File: 970903_oct1_0028.txt
Page: 0028
Total Pages: 106

NBC Defense

reducing the fear of commanders in unmasking their forces. it should be noted that
commanders in the 3d MAW stated they had a strong nced for a system like the Fox for
use in airbase and landing zone monitoring. Overall survey impressions indicate that
the Fox performed exceptionally well in SWA (see Appendix E-10).

(S) US Army biological warfare (BW) identification and detection reams were
attached to the MEF from CINCCENT. These teams collected aerosol samples for
testing with a small enzymatic detector kit. The teams with the f MEF headquarters
and conducted periodic air sampling. Suspected positive samples were taken for
confirmation to the Navy Forward Lab (NFL), operationally controlled by NAVCENT,
and located at the Marine Hospital in Jubayl. AU suspected positive biological agent
samples were analyzed by the NFL and determined to be false.

(S) Marine NBC officers had little contact or were totally unaware of these teams
and their role in NBC defense. Discussions with Marine NBC officers, Army sampling
team members, and the Navy lab, indicate that an overall concept for biological
sampling and analysis was not implemented wed. The Army and Navy, on the whole,
were not aware of the Marine Corps capability for enviroranental survey using
fabricated Biological Sampling Kits (BSICS) organic to each battalion. Army sampling
teams were physically incapable of effectively sampling and monitoring the entire
Marine Corps sector for biological contamination. The NFL coordinated directly with
the MEF through the Navy mecucal channels and established irlieial procedures for chain
of custody and analysis of biomedical and environmental samples collected by the MEF.
However, three weeks prior to the ground war, CINCCENT promulgated new
procedures for passing collected clien-Lical and biological samples through the Joint
Electror-dc Warfare-Joint Captured Material Exploitation Center (JCMEC) for verification
at specified laboratories. Marine Corps NBC specialists did not participate in
development of procedures for agent sample verification nor did they exercise the
system with the Navy or the Army prior to the real thing. This is significant because
confirmation of chemical or biological agent use is of tactical importance and necessary
for determination of appropriate retaliation measures.

(U) b. Conclusions
(u) C A-(5) -3
(U) r k(5)
(U) XS) -3
(U) k