Chemical-Biological Defense

Chemical-Biological Defense
Author: Albert J. Mauroni
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 275
Release: 1998-06-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 0313069719

The Gulf War has been the only conflict in the last half-century that featured the possible use of chemical-biological weapons against U.S. forces. Vulnerability to such an attack spurred the Department of Defense to action from the first hint of trouble in August 1990 through the end of hostilities in March 1991. Nearly disbanded in 1972, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps would be the prime force in ensuring that U.S. forces could both survive and sustain combat operations under chemical-biological warfare conditions. Focussing on the work of senior Army officials, this account assesses the degree of readiness achieved by the ground war's initiation and the lessons learned since the conflict. For an appropriately trained and equipped military force, chemical weapons pose not the danger of mass destruction but the threat of mass disruption, no more deadly than smart munitions or B-52 air strikes. This book will reveal a coordinated response to train and equip U.S. forces did take place prior to the feared Iraqi chemical and biological attacks. Undocumented in any other book, it details the plans that rushed sixty Fox reconnaissance vehicles to the Gulf, the worldwide call for protective suits and masks, and the successful placement of biological agent detectors prior to the air offensive. In addition, the work addresses what really happened at Khamisiyah. Were troops exposed to chemical weapons and what is behind the mysterious Gulf War Syndrome?

Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures

Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2004-04-06
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0309166519

In recent years, substantial efforts have been initiated to develop new drugs, vaccines, and other medical interventions against biological agents that could be used in bioterrorist attacks against civilian populations. According to a new congressionally mandated report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of the National Academies, to successfully develop these drugs, vaccines, and other medical interventions against biowarfare agents, Congress should authorize the creation of a new agency within the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense. The committee recommended that Congress should improve liability protections for those who develop and manufacture these products, to stimulate willingness to invest in new research and development for biowarfare protection. Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures also identifies other challengesâ€"such as the need for appropriate animal models and laboratories equipped with high-level biosafety protectionsâ€"that will require attention if DoD efforts to develop new medical countermeasures are to be successful.

The Soviet Biological Weapons Program

The Soviet Biological Weapons Program
Author: Milton Leitenberg
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 956
Release: 2012-06-29
Genre: History
ISBN: 0674065263

This is the first attempt to understand the full scope of the USSR’s offensive biological weapons research, from inception in the 1920s. Gorbachev tried to end the program, but the U.S. and U.K. never obtained clear evidence that he succeeded, raising the question whether the means for waging biological warfare could be present in Russia today.

Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology

Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 189
Release: 2019-01-05
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309465184

Scientific advances over the past several decades have accelerated the ability to engineer existing organisms and to potentially create novel ones not found in nature. Synthetic biology, which collectively refers to concepts, approaches, and tools that enable the modification or creation of biological organisms, is being pursued overwhelmingly for beneficial purposes ranging from reducing the burden of disease to improving agricultural yields to remediating pollution. Although the contributions synthetic biology can make in these and other areas hold great promise, it is also possible to imagine malicious uses that could threaten U.S. citizens and military personnel. Making informed decisions about how to address such concerns requires a realistic assessment of the capabilities that could be misused. Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology explores and envisions potential misuses of synthetic biology. This report develops a framework to guide an assessment of the security concerns related to advances in synthetic biology, assesses the levels of concern warranted for such advances, and identifies options that could help mitigate those concerns.

A Short History of Biological Warfare

A Short History of Biological Warfare
Author: W. Seth Carus
Publisher: Government Printing Office
Total Pages: 80
Release: 2017
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780160941481

This publication gives a history of biological warfare (BW) from the prehistoric period through the present, with a section on the future of BW. The publication relies on works by historians who used primary sources dealing with BW. In-depth definitions of biological agents, biological weapons, and biological warfare (BW) are included, as well as an appendix of further reading on the subject. Related items: Arms & Weapons publications can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/arms-weapons Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT & CBRNE) publications can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/hazardous-materials-hazmat-cbrne

Toxicologic Assessment of the Army's Zinc Cadmium Sulfide Dispersion Tests

Toxicologic Assessment of the Army's Zinc Cadmium Sulfide Dispersion Tests
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 386
Release: 1997-05-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0309174783

During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. Army conducted atmospheric dispersion tests in many American cities using fluorescent particles of zinc cadmium sulfide (ZnCdS) to develop and verify meteorological models to estimate the dispersal of aerosols. Upon learning of the tests, many citizens and some public health officials in the affected cities raised concerns about the health consequences of the tests. This book assesses the public health effects of the Army's tests, including the toxicity of ZnCdS, the toxicity of surrogate cadmium compounds, the environmental fate of ZnCdS, the extent of public exposures from the dispersion tests, and the risks of such exposures.

Chemical and Biological Terrorism

Chemical and Biological Terrorism
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 303
Release: 1999-03-12
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309061954

The threat of domestic terrorism today looms larger than ever. Bombings at the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City's Federal Building, as well as nerve gas attacks in Japan, have made it tragically obvious that American civilians must be ready for terrorist attacks. What do we need to know to help emergency and medical personnel prepare for these attacks? Chemical and Biological Terrorism identifies the R&D efforts needed to implement recommendations in key areas: pre-incident intelligence, detection and identification of chemical and biological agents, protective clothing and equipment, early recognition that a population has been covertly exposed to a pathogen, mass casualty decontamination and triage, use of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, and the psychological effects of terror. Specific objectives for computer software development are also identified. The book addresses the differences between a biological and chemical attack, the distinct challenges to the military and civilian medical communities, and other broader issues. This book will be of critical interest to anyone involved in civilian preparedness for terrorist attack: planners, administrators, responders, medical professionals, public health and emergency personnel, and technology designers and engineers.

U.S. Chemical and Biological Defense Respirators

U.S. Chemical and Biological Defense Respirators
Author: Christopher T. Carey
Publisher: Schiffer Pub Limited
Total Pages: 223
Release: 1998
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780764303876

U.S. Chemical and Biological Defense Respirators: An Illustrated History is a historical overview of United States military and civilian defense respirator developments spanning the period from the beginnings of CBW respiratory protection in the First World War. Accompanied by photographs, illustrations and other supplemental material, the book may serve as a valuable reference for military historians, NBC defense specialists concerned with the design, development and evolution of military and civil individual protection against war agents, and even collectors of military memorabilia. In view of the fact that no reference work of this type has ever before been prepared, U.S. Chemical and Biological Defense Respirators provides an informational starting point for individuals interested in developing personal understanding about a relatively exotic and important area of modern defensive technology. AUTHOR: