Information Paper

 

Medical Surveillance During
Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm

 

This Information Paper replaces The Navy Forward Laboratory During Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm article previously posted under GulfLINK Medical Information. The information in this paper is essentially the same as in the original article. We have made editorial changes, enhanced the graphics, and added hypertext links to improve readability and document navigation. The original article can be found on GulfLINK Retired Documents.

Information Papers are reports of what we know today about military equipment and/or procedures used in the Gulf War of 1990-1991. This information paper on the Navy Forward Laboratory, Biological Warfare Detection, and Preventive Medicine is not an investigative report; instead, it is intended to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the preventive medicine, biological detection, and infectious disease surveillance techniques employed by the Navy Forward Laboratory and unit preventive medicine personnel, and findings that occurred prior to and during the Gulf War. This is an interim paper, not a final paper. We hope that you will read this and contact us with any information that would help us better understand the role of medical surveillance in the Gulf War. Please contact my office to report any new information by calling:

1-800-472-6719

Bernard Rostker
Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses
Department of Defense

1997197-0000-052

Last Update: November 6, 1997

Many veterans of the Gulf War have been experiencing a variety of physical symptoms, collectively called Gulf War illnesses. In response to veterans’ concerns, the Department of Defense (DoD) established a task force in June 1995 to investigate all possible causes. The Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses assumed responsibility for these investigations on November 12, 1996.

As part of the effort to inform the public about the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses’ progress, DoD is publishing (on the Internet and elsewhere) accounts related to possible causes of Gulf War illnesses, along with whatever documentary evidence or personal testimony was used in compiling the accounts. The following information paper will aid understanding of an important medical organization and its role in the Gulf War.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. BACKGROUND

A. Before the Gulf Crisis
B. Navy Forward Laboratory

II. NFL’s FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Naturally Occurring Infections
B. Biological Warfare Detection

III. PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND SURVEILLANCE

A. Preventive Medicine
B. Surveillance

IV. ASSESSMENT OF NFL AND PM EFFECTIVENESS

A. NFL’s Effectiveness
B. Preventive Medicine Effectiveness

TAB A - Acronym Listing

TAB B - Bibliography

END NOTES


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