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Potential Radiation Exposure in Military Operations Protecting the Soldier Before, During, and After (1999) / Chapter Skim
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6 Decisionmaking by Commands
Pages 83-87

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From page 83...
... This duty requires that the commander consider the entire context of the situation and then balance the anticipated benefit and risk. This is often difficult or impossible to achieve because of the limited quantifiable information available.
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From page 84...
... Furthermore, rational justification in circumstances involving radiation requires not only that commanders consider the long-term effects of radiation but also that they consider and weigh the long-term health effects of other exposures and injuries. The formal inclusion of this evaluation of long-term consequences in commanders' operational decisionmaking is a relatively new concept for the military.
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From page 85...
... Examples of such optimization activities include providing additional protection or shielding; having more people involved in the process so that the mission can be accomplished more rapidly, thereby reducing the duration of each individual's exposure and lowering the dose received by each individual; and providing taskspecific training related to the planned mission. COMMUNICATION Commanders and other personnel make a multitude of decisions during the planning and execution of military operations.
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From page 86...
... In addition to internal communications within military organizations, civil and public affairs staff can significantly contribute to the successful completion of missions by disseminating information to the public. Depending on the magnitude of the radiation threat, the source of the radiation threat information, and awareness by others, commanders and staffs may need to provide guidance to military personnel and local civilian authorities regarding information flow among the military, the local populace, and community leaders.
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From page 87...
... If a soldier has received a radiation dose higher than preestablished levels, the government should notify the soldier of this and provide the soldier with information about the extent of possible short- and long-term adverse health effects consistent with the exposure experienced. This should be done in a manner similar to that in which soldiers are evaluated and advised of other potentially toxic exposures.
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Key Terms

  • operational decisionmaking
  • specific information
  • safety training
  • health risks
  • acute injuries

  • commanders consider
  • radiation protection
  • military personnel
  • radiation risk
  • radiation threat

  • spinal cord
  • provide individuals
  • individual commanders
  • preventing panic
  • information elements

  • avoid radiation
  • situations change
  • radiation risks
  • involving expected
  • operations involving

  • nuclear communities
  • affairs staff
  • explore misperceptions
  • communicating specific
  • unreasonable demands

  • thereby reducing
  • military intelligence
  • community leaders
  • local civilian
  • hard data


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