USCENTCOM POLICY ON US FORCES USE OF DIAZEPAM 23 OCT 90

File: 970904_sep96_decls17_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 3

Subject = USCENTCOM POLICY ON US FORCES USE OF DIAZEPAM   23 OCT 90       

Parent Organization = ARCENT      

Unit = XVIII CORPS 

Folder Title = NBC AAR                                                                                         

Document Number =         98

Box ID = BX000088










                                    UNCLAS




    3T
    INCR,AS
    ;UBJ: USCENTCOM POLICY ON U.S. FORCES USE OF DIAZEPAM
       MESSAGE USCINCCENT 151355Z OCT 90 IS RETRANSMITTED AS FOLLOWS:
    )UOTE"
    @. DIAZEPAM, sqON TO BE FIELDED AS CANA (CONVULSANT ANTIDOTE FOR
    4ERVE AGENT), IS CRITICAL IN PREVENTING OR REDUCING CONVULSIONS AND
    -ESULTANT BRAIN DAMAGE IN NERVE AGENT CAUSUALTIES. HOWEVER, THERE IS
    USTIFIABLE CONCERN THAT DIAZEPAM (ALSO KNOWN AS VALIUM) HAS THE
    OTENTIAL FOR ABUSE.
    . , DIAZEPAM MUST BE ISSUED TO THE INDIVIDUAL, AND READILY AVAILABLE
    QHEN NEEDED OR IT WILL BE OF LITTLE USE IN PREVENTING PERMANENT BRAIN
    AMAGE. THE BENEFITS OF INDIVIDUAL ISSUE FAR OUTWEIGH THE RISKS.
    HE SIDE EFFECTS FROM ADMINISTERING CANA WITHOUT BEING EXPOSED TO
    ERVE AGENT ARE MINIMAL (IMPAIRED VISUAL TRACKING AND
    ECISION MAKING ABILITY FOR TWO TO FIVE HOURS). THERE IS NO RISK OF




    AGE 02 RUDCHAA0016 UNCLAS
    ROLONGED INCAPACITION OR ADDICTION WITH A SINGLE UNAUTHORIZED
    11 TION.
    WSINCE CANA CONTAINS A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, ABLES IT NOWHERE IN
    HE SAME CATEGORY AS A NARCOTIC, COMPONENT COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE
    CCOUNTABILITY FOR IT WHEN ISSUED. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH
    OG BOOKS OR FORMS SIMILAR TO THOSE USED TO ISSUE WEAPONS OR
    RGANIZATIONAL CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT. FURTHERMORE, INDIVIDUALS
    UST ATTEND A CLASS FOR ADMINISTERING FIRST AID TO A NERVE AGENT
    ASUALTY BEFORE BEING ISSUED THE CANA.
       TIIE INSTRUCTION WILL BE AN UPDATE OF THE BASIC FIRST-AID FOR A
    ERVE AGENT CASUALTY TiiAT WILL INCORPORATE CANA INTO THE PROCEDURES
    OR BUDDY-AID. WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO SUFFICIENT
    ERVE AGENT SO THAT HE CAN NO LONGER HELP HIMSELF, HE REQUIRES BUDDY
    ID. SEVERE NERVE AGENT CASUALTIES WHO CANNOT INJECT
    IIEMSELVES ARE GIVEN TIIEIR THREE ANTIDOTE SETS (ATROPINE AND 2 PAM
    -tiLC)RIDE) IN RAPID SUCCESSION BY A BUDDY. WHEN A CASUALTY'S THIRD
    ET IS ADMINISTERED BY HIS BUDDY, THE BUDDY WILL THEN ADMINISTER THE
    ANA.
       THE CLASS WILL ALSO EMPHASIZE THE INDIVIDUALS' RESPONSIBILITY TO
    AFEGUARD THEIR CANA AUTO INJECTOR. THE INSTRUCTION WILL STRESS THE




    'AGE 03 RUDCHAA0016 UNCLAS
    ACT THAT THEIR CANA IS THERE TO BE ADMINISTERED TO THEM, BY A BUDDY,
    'O PREVENT SERIOUS BRAIN DAMAGE AND CONVULSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH NERVE
    GW POISONING. SHOULD THEY BE NEGLIGENT, AND ALLOW THEIR CANA TO
                                             'CPOSURE, THEN IT SIMPLY WILL
    E  OLEN OR USED Wll'f)OUT NERVE AGENT E,
    IOT BE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY REALLY NEED IT. THE RESPONSIBILITY IS

Document 3 f:/Week-62/BX000088/NBC AAR/uscentcom policy on us forces use of diazepam 23 oct 90:08289707513918
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-62
Box ID = BX000088
Unit = XVIII CORPS
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = NBC AAR
Folder Seq # = 13
Subject = USCENTCOM POLICY ON US FORCES USE OF DIAZEPAM 23 OCT 90
Doc Seq # = 98
Doc Date =
Scan Date = 16-JUL-1997
Queued for Declassification = 17-JUL-1997
SAGWI Request = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 28-AUG-1997