OPERATIONAL DECON 

The aim of operational decon is to sustain operations, reduce the contact hazard, and limit the spread of contamination. Operational decon will also eliminate the necessity or reduce the duration of wearing MOPP gear. Operational decon is done by individuals and/ or units. It is restricted to specific parts of operationally essential equipment, material, and/ or working areas. Operational decon minimizes contact and transfer hazards. Further decon may be required to reduce contamination to negligible risk levels. Two operational decon techniques are used today:

. Vehicle wash down l MOPP gear exchange

THOROUGH DECON 

The aim of thorough decon is to reduce or eliminate the need for individual protective clothing. Thorough decon is carried out to reduce

Figure 6-1.- Decon techniques. contamination on personnel, equipment/ material, and/ or working areas to the lowest possible level (negligible risk). This permits the reduction or removal of individual protective equipment and maintains operations with the least degradation. Thorough decon reduces CBR contamination levels to a negligible risk. There are two thorough decon techniques that Seabees use:

. Detailed troop decon (DTD)

. Detailed equipment decon (DED)

We now know that contamination causes casualties and restricts the use of equipment and terrain. Decontamination reduces or eliminates the hazard and permits units to continue their mission. We also know the three levels of decontamination. We will now discuss decontamination operations for each level of decontamination.