CDTF Takes Extra Care Inspecting Chemical Suits - Chemical Defense Training Facility at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri - Brief Article

Responding to a recent report of defective chemical suits, officials at the Chemical Defense Training Facility (CDTF) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, have taken measures to ensure that there is no cause for alarm. "None of those suits are currently in use at the facility," said Jack Freeman, CDTF protective-clothing and equipment supervisor.

A Pentagon inspector general's report in February revealed that some manufacturer defects in the battle-dress overgarments, or BDOs, were discovered in certain production lots. Pentagon officials, however, were quick to point out that service members were never in danger of being issued defective suits.

"They are maintained and checked to make sure that at no time do we ever put any of our armed forces in jeopardy in that serious environment," said Lieutenant General Thomas Glisson, Defense Logistics Agency director, in a 28 February news briefing.

Because the training at the CDTF is conducted in an environment where real toxic agents are used on a daily basis, immediate measures were taken here to ensure safety. "As soon as we received word on the defective suits, we checked our inventory. We pulled every BDO we had," said Freeman.

During their investigation, CDTF workers discovered that some of the BDOs in their inventory did come from the defective lot. However, no actual defects-tears, holes, or irregular stitching-were found on any of the suits. "We inspected them and didn't find anything wrong with them. Still, we're keeping them separated from our active inventory," said Freeman.

Despite their concern, officials at the CDTF said they did not expect to find any defects, given the thorough inspection process the training gear goes through. "There's an immediate sense of need here to keep a high level of safety," said John Morrissey, CDTF deputy director. "We know we're putting students in a toxic environment on a daily basis. That's why we have very thorough safety measures and procedures."

Along with the features that are built into the design of facility, safety is also ensured by the rigorous procedures workers follow to inspect the gear that is used. Once the BDOs are worn in training, they are stored overnight in stainless steel bins. The next morning the uniforms are hung on racks to release any vapors that might still be on them. Sampling ports constantly monitor the BDOs to detect toxic levels. Any BDO that comes in direct contact with an agent is destroyed.

Once deemed safe, the BDOs are cleaned in an autoclave unit. They are then run through a computer-barcode system that tracks their usage. BDOs are certified safe for four uses, then destroyed. After the garments are tracked on the computer, they are put through a thorough visual inspection. Zippers, drawstrings, and snaps are checked to make sure they are in working order. "We look for cuts, tears, holes, or loose seams-any sign of deterioration," said Freeman. "No repair work is done on the BDOs. If any defects are discovered, the garment is destroyed," said Freeman.

A worker rarely finds a defect. Freeman said that out of 1,000 suits, perhaps one may have a defect. Most problems occur when a student ties a drawstring into a knot that must be cut, requiring the garment to be destroyed. "Generally speaking, they are well-manufactured. It's very rare that we find a defect with the suits themselves," said Freeman. "About 85 percent of them see their way through the use cycle."

After the visual inspection, the suits are placed back into the active inventory to be used again. Given the training environment, the facility, employees, and equipment go through yearly inspection and testing to further ensure that safety standards are maintained.

Ann Biley, a quality assurance specialist with the Defensive Chemical Test Equipment Division at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas, during a recent visit to the CDTF, said the facility is up to standards. "We look at everything--the inspectors, the procedures, and equipment. From what I've seen, everything's in compliance," she said.

For Freeman, ensuring safety is a personal matter, having served 24 years in the Chemical Corps and four years as a CDTF instructor. Freeman said he had to rely on his equipment every day in the training environment; therefore, he understands the concern for safety. "It's imperative that soldiers have confidence in their equipment, especially if it's equipment that's going to save their lives," he said. "That's why we take very seriously the work we do here. We take our time to do it right because we know there are students counting on us."

At the time this article was written, SPC Peter Fitzgerald was assigned to the Headquarters Company, Maneuver Support Center, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, working in the Public Affairs Office as a staff writer for the post newspaper, the GUIDON. He enlisted in the Army in March of 1999 as an E4 and completed basic training in May 1999 and AIT in September 1999. In October 1999, SPC Fitzgerald reported to Fort Leonard Wood for his first assignment.

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