Army news service (April 28, 2006): new technology protects GI's, seaports against NBC.CAMP ARIFJAN Camp Arifjan is a United States Army base with elements of the US Air Force, US Marine Corps, US Navy and US Coast Guard stationed there as well. Romanian, Polish, Australian and British military personnel are also stationed at Camp Arifjan. , KUWAIT -- Servicemembers at Kuwait's crucial seaports can focus more on their missions and less on the worries of chemical or biological attacks with the arrival of new NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. warning technology. The Kuwait Naval Base A naval base primarily for support of the forces afloat, contiguous to a port or anchorage, consisting of activities or facilities for which the Navy has operating responsibilities, together with interior lines of communications and the minimum surrounding area necessary for local is the newest recipient of Contamination Avoidance equipment, part of a Department of Defense-sponsored program to increase warning, awareness, and protection at seaports in the event of contamination. "If you can detect it, you can avoid it," said Lt. Col. Pete Winston, safety officer in charge of the 143d Transportation Command. "If you avoid it you won't get contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. ." The CASPOD CASPOD Contamination Avoidance of Sea Ports of Debarkation [Contamination Avoidance of Sea Ports of Debarkation] package at Kuwait Naval Base includes chemical detectors, sensors, computer systems, and training. The nearby port of As Shuaybah is also equipped with CASPOD equipment. Together, the ports are the first CASPOD sites in a combat zone. The technology arrived after years of testing, monitoring, and concerns, after a General Accounting Office investigation found shortfalls in decontamination decontamination /de·con·tam·i·na·tion/ (de?kon-tam-i-na´shun) the freeing of a person or object of some contaminating substance, e.g., war gas, radioactive material, etc. de·con·tam·i·na·tion n. equipment and warning systems at critical points. The CASPOD equipment underwent further tests, demonstrations, and improvements. Finally, the package was proposed to U.S. Central Command in 2001. Today, CASPOD is more versatile than it was in its early stages. "CASPOD is not just for nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare chemical warfare, employment in war of incendiaries, poison gases, and other chemical substances. Ancient armies attacking or defending fortified cities threw burning oil and fireballs. A primitive type of flamethrower was employed as early as the 5th cent. B.C. ," said Chris Vontomaszewski, CASPOD technician for SPOD and KNB KNB Koninklijke Notariële Beroepsorganisatie (Dutch) . "It is for command, control, emergency response, and NBC." The future of the CASPOD looks even brighter. The system will be simplified and "the ultimate goal is information sharing at a new level," said Vontomaszewski. Ideally, commanders will have the ability to see data from all ports on a single screen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vontomaszewski added that until then, servicemembers living and working in Kuwaiti ports enjoy a safer environment without the danger of a chemical of biological attack. The CASPOD is a proactive step towards protecting lives and property--now and in the future. "The longevity and future development is important because worldwide political winds do change," he said. "The presence of CASPOD at seaports is a daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin reminder that, in such an event, the equipment is ready to detect any chemical or biological attack." "In just a matter of days, international matters can change," says Winston. "We are here to defend and protect our forces and people." He added that future forces may see newer versions of CASPOD--and that the present installation is a stepping stone. "I understand that some poor chemical officer down the road may have to defend this port," he said. "This will help him." Rothermel writes for the 143rd Transportation Command, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Sgt. Crystal Rothermel, USA |
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