CHEMICAL TASK ORGANIZATION AND COMMAND AND CONTROL

File: 970924_sep96_decls9_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 4

Subject = CHEMICAL TASK ORGANIZATION AND COMMAND AND CONTROL

Parent Organization = TRADOC

Unit = TRADOC

Folder Title = CHEMICAL DEFENSE ISSUES OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Document Number = 1

Box ID = BX002447

S. 15SUe: Protective Overgarment Effectiveness

Discussion: There was much confusion regarding how long a chemical
suit provides protection after removal from its vapor barrier bag. FM
3-4. NBC Protection, states: 'When the overgarment is removed from
the package and donned, its protective qualities last 14 days..." The
CPOG vapor barrier bag provides slightly different information:
"The5e garments are items of outer wear and can be worn for up lo )4
consecutive days .... At 4ha end of 14 days or after 6 hours USO in a
chemical environment, the overgarment z5 to be replaced." This
statement implies that the suit is to be worn for 14 consecutive days
before discarding. FM 3-4, Chapter 5 says: 'Obviously, if no new
overgarment are available, soldiers should not automatically remove a
contaminated or unserviceable overgarment.' The 'correc4'
interpretation of the "14 consecutive days" became an important issue
starting on I Feb 91; some units did not have suits immediately
available to replace those opened on 17 Jan 91 in the intermediate
staging area (Port). For the individual soldier, confidence in their
NBC equipment was nearly destroyed because of conflicting gu I dance.

Recommendation: Thorough testing be conducted to determine protective
overgarment effectiveness versus time of wear and also against time
removed from the bag. This information needs to be included in
doctrinal literature (FM 3-4). Doctrine must be cevelooed on the
utilization of "part4ally U5eCl" M.OPP suits once a chemical threat has
been reduced. This doctrine Must also address how much longer the
suit remains serviceable.

S. Issue: MOPP Analysis at Levels at)ove Division

Discussion: On several occasions in Port, units sleeping in covered
buildings were awakened and orderec to MOPP !eve! four die to SCUD
missile warnings. Usually the mandatory M@@PP orde- wo@ld occur after
the attack had taken place, and also ncluclec@ the requirement to begin
taking PB Pills. Later the order would come to remove MOPP and stop
taking PB. Tme same sequencre of events occurred almost nightly.
This caused soldiers to open up MOPP suits, create anxiety over taking
PB Pills, and place a near hysteria in the mind of the individual
soldier about an NBC threat that Wd5 minimal at best. Based on
doctrine, MOPP decisions are to be made using the established MOPP
analysis found in FM 3-4 and not in reaction to a single event (SCUD
Alert).

Recommendation: That MOPP analysis and decisions be left to those
commanders that are most affected by wearing protective gear (Division
and below).

7. Issue: Pyrodostigmine Bromide Tablets (PB Pills)

DISCU5510n: Soldiers sometimes missed taking F@B pills. Taking the
pills on an 8 hour schedule meant taking one pill during a sleep
period, or in the midst of continuous operations (as happened 24 Feb
I Mar gi). Additionally, many soldiers were reluctant to take the
Pills after press reports described PB Pills as experimental.

Document 4 f:/Week-64/BX002447/CHEMICAL DEFENSE ISSUES OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS/chemical task organization and command and control:09229712012611
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-64
Box ID = BX002447
Unit = TRADOC
Parent Organization = TRADOC
Folder Title = CHEMICAL DEFENSE ISSUES OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Folder Seq # = 49
Subject = CHEMICAL TASK ORGANIZATION AND COMMAND AND CONTROL
Doc Seq # = 1
Doc Date =
Scan Date = 31-JUL-1997
Queued for Declassification = 01-AUG-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 = 22-SEP-1997