NONCONCURRENCE ON PLACEMENT OF GOLD STANDARD BW

File: 123096_sep96_decls24_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 6

Subject: NONCONCURRENCE ON PLACEMENT OF GOLD STANDARD BW                 

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003201

Folder Title: CONFIRMATION OF ATTACK WITH BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS                                                  

Document Number:          7

Folder Seq  #:         17


                                    UNCLASSIFIED





         DASG-HCD-D
         SUBJECT: Nonconcurrence on Placement of Gold Standard Biological
         Warfare (BW) Lab Capabilities in the Area of Responsibility (AOR)
         in Support of Operation Desert Shield (U)


         7. @ Besides the CONUS BW lab results, other information will be
         included in the data package to be forwarded to the National
         Command Authority. They may include the following:

             a- (U) Comprehensive Intelligence Reports

             b. (U) Supportive AOR laboratory results on potential BW
         samples




             d.  @ Clinical findings from the AOR on pulmonary anthrax and
         botulinum cases. Endemic incidence of pulmonary anthrax in the AOR
         is nonexistent.

         8. @ Although the results from AOR labs cannot provide that
         irrefutable confirmation of a BW attack, they will be able to
         provide strong evidence of a BW attack. Currently, initiatives are
         ongoing to place additional BW lab capabilities in the AOR (ref
         Ic). The Navy Forward Lab (NFL) has the capability to culture
         microorganism. Efforts are being made to assign microbiologists
         who have worked with anthrax to the NFL and one to the Army Lab
         (996th VA). Appropriate reagents to isolate anthrax and do
         antibiotic sensitivity testing to determine if the anthrax has been
         genetically engineered will be provided to each lab. NFL has
         limited capability to detect botulinum toxin in the AOR. U.S. Army
         Chemical Research Development and Engineering center will be
         fielding rapid detection kits for botulinura toxin. Efforts are
         ongoing by the medical services to obtain appropriate reagents for
         detection of botulinum toxin.

         9. @ In summary, a CONUS based system for irrefutable
         confirmation of BW attack exists and should be used. There are too
rent CONUS BW lab
         capabilities in the AOR for this function. AOR BW Detection and
         Warning System, BW lab capabilities, and clinical assessment
         procedures will provide that initial alert of potential       tack
         and will permit U.S. Forces to react defe ive
                                                        ly'
         Enclosure                     F @ X F. LEDFORD, JR.
                                       Lieutenant General
                                       The Surgeon General

                                   UNCLASSIFIED

Document 6 f:/Week-36/BX003201/CONFIRMATION OF ATTACK WITH BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS/nonconcurrence on placement of gold standard bw:12179609281625
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003201
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = CONFIRMATION OF ATTACK WITH BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
Folder Seq # = 17
Subject = NONCONCURRENCE ON PLACEMENT OF GOLD STANDARD BW
Document Seq # = 7
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 = 17-DEC-1996