Operation Desert Storm

Full Army Medical Capability Not Achieved Gao ID: NSIAD-92-175 August 18, 1992

Because of the high number of U.S. casualties expected during the Persian Gulf war, the Army shipped 23,000 medical personnel and millions of dollars in medical supplies to the region. The Army had to overcome significant problems to make medical units operational before the start of the ground war, including (1) inadequate data in the personnel information systems used to identify doctors and nurses for active duty assignments and (2) a lack of peacetime training to prepare doctors and nurses for their wartime roles. The Army also faced equipment and other logistical support problems. For example, even with a massive effort to field equipment and supplies to hospital units, many did not receive equipment or received only partial shipments. Equipment and transportation shortages also affected hospital mobility, and the evacuation of casualties was hampered by long distances, poor communications, and a lack of navigational equipment. Had the war started earlier or lasted longer or had the predicted number of casualties occurred, the Army's ability to provide adequate care would have been doubtful.

GAO found that: (1) the Army had problems in mobilizing and deploying medical personnel because information on them was outdated and unreliable, and many soldiers were undeployable or untrained for their mission; (2) the system to identify and assign active Army doctors and nurses to deploying medical units did not work, medical units did not keep their requirements current, and some units deployed without their full personnel complement; (3) some deployable hospitals were never fully equipped due to supply shortages and supply system malfunctions; (4) medical supply centers lacked supplies, trained personnel and transportation, and also experienced automation problems; (5) the size and weight of the forward hospitals and the lack of support vehicles limited the hospitals' mobility; (6) evacuation of patients from the battlefield was hampered by the rough terrain, lack of navigation equipment, communication difficulties, long distances and the shortage of spare parts for air ambulances; and (7) the effectiveness of patient management was lessened by poor communications.

Recommendations

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