COMMAND REPORT OP DESERT STORM 17JAN 91 THRU 17 MAR 91

File: 102496_aug96_decls1_0026.txt
Page: 0026
Total Pages: 36

Subject: COMMAND REPORT OP DESERT STORM  17JAN 91 THRU 17 MAR 91         

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organization: CENTCOM     

Box ID: BX000481

Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS  244TH MEDICAL GROUP COMMAND REPORT                                             

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:         13






            e. communications

                 The S3 recognized at the outset that establishing an adequate
            communication system was a vital link to defining command and
            control functions.

                 Signal support plans were designed to meet the requirements of
            the operation.    Means available were unsecure FM radio, wire,
            commercial, tactical and messenger systems.     Each had their own
            limitations.

                 The key to mission accomplishment was establishing viable
            command and control procedures that provided redundancy of
            communications, eliminated unnecessary paper work, insured that
            subordinates functioned during communications interruption and
            practiced good OPSEC and COMSEC.

                 The system in place had its strengths and weaknesses but was
            integrated and made as flexible as possible. No enemy or terrorist
            threat materialized. The Group's communications were impeded only
            by the limitations of the equipment and volume of traffic at peak
            times. A particular problem was the inability of the 92nd Medical
            Battalion's Clearing platoon HQ to communicate with its deployed
            platoons on a regular basis, which at times, degraded its medical
            mission.   More importantly, the Group was unable to provide a
            secure net IAW doctrine, since no COMSEC equipment, KW7, was
            provided to encrypt or decrypt messages.          In addition, an
            insufficient number of SOI's were available which precluded the
            authentication of messages.

                 Wire diagrams were made to support the plan and were annexed
            to the Mass Casualty SOP.

                 The section performed, on a 24 hour basis, the following:
                     1.  Classified message and distribution center for all
                         subordinate units.
.  POC for Red Cross calls
                     3.  POC for SCUD alert notifications.
                     4.  Problem solving subordinate unit equipment problems.
                     5.  Establishing radio relays to communicate with
                         subordinate units.
                     6.  POC for alerting medical units of mass casualty
                         response.
                     7.  Distributing and instructing subordinate units on CEOI
                         procedures.
                     8.  Maintaining telephone logs.
                     9.  Monitoring MEDEVAC frequency.

                 Problems encountered were:
                     1. Proper SCUD alert notification. Units would ignore
            chain of command.   S3 developed a checklist (see exhibit 10) to
            document each time an alert was received, by whom, to whom, how,
            when, and who got alerted. A similar checklist also documented the
            "all clear" notification.

Document 36 f:/Week-32/BX000481/COMMAND REPORTS 244TH MEDICAL GROUP COMMAND REPORT/command report op desert storm 17jan 91 thru 17:1011961540112
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-32
Box ID = BX000481
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS 244TH MEDICAL GROUP COMMAND REPORT
Folder Seq # = 13
Subject = COMMAND REPORT OP DESERT STORM 17JAN 91 THRU 17
Document Seq # = 1
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