number:          2







          DSIT-AE-103: COL Roy E. Beauchamp


          GOL BEAUCHAMP: That's such an enormous task when you start
          employing chemical weapons on a large scale.

          MAJ HONEC: Yes, sir.

          COL BEAUCHAMP: The equipment that we had, the MOPPIO
          equipment, we had a high level of confidence in. But when
          you start large-scale chemical decontamination, there's
          always the issue of supplies and equipment availability. We
          didn't have some of the most sophisticated equipment that's
          available in the inventory in the group at the time. We
          relied on the traditional Army methods of contamination.
          The chemical solutions. There was a lot of training on
          that.
               Patient decontamination, casualty decontamination is a
          very significant issue. How you handle contaminated
          casualties in the graves registration points is a very
          significant issue. And we have to work through that I think
          in the Army and find a way to deal with that doctrinally.
          In my view, the doctrine is not very well developed and we
          don't practice the doctrine very well for handling
          casualties--graves registration kinds of issues. And of
          course a very significant aspect of that is how you handle
          chemical decontaminated casualties without then completely
          debilitating your casualty handling capability, as the
          handlers themselves become contaminated. You have to avoid
          that at all costs because that's a very thin structure in
          the best of circumstances.

          MAi HONEC: Any other deployment issues that ... which
          perhaps we haven't covered so far? How about family support
          groups?

          COL BEAUCHAMP: Families of course always bear the brunt of
          these things. And I'm fond of observing that the smallest
          unit of organization in this Army is not the squad, it is
    We developed a family support structure here
          at Fort Campbell in the 101st Support Group, and they did a
          splendid job of keeping families informed, working in
          conjunction with the other agencies on post, the rear
          detachment commander and his staff. A very, very
          significant aspect of this deployment. And knowing that
          this structure was in place back here, knowing that there
          was a mechanism in place to deal with family problems, and
          to reach out to those families, to help solve problems, gave
          us all in Southwest Asia a great peace of mind. Knowing
          that if there was a problem, the families would be taken
          care of. There was a structure back here, a legitimated


  10 Mission-oriented protective posture.

                                         8

Document 64 f:/Week-22/BX001608/DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C/desert shield-storm interview:10019616504029
Control Fields 17
File Room = jun96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-22
Box ID = BX001608
Unit = 101ST ID
Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS
Folder Title = DSS 101ST ABN DIV INTERVIEW CDR 101ST SG - C
Folder Seq # = 83
Subject = DESERT SHIELD-STORM INTERVIEW
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 = 01-OCT-1996