5-13. Level V (Continental United States)
Designated Level V medical laboratories perform analyses to provide definitive identification of suspect biological agents for the President and Secretary of Defense purposes. The definitive identification of suspect biological agents also aids commanders in the AO in maintaining the health of their command.
5-14. Field Samples
Chemical corps personnel collect environmental, air, soil, and vegetation samples. Preventive medicine personnel collect samples from drinking water sources and supplies. Veterinary personnel collect samples from food supplies and medical specimens from animals. All other units collect soil, vegetation, and small animal samples for laboratory analysis. Samples are subjected to initial screening with rapid test kits and in-theater confirmatory identification at the supporting medical laboratory. The President- and Secretary of Defense-required definitive identification is performed at the designated Level V medical laboratory. Comprehensive databases will be maintained to provide historical testing results and will aid in the AO commander's decisions to conduct operations in an NBC environment. See [Appendix B] for specific procedures for sample collection, packaging, transporting, maintaining chain of custody, and analysis.
Section IV. DENTAL SERVICES
5-15. General
Dental service support is provided in the AO at Levels II, III, and IV. Because of their location close to main supply routes and other support assets, dental units are vulnerable to an NBC strike. Nuclear, biological, and chemical operations have an impact at all levels; thus, dental units must be prepared to survive on the integrated battlefield. Defense against NBC weapons must be included in the dental unit's TSOP. Individual and collective tasks must be intensely trained on a regular basis; survival depends on the ability of personnel to use basic survival skills against an NBC attack. For details on provision of dental services, see FM 4-02.19.
5-16. Mission in a Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical Environment
The overall mission of dental units to provide dental services is greatly affected in the aftermath of an NBC attack. First, the unit must survive the attack and rapidly recover from its effects. Secondly, in the event of mass casualties, the dental patient care effort must be redirected from dental treatment to the alternate wartime role of augmenting the adjacent MTF. Dental units do not possess CPS; therefore, providing dental services in an NBC environment will be limited to the treatment of maxillofacial emergencies requiring immediate attention. This care will be provided at an MTF with a CPS.