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File: 092396_aug96_decls11_0005.txt
Subject: MEDICAL OPERATIONAL
Box ID: BX000511
Document Number: 10
Folder Title: D-S SPEC STUDIES PROJECT GENERAL OFFICER STEERING COMMITTEE
Folder Seq #: 7
Unit: ARCENT
Parent Organzation: CENTCOM
ISSUE. Operation DESERT STORM revealed deficiencies in the
deployabilityt mobility and sustainability of hospital units.
DISCUSSION: 0
a. The Deployable Medical System (DEPMEDS) provided the
best equipment sets ever used by hospital units deployed to
support soldiers in combat. The expandable isoshelters, TEMPER
tents, and environmental control units (ECU) provided a quality
environment. The medical assemblages, particularly those for the
operating rooms, laboratories, and intensive care wards, provided
the most technologically advanced technical equipment ever
fielded. The cost of fielding this capability is in an increased
lift requirement for deployment and a significant decrease in
tactical mobility. Unit equipment for a Combat Support Hospital
(CSH) is packed in fifteen 20-foot military vans and eight 20-
foot isoshelters. An evacuation hospital (EVAC) requires 20
military vans and 11 isoshelters.
b. The smallest hospital unit, the 60-bed Mobile Army
Surgical Hospital (MASH), is supposed to be 100 percent mobile
and is designed to operate near the division rear area. During
Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM the MASH proved to e muc ess
than 100 percent mobile. In one corps the MASHs were task-
organized to get maximum capability forward with organic
transportation. Over 40 percent of bed capacity was left behind
the line of departure, but the units managed to remain reasonably
close to the supported forces and were in position to provide
surgical support early in the ground campaign. In the other
corps, the MASH units were completely uploaded on organic and
corps transportation assets. The units could not keep up with
war,
only one MASH was operational. This situation meant that all
casualties in that corps had to be evacuated to combat support
and evacuation hospitals south of the line of departure.
c. Other deficiencies in the organization of hospital units
include the lack of materiels handling equipment and insufficient
capacity for storing water and fuel. Unit ISO shelters and
milvans are designed to move as trailers on dolly sets, but both
containers require special handling equipment to upload, download
and position when not on a dolly set.
d. The AMEDD is in the process of converting to a new force
structure, Medical Force 2000 (MF2K). MF2K eliminates the 400-
bed EVAC, and increases the CSH from 200 to 296 beds. MF2K also
replaces the 60-bed MASH with a 30-bed MASH which has an organic
forward surgical team. The new structure includes another
forward surgical capability in the form of separate surgical
squads. The forward surgical teams can provide the forward
surgical capability required when the MASHs are not
operational.and can augment other units' surgical capability.
j-4
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Document 10 f:/Week-32/BX000511/D-S SPEC STUDIES PROJECT GENERAL OFFICER STEERING COMMITTEE/medical operational:09069614063528
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-32
Box ID = BX000511
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = D-S SPEC STUDIES PROJECT GENERAL OFFICER STEERING COMMITTEE
Folder Seq # = 7
Subject = MEDICAL OPERATIONAL
Document Seq # = 28
Document Date =
Scan Date = 17-AUG-1996
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 = 06-SEP-1996