OP DESERT SHIELD 483RD MED DET VS JB 6 AUG 90 16 JAN 91

File: 102496_aug96_decls9_0006.txt
Page: 0006
Total Pages: 20

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








          use and that was assigned to the 248th. Efforts to get additional
          civilian vehicles through the 44th Med Bde were unsuccessful. Not
          until 4 Nov. 90, when COL Alm was able to obtain civilian rental
          cars through ARCENT, were we able to properly perform sanitary
          inspections of commercial establishments in an expeditious manner.

               Initial sanitary inspections were difficult to perform in
          Saudi Arabia for other reasons than just a lack of civilian
          vehicles and clothing.    Custom in Saudi Arabia requires that the
          inspector arrange an inspection date and time with the plant
          manager or owner before they arrive to perform an inspection. The
          normal procedure of performing unannounced, surprise sanitary
          inspections as done in CONUS, could not be used without running the
          risk of offending the plant manager or owner.      The unit had no
          commercial telephone lines with which to communicate with the
          establishments; which required that each inspector locate their
          own commercial telephone source, usually at a hotel or public pay
          phone. in addition, even when a commercial telephone was located,
          there was commonly a language barrier which made it extremely
          difficult to explain what the purpose of the call was and to get
          directions to the site. The package labels, which were commonly
          used to identify which establishments needed to be inspected,
          often had incomplete addresses and no telephone numbers. There are
          no street addresses in Saudi Arabia nor numbers on the buildings
          which made it extremely difficult to locate establishments. Work
          hours are split and normally extend from 0900-1200 and 1600-2000
          hours.

               Another problem which I still have considerable concern about,
          was the rapid manner in which we were required to perform initial
      sanitary inspections of commercial establishments. In CONUS and in
          Europe an initial sanitary inspection normally requires a full day
          to perform. These are detailed inspections which delve into every
          aspect of production methodology, sanitation and sources of raw
          ingredients. However the Veterinarians in theater were required to
          perform a minimum of three initial sanitary inspections per day by
          the theater Veterinarian and were chastised if any less was
          accomplished.    To date the record was six initial sanitary
          inspections in one day, performed by CPT Adams in Riyadh. I still
          do not feel a thorough and complete initial sanitary inspection can
          be performed in such a rapid manner and have some concerns about
          the sanitation of some of the plants which were placed in the
          Directory as a result of these inspections.     Luckily, there has
          been no documented food borne illness outbreaks attributed to A
          rations procured from any Directory listed establishment.


          V. MARCENT AO (MST Alpha):

               The first real veterinary support mission that developed
          involved the Marine Corps at Al Jubail. After receiving a request
          for support from G-4, Food Service, I-MEF, USMC, MST A (previously

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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