Hello and thank you for your question.
Here is what the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Factsheet has to say
about
Contamination Avoidance at Seaports of Debarkation (CASPOD):
CASPD is an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) designed
to minimize the vulnerabilities in the event of a chemical-biological
attack at foreign seaports used by the United States to move forces
into a theater of operations. CASPOD is a five-year, fully-funded
ACTD. It provides a deployable package for a chemical and biological
defense capability at seaports of debarkation to minimize the impact
on seaport operations.
CASPOD falls under the broader umbrella of restoration of operations.
The Restoration of Operations, or RestOps, ACTD focuses on the
restoration of operations at airfields in areas where there are
existing U.S.-owned and operated facilities. CASPOD, on the other
hand, will focus on foreign seaports of debarkation where there are no
U.S. bases, no U.S. military presence and no command and control
infrastructure in place. A chemical-biological attack on such a port
could interrupt the flow of materials to the warfighter and thereby
reduce combat effectiveness.
CASPOD will look at the port facilities within the U.S. Central
Command (CENTCOM) and identify those weaknesses that relate to
contamination avoidance. The goal of CASPOD is to find ways to
minimize the vulnerabilities by using new and emerging technologies,
changing tactics, techniques and procedures and perhaps changing force
structure.
In fiscal year 2002, a baseline study will be done to define the
vulnerabilities and determine currently available commercial equipment
and technology that might help reduce the vulnerabilities.
In fiscal year 2003, an exercise will be held to demonstrate the
effectiveness of the equipment. A final demonstration will be held in
2004 followed by a presentation on the findings to CENTCOM. The final
two years of the ACTD, 2005 and 2006, are the sustainment phase when
CENTCOM can purchase equipment to reduce vulnerabilities.
DTRA is the executing agent and technical manager for CASPOD. CENTCOM
is the sponsoring unified command.
DTRA deters the use of weapons of mass destruction, reduces the
present threat to the United States and its friends, and prepares for
future threats. This Department of Defense combat support agency is
located in the Washington, D.C., area and operates field offices
worldwide.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency Factsheet
http://www.dtra.mil/news/fact/nw%5Fcaspod.html
The CASPOD program was developed along with a related program,
Restoration of Operations ("RESTOPS").
http://www.dtra.mil/news/fact/nw%5Froactd.html
Responsibility for the CASPOD program rests with the Defense Threat
Reduction Agency ("DTRA") Chemical-Biologicl ("CB") Directorate,
Alexandria, VA
http://www.defensegroupinc.com/fieldops_contents.cfm
You can read more in general about DTRA and its CB programs at
DTRA Link Chem-Bio Defense
http://www.dtra.mil/cb/cb_index.html
CASPOD is one part of a multifaceted program called
"Counterproliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction" There is a
lengthy Adobe Acrobat file that you should read (because of the format
I am unable to copy portions of it here, but Chapter 12 reviews the
CASPOD and related programs:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/cp/jwstpchap12-counterwmd.pdf
[be patient downloading this and the other Adobe files cited below:
they take a while!]
Budgeting for CASPOD is included in another Adobe Acrobat file at
http://www.jsmg.apgea.army.mil/downloads/jscbd_rda_plan_july_2001.pdf
Besides what I've provided above, all the unclassified material that
you will find about CASPOD on the Web is contained in the 55-page CPRC
2002 Report to Congress at
208.184.25.73/pdf/DTRA-CPRC-RTC-2002.pdf
Again, since I cannot easily copy excerpts of that report into this
answer, please allow me to suggest that you print out and read the
significant portions of this report for yourself.
After you've done that, if you have any questions about what you've
read or if there is anything else in this answer that requires
clarification, please post a Request for Clarification here and I'll
reply promptly.
Search terms used in Google and AllTheWeb.com:
contamination avoidance at seaports of debarkation
CASPOD
Thanks again
richard-ga |
Clarification of Answer by
richard-ga
on
22 Aug 2002 06:59 PDT
Hello again.
Well, I've exhaused the search engines trying to find additional
information about Contamination Avoidance at Seaports of Debarkation
(CASPOD for short), and I've found only 1 new reference (it's listed
below under firstgov.gov).
Please take a look at it, and also at these search results:
Google.com has 20 'hits' for CASPOD (including 4 duplicates)
http://tinyurl.com/1474
Alltheweb.com has 17 'hits for CASPOD
http://tinyurl.com/1479
Searchmil.com has 1 hit for CASPOD
http://tinyurl.com/147b
Firstgov.gov has 10 hits for CASPOD
http://tinyurl.com/147i
One of these is new for us: a 114 page Report called
Department of Defense Chemical and Biological Defense Plan
FY 2001-2003 Performance Plan Vol. II
It mentions CASPOD on page 82 and 91.
http://www.acq.osd.mil/cp/nbc02/vol2-2002cbdpperformanceplan.pdf
There's nothing on Armylink.mil
http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/search/index.html
There's nothing on Defenselink.mil
http://tinyurl.com/147s
There's also nothing on
http://www.looksmart.com/
http://www.findwhat.com/
http://www.askjeeves.com/
http://www.about.com/
http://www.ah-ha.com/
http://search.sprinks.about.com/index.htm?IAM=dpile_spk
http://www.searchhippo.com/
So if I'm going to find more info, it's going to be in a source that
the search engines don't 'read.' Your Clarification Request suggests
that I check Military Traffic Management Command and TRANSCOM. I've
looked at some of their material, but as you can see the search
engines haven't found anything there, and neither have I. Can you
tell me what you have seen in Military Traffic Management Command and
TRANSCOM that makes you think there's something there?
I'd like to follow those up, and the search engines are not going to
help. I want to make sure you get your moneys-worth on this. One
more thing-- we Researchers really care about how we get rated by our
customers, and I'd appreciate it if you would hold off on rating my
answer until I have a chance to show you that I've looked absolutely
everywhere possible for you.
Sincerely,
richard-ga
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