Survey of repellent use by service members arriving in Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom 2.

The 8th Medical Brigade, deployed to Kuwait in January 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom provided theater-wide health service support and medical command and control. An historic "surge" of troops and equipment occurred during our deployment as 140,000 service members (SMs) redeployed out of theater and 110,000 arrived to take their place. The brigade's preventive medicine personnel conducted a questionnaire-based survey at military camps in northwestern Kuwait in mid-March to determine whether SMs had been provided with supplies and information to protect them against endemic vector-borne diseases. Of 1,200 questionnaires distributed, 870 (73%) were returned. In addition to military affiliation information, the survey contained specific questions related to the provision of n-diethyl-m-toluamide repellents, permethrin and treated uniforms, and medical threat briefings. On average, less than one-half of the SMs received these resources before their arrival in Kuwait. Significant differences of resource provision existed among service branches, components, and mobilization or deployment stations.