MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

File: 123096_sep96_decls27_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 34

Subject: MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL             

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003203

Folder Title: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106                                                         

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         28




                           JOINT STAFF ACTION PROCESSING FORM

     TO DOCDIV         CLASSIFICATION              ACTION NUMBER
                      I            UNCLASSIFIED     J-4A 01206-91
     THRU DJS                                                           ORIG SUSPENSE
                                                                         16 Aug 91  -
     SUBJECT Freedom of Information Act Request            ACTION       SJS SUSPENSE
     #3106 (91-FOI-1267)(U)                             x  APPROVAL
                                                        x  SIGNATURE    J SUSPENSE
                                                           IINFORMATION  16 Aug 91
     ACTION SUMMARY

     1. Purpose: (U) This responds to a DocDiv request* to review a Freedom
     of Information Act (FOIA) request for information concerning the use of
     vaccine for botulinum on US military personnel stationed in the Persian
     Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Storm (ODS).

     2.  Background

         a.        When ODS began, the Department of Defense had inadequate
         quantities of vaccines,

         of BW agents.

         b.        Eight TANK briefs were held to discuss problems with the
         industrial base, if and when to begin vaccinations, and to whom. At
         the time these discussions were held and issues formulated for CJS and
         the Joint Chiefs' review, the decision to classify the biological
         defense program was made. This was to ensure operational security and
         employment of vaccines to selected units and personnel to be
         immunized. Classification ranged from TOP SECRET to SECRET, based on
         the program's extreme sensitivity and the intelligence footprint
         information concerning US capabilities would likely leave.

         C. (U) Following ODS, the BW defensive program for DOD has remained
         properly classified at the SECRET level. The only exception** has
 medical
         record in order to ensure availability of such information for
         purposes of epidemiological tracking. All original records and




                               C.OORI)TNAIM I/APPROV)iL
   OFPTCP.                                   nPPTrp.     NAME & DATTP.
   J-4                                       J-2
                                             J-5
                                             ASDHA
                                             USA
                                     71137   LC                                71137




   ACTION OFFICER/DIV/PHONE COL M Fry/J-4    MRD, (703) 697-4421
    DATE PREPARED ICLASSIFICATION                     Classified by J-4/MRD
    I August 1991             UNCLASSIFIED            Declassify on OADR

   JS FORM 136L          Int rnal Staff Paper, Release Covered by MOP 60
     APR 91                ;REVIOUS EDITION OF THIS FORM MAY BE USED

Document 34 f:/Week-36/BX003203/FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106/medical countermeasures against biological mater:12179609282028
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003203
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106
Folder Seq # = 28
Subject = MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATER
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 = 17-DEC-1996