AFTER ACTION REPORT ON DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHWEST ASIA

File: 110596_sep96_decls2_0009.txt
Page: 0009
Total Pages: 14

Subject: AFTER ACTION REPORT ON DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHWEST ASIA             

Unit: 22D SUPCOM  

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box ID: BX005554

Folder Title: ARMY EOD IN DESERT STORM VOL 4 543 EOD TEAM EODCT                                               

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:          4







       AFFU-543
       SLIBJECT:  After Action Report


           11. PREDEPLOYMENT AND REDEPLOYMENT. All I want to address about
       theoredealovment c)reoarations is the atrocious time we had oreoarina USR
       chanc3es. DEMSTAT  cards. and the AUEL. There oucht to be a     school to train
       meoole how to do   this stuff. Four different installations     oave me +our
       .different answers and  none of them iived with what FORSCOM    j4 was tellinc3
       me.  Somethina so imoortant shouldn't be left to blunder throuc3h at the
       last minute.
           The onlv subject I want to address about redeolovment is vehicle turn
       in. I was in charae a+ takina vehicles of three 542nd EODCT units to the
       t)ort after these units had deoarted. Desoite havina a sinole Doint of
       contact for rededlovment (the LT from the 512th EODCT, who did a oood
       iob). mv experiences were a maior headache. Vehicles didn't start and had
       to be towed. oaderwork and forms were missina. and trash'Was left in some
       trucks. No unit should have departed countrv until their vehicles were
       turned in.

       12. PHYSICAL FITNESS. Goina into Desert Shield I was in the worst shaoe
       of mv career. From Auaust to November. our unit went throuah turmoil
       which never allowed us to maintain anv    sort of sustained PT oroaram. I
       personally suffered a bout of viral oneumonia in September. which left me
       weekened +or months. Once in Suadi Arabial we attempted to establish a
       .oroaram. We ran around the    'oarv-.ino lot of our compound (not beina
       oermitted to run outside) carrvina Protective masks.
           None of the standard PT rea3.mine Dreoares a soldier for the arind of
       luooina around helmet. flak vest. load bearina equipment. weaoons. and
       CPOG for eighteen to twentv hours    a dav. Fillina and li+tina thousands of
       sandbaos is back-breaking work. The A'rmv needs to relook at the current
something like a rucksack march or li+tina
       event io the PT test.

       13. PERSONNEL. Some a+ our NCO's disolaved attitude orablems that
       areatlv affected the morale and discioline of the iunior troods. A few
       were never able to snao out of a depression which they carried throuah the
       entire conflict. To have ootten rid of these Drablem children would have
       left us woefullv undermanned (we dedloved understrenoth as it was).
           The 543rd EODCT had something of a bad sa+etv record. I don't know if
       it was simolv bad luck or nealicence. Three soldiers were fraaged                C*4
       resulting in minor injuries. One unit     had a bad vehicle accident in which    LO
       three soldiers were verv fortunate to be alive.                                  LO
           The death of MAJ           was a shock to all. No one eXDected anvane to
       c3et killed. let alone the Control Commander. Inventorvina his oersonal
       effects was a soberina exoerience +or me.
       14. SUMMARY. Desoite all the oroblem areas and shortfalls. EOD manaced           LO
       to weather all adverstiv. We Got called in to do a lot more       than "Dure
       EOD work". We downloaded Soviet tanks and helicopters. destroyed captured
       ASP's and eauioment. and caooed oil well fires. The natural
       resourcefulness of the EOD 'technician enabled him to adapt radidlv to a
       chanaina battlefield.
           The 543rd EODCT came throuah a maior combat enaaaement, some traoic
       times. and some scarv times. We came throuch it all with +Ivina colors.

Document 14 f:/Week-42/BX005554/ARMY EOD IN DESERT STORM VOL 4 543 EOD TEAM EODCT/after action report on deployment to southwest a:1104960912415
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-42
Box ID = BX005554
Unit = 22D SUPCOM
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = ARMY EOD IN DESERT STORM VOL 4 543 EOD TEAM EODCT
Folder Seq # = 4
Subject = AFTER ACTION REPORT ON DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHWEST A
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 = 04-NOV-1996