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APPENDIX A

NBC Operations

NBC THREAT

Threat forces have engaged in sustained efforts to build up their combat capability to employ NBC weapons and to survive and fight in an NBC environment. Their doctrine clearly envisions use of chemical weapons along with either nuclear or conventional weapons. Their forces are large, well equipped, and well trained in NBC operations and defense. In addition to specialized NBC troops, all other threat combat and combat support forces receive extensive NBC training. Therefore, US forces must plan to fight in an NBC environment.

Nuclear weapons have a greater blast effect than conventional weapons. The thermal (heat) and nuclear radiation that they generate pose significant hazards. The blast effect can crush, drag, or tumble CSS supplies and equipment. Personnel can receive internal and external injuries from the blast, the nuclear radiation, and the thermal radiation. Thermal radiation can cause fires in supply points. Blown-down trees may hamper unit supply distribution. In addition, dirt and dust raised by the blast can obscure both vision and sighting devices. The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a nuclear detonation can damage automatic data processing (ADP) and communications equipment, making it inoperative. Nighttime nuclear attacks can create a serious dazzle for personnel in the vicinity of the detonation.

Biological and chemical weapons delay, degrade, incapacitate, or kill personnel. In a chemical environment, personnel must wear protective clothing, gloves, masks with hoods, and overboots to protect themselves from contamination. Considering the immediate threat, ASB commanders must know what MOPP level to take.

NBC EFFECT ON OPERATIONS

The NBC environment poses a challenge to ASB systems. In an NBC environment, personnel casualties increase, compounding the graves registration and health services support work load. Equipment and supply distribution points sustain damage from nuclear blast effects and from fires caused by thermal radiation. Maintenance needs increase sharply, quickly depleting levels of supplies and equipment. Demands for repair parts increase, while fewer people are available to continue the support mission.

In a chemical environment CSS personnel may have to work in full protective equipment for extended periods, resulting in lower productivity. ASB units take longer to do their jobs. Contamination of damaged equipment hampers salvage, recovery, reclassification, and maintenance operations. Time-consuming decontamination operations must begin, or commanders must increase personnel risk to accomplish the mission. Equipment may have to be repaired while contaminated. All medical patients must be decontaminated before entering medical treatment facilities.

NBC DEFENSE

As the NBC threat increases, the ASB commander should consider greater dispersion of units. Even though companies are more spread out, they must prepare for the conventional threat. When ASB elements disperse, they must make sure that their support of AB units continues. In addition ASB units must reduce their vulnerability to enemy attack.

Contamination avoidance, protection (individual and collective), and decontamination are the basic defense measures against NBC hazards. Units must train in these defensive measures to reduce the effects of NBC attacks.

The basic individual protection against a biological agent attack is the protective mask with hood attached. The duty uniform and gloves provide additional protection against bites from vectors like mosquitoes and ticks that carry disease microorganisms. Adequate protection against biological toxins like "yellow rain" require the appropriate MOPP level of protection.

Critical equipment and supplies should be covered to protect them from chemical biological contamination or fallout, and personnel should avoid chemical biological contamination or radiation whenever possible. These procedures keep the requirement for decontamination to a minimum.

Equipment decontamination and smoke support are available from the division chemical company. Supporting teams available from the division chemical company may be attached to an ASB, depending on the existing situation and threat.

ASB plans for NBC operations must be flexible; as basic information of interest to tactical commanders, it must receive wide dissemination. NBC operations require increased emphasis on--

• Vulnerability analysis.
• Contamination avoidance.
• Plans for alternative methods of supply, services, and health services support. Units must anticipate interruptions in the lines of communications.
• Balancing the need for increased movement against the capability to perform the mission.
• Continuing support with reduced resources.
• Possible changes in basic loads.
• Plans to augment the ASB capability with the addition of NBC decontamination teams as required.
• Traffic control to prevent development of potential targets resulting from traffic congestion.
• Plans to rehabilitate critical routes as soon as possible after damage.
• Plans to procure civilian resources (manpower and materiel) promptly to supplement division capabilities in rear operations and for certain other logistics functions.
• Plans reflecting that the tempo of all operations slows (some activities may actually come to a halt) in an NBC environment. This occurs because of individuals or units operating in chemical/biological protective clothing, equipment, or facilities. In addition, they use modified operational procedures to control and minimize contamination.
• Significant increases in demand and consumption rates for individual and unit NBC defensive clothing, equipment, and supplies.

COUNTERING NUCLEAR WEAPONS OR CHEMICAL/BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

The use of nuclear weapons or chemical/biological agents places unusual demands on all ASB activities.

SUPPLY

A marked increase in contaminated supplies may occur. Units must check (monitor) supplies exposed to contamination before use or issue. Class I supplies and water sources suspected of NBC contamination require special attention. Contamination avoidance for supplies (and other ASB elements) includes taking passive measures and limiting the spread of contamination--detecting, identifying, and marking contaminated supplies. It also includes issuing contamination warnings and relocating to an uncontaminated area.

MAINTENANCE

A marked increase in contaminated equipment may occur in an NBC environment. Maintenance units must decontaminate their own equipment as much as possible before using it. Aircraft decontamination requires special procedures, which ASB personnel who are repairing aircraft must be aware of. Refer to FM 1-111 for details on specific requirements for aircraft decontamination. The intensity and fluidity of combat establishes the partial decontamination of materiel as an expected mode of operation. Decontamination resources from the chemical company may not be available to provide assistance due to other priority division missions. Therefore, maintenance personnel must be trained and prepared to decontaminate equipment or to repair it "as is." Contamination avoidance for maintenance is the same as it is for supply.

HEALTH SERVICE SUPPORT

There may be a marked increase in the number of persons needing HSS. The ASB must rely on the MSB and FSBs for health service support. In such circumstances, these HSS personnel require assistance in decontaminating patients and providing treatment. The mass casualty potential of NBC warfare establishes the need for backup support for evacuation assets. Nonmedical units use organic vehicles to transport casualties to HSS treatment facilities when MSB/FSB evacuation assets cannot.

Sick and wounded personnel must be decontaminated before they can enter a treatment facility. Decontamination of sick or wounded individuals unable to perform self-decontamination is the unit's responsibility. HSS personnel may supervise decontamination procedures. Under HSS staff supervision, patient decontamination teams from supported units decontaminate patients in medical treatment facilities. Staff within HSS treatment facilities decontaminate themselves if they are able. Contamination avoidance for health services support is the same as it is for supply.

TRANSPORTATION

Supply routes may become contaminated. Contaminated supply routes may be used, but personnel need to employ protective equipment. Vehicles used on these routes require decontamination. This is very time-consuming and causes delays in cargo delivery. Therefore, units must take special precautions to avoid contaminated supply routes.

NBC reconnaissance and strict traffic control measures aid in contamination avoidance. They limit the spread of contamination and the exposure of other individuals, equipment, and areas. However, detours and rerouting increase turnaround time and require more cargo vehicles.

Use of Army aviation assets for resupply of forward areas increases on a contaminated battlefield because of the heightened need for dispersion. Resupply by air is often more effective than ground means because aircraft can fly over obstacles and contaminated areas. All aircraft have the additional mission of medical evacuation. They must prepare to perform that mission when medical evacuation assets are overloaded during mass casualty situations. Contamination avoidance for transportation is the same as it is for supply.

CONTROL

Enemy employment of nuclear weapons or chemical/biological agents increases problems of traffic control, evacuation of EPWs, and the security of critical activities and materiel under conventional operations. Contamination of areas, facilities, and surface routes causes confusion and increases demands on security and control personnel.