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File: 082696_doc1_494.txt
I-.
(12) There are no current maintenance procedures established
for the Porta Count within the Marine Corps. Procurement of this
item without a concurrent establishment of a maintenance plan is
contrary to Marine Corps doctrine. Therefore, procure such repair
parts and consumable material necessary for maint~ining the Por4~a
Count in a operational status, less calibration. Provide factory
training of a new equipment team in maintenance and repair
concurrent with the fielding of the Porta Count.
(13) Without an established maintenance program for
supporting the Porta Count It is anticipated that within a week of
continuous field use fifty percent of the instruments will require
maintenance above the operator capability. This conclusion is based
on operator inexperience and anticipated field conditions to which
the item will be subjected. To preclude this unnecessary
operational downtime of the instrument it is necessary to have an
intermediate maintenance capability for at least six months. TSI
corporation is willing to assemble for procurement necessary field
maintenance kits that will support this requirement.
(14) The Porta Count is a highly reliable instrument when
used by a trained individual. At a minimum the operator of the
Porta Count must receive ten hours of hands on training to be
initially certified and then be recertified on a annual basis. The
certification and recertification should be accomplished by the KMK
NBC Schools for all NBC Defense personnel.
(15) The Porta Count was set to a protection factor of 6667
during the operational test, which is the supposed ideal setting for
field protective masks. When deployed the Porta Count should be set
to a protection factor dictated by the anticipated actual threat.
In most cases the actual protection factor necessary for a worn mask
will be below 6667. While only sixty-six percent of the test
subjects were able to achieve the 6667 level of protection,
eighty-one percent were able to achieve a 3333 level of protection.
Kurther, eighty eight percent were able to achieve a 1667 level of
protection. As the use and purpose of the Porta Count becomes more
familiar, realistic protection factors for the geographical area of
deployment are established and the training of Marines in proper
mask donning procedures, it is projected that the fit validation
percentages will increase.
b. Recommendations.
(1) That the operational test plan be modified to reflect
exercises and procedures contained herein.
(2) That a quantity of ten sampling tubes at a cost of ~2.~~
each, be included with each Porta Count.
(S) That three drink tube lever retaining devices, at a cost of
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