ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION CAPABILITY

File: 090496_jul96_decls5_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 3
Subject: ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION CAPABILITY               

Box  ID: BX000450

Document Number:         18

Folder Title: DUTY LOG  G-3  21-22 OCT 90                                                                     

Folder Seq #:         21

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organzation: CENTCOM     




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                                       RECEIVED AT 13:29 Z

         PRIORITY           RHIVHBA CDRXVIIIABNCORPS //G3//


         PROVIDING NBCRS TO ALLIES DURING THIS PGRIOD) FURTHER EXACERBATES
         THE EXISTING DECON SHORTFALL.
         3.       ANOTHER CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS STRATEGY INVOLVES THE
         USE OF NBC COVERS TO PROTECT SUPPLIES AND EXPOSED EQUIPMENT.
         RECEIPT OF HQ DA PROGRAMED AND PROCURED COVERS WILL ENABLE THE CORPS
         TO TAKE GREATER ADVANTAGE OF CONTAMINATION AVOIDANCE. THE PRINCIPAL
         SAVINGS IN DECONTAMINATION RESOURCES RESULTING FROM USE OF THESE
         COVERS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE AREA OF DECON SUPPORT TO OUR COMBAT
         SERVICE SUPPORT FORCES.
         4.      AN ANALYSIS OF DECON REQUIIREMENTS UNDER XVIII ABN CORPS
         OPLAN DESERT SHIELD I SHOWS THAT CAPABILITIES REPRESENTED BY ON-HAND
         DECON COMPANIES ARE MISLEADINB; I.E., NUMBERS OF COMPANIES ARE ONLY
         ONE MEASURE OF THE REQUIREMENT. COMPANY TYPE IS THE OTHER MEASURE.
         DUAL PRUPOSE SMOKE/DECON COMPANIES ARE LESS CAPABLE THAN HEAVY DECON
         COMPANIES. THEIR UTILITY IS FURTHER DIMINISHED IN THE CURRENT
         ENVIRONMENT SINCE THEY ALSO SERVE TO OFFSET THE SHORTFALL ASSOCIATED
         WITH THE DECREMENT THAT OCCURED IN MECHANIZED AND MOTORIZED SMOKE
         COMPANY FORCE STRUCTURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPANIES (59TH AND
         761ST) ONLY HAVE THREE OF THEIR FOUR AUTHORIZED PLATOONS. MOST
         IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT DUAL-PURPOSE COMPANIES LACK AN ORGANIC
         WATER HAUL CAPABILITY. THIS DEFICIENCY, COUPLED WITH THE PAUCITY OF
         WATER SOURCES THROUGHOUT THE CORPS AO, EXACERBATES THE DECON SHORTAGE
         REPRESENTED BY THE THREE COMPANY SHORTFALL.
         5.       ALTHOUGH SHORT THREE DECON COMPANIES, STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN
CY AND MAXIMIZE USE OF AVAILABLE DECON
         ASSETS. THESE STEPS ARE OUTLINED BELOW.
         A.       OPERATOR SPRAYDOWN AND WEATHERING ARE KEY TENETS OF OUR
         DECON STRATEGY. DURING THE WARMER PERIODS OF THE YEAR, THESE TWO
         ACTIONS ARE MUTUALLY SUPPORTING AND WORK TO OUR ADVANTAGE. COOLER
         WINTER WEATHER AND LOWER NIGHT TIME TEMPERATURES IMPACT THIS
         STRATEGY: HOWEVER, NEITHER CONDITION MAKES IT TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.
         DURING THESE COLER PERIODS9 WHICH SUPPORT IRAO'S USE OF PERSISTENT
         AGENTS, DEPENDENCY ON VEHICLE WASHDOWN USING SUPPORTING CHEMICAL
         DECON COMPANIES INCREASES.
         B.       0 ENHANCE OUR DECON CAPABILITIES, REQUISITIONS ARE
         BEING DROPPED FOR M13 DAP BY UNITS SHORT THIS ITEM DUE TO
         PRE-DGPLOYMENT FISCAL CONSTRAINTS. RECEIPT OF DAP WILL HELP PLUS UP
         DECONTAMINATION AT THE OPERATOR LEVEL. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ADJUNCT
         TO OUR STRATEGY SINCE DAP USE EXPEDITES WEATHEING, PROVIDES FULL
         VEHICLE DECON COVERAGE, REDUCES DEPENDENCE ON WATER, AND PROVIDES
         GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN CONTINUING COMBAT AND SUPPORT MISSIONS.
         C.       ANOTHER ACTION AIMED AT STRENGTHENING OUR CAPABILITY TO

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