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UPDATE ›  A Step Closer To Ending Military Tests On Animals


THIS ALERT IS CLOSED. It is archived for your use as a letter-writing example or to reference for research.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION IN NEW ALERT: TOUR OF CRUELTY


Rule Requires Military To Report Animal Use, Transition To Human-Based Training Tools

1/2/13 - Buried within the vast National Defense Authorization Act, recently signed by President Obama, is SECTION 724 - Report On Strategy To Transition To Use Of Human-Based Methods For Certain Medical Training.

The U.S. Department of Defense must now report how animals are used in combat- trauma training drills. By March 1, 2013, the Secretary of Defense is required to give Congress an outline for strategies to "refine, and when appropriate, transition to using human-based training methods for the purpose of training members of the Armed Forces in the treatment of combat trauma."

To be clear, this stride is NOT an actual ban on military animal tests. Congressional defense committees recognize some animal use as appropriate "until alternatives are developed that provide combat medics an equal or better training experience." Section 724 assures us that DOD treats animals "humanely" in combat-trauma exercises.

In fact, drills require trainees to sustain an animal’s life as long as possible, no matter how many bullets, bombs, amputations, or poisonings they endure during mock battles. These "training experiences" lack relevance to human injuries encountered in actual combat.

Past and ongoing Kinship Circle alerts call for a ban on all military animal testing — chemical, biological and conventional. The Department of Defense annually wounds and kills tens of thousands primates, dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, cats and other animals. Tax dollars pay to amputate goats’ legs, gun down and bomb pigs, inject monkeys with nerve gas toxins. Animal tests to prep medics for the battlefield waste time and money that could be spent on simulator studies or training within civilian trauma centers.

We hope your emails, calls, letters — along with many animal groups calling for human-focused instruction in place of animals — lead to an outright ban. Legislation like the initially titled BEST Practices Act has yet to be enacted. Still, the new mandate for military accountability and a phase-out plan is the first time Congress has approved any binding language on this issue!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION IN NEW ALERT: TOUR OF CRUELTY


UPDATE SOURCES

PHOTOS

MONKEYS: A Vervet monkey is force-dosed with physostigmine to mimic a nerve gas attack. He seizes. Twitches uncontrollably. Fluids leak from his body. He is in respiratory failure, as trainees observe. Current Military Training Methods, PCRM. Chemical Casualty Care Training on Monkeys

PIGS: Trainees have suited pigs in body armor, strapped them into Humvee simulators, and blown them up to study ties between roadside bomb blasts and brain injury. Pigs are shot with M16A2 and M4 rifles, cut open to expose airways, and subjected to field surgery before killed. Charlie Neibergall/AP file.

GOATS & DOGS: Photo of a goat whose limb was amputated for a drill and below, a poisoned dog. PETA


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Dear Representative, Senators, U.S. Army Medical Department / Military Health System, and Department of Defense:

I am concerned about the U.S. military's continued use of animal experiments. Chemical, biological and conventional warfare studies that rely upon animal models are outdated and excessively cruel. Yet every year the Department of Defense wounds and kills hundreds of thousands of primates, dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, cats, and other animals.

In particular, animal tests to prepare combat medics for battlefield injuries waste time and money that could be spent on training within civilian trauma centers or simulator exercises. Instead, the military exhausts taxpayer dollars to amputate goats' legs, gun down and bomb pigs, and inject monkeys with toxins to mimic nerve gas strikes.

More than 90% of U.S. and Canadian teaching facilities use simulators only for Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS) courses. Students learn emergency care equally, if not better, with human-focused applications. The American College of Surgeons endorses Simulab's TraumaMan, SimMan, human cadavers and other synthetic models.

I strongly urge my elected officials, the DoD, and all medical/heath Army personnel to advocate animal-free instruction. I especially urge my Senators and Rep to ask Dr. S. Ward Casscells, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, to modernize military medical practices. Replacing old-fashioned animal tests with more efficient and human-centric teaching tools benefits both animals and humans.

Dogs, pigs and other species are not people. Soldiers who learn about combat trauma and casualty management via non-human subjects deal with inconsistent variables. Incision pressure differs between species. Shape, angle, and texture of internal organs are also vastly incongruous. Why teach skills that don't apply directly to human beings?

Please prioritize animal-free medical training in the military.

Thank you,

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full contact information

To identify your federal legislators and find
contact info, try:
www.Congress.org
www.vote-smart.org
www.house.gov
www.senate.gov
Congressional Switchboard: 202-224-3121

The Honorable Representative YOUR REP'S NAME
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Senators YOUR SENATORS' NAMES
The U.S. Senate, U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
web forms: www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.ht ml
www.defenselink.mil/faq/question s.aspx
public contact: 703-428-0711

Department of Defense
Washington Headquarters Services
1155 Defense Pentagon; Washington, DC 20301-1155
Public Affairs: 703-601-2554 x108
email: information@whs.mil
SOURCE: www.whs.mil/contact.cfm

U.S. ARMY MEDICAL CONTACTS
Dr. S. Ward Casscells, M.D.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Military Health System, The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1200
general comments: www.health.mil/ContactUs.aspx

U.S. Army Medical Department,
Office of the Surgeon General
Public Affairs Officer: 210-221-6213
email: OTSGWebPublisher@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: armymedicine.army.mil/tools/contacts.cfm

U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM)
Headquarters, Fort Sam Houston Public Affairs Office
1212 Stanley Road, Bldg 124
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-5004
ph: 210-221-1151; fax: 210-221-1198
webmaster: webmasterFSHTX@conus.army.mil
Customer Service Officer: samh.cms@conus.army.mil
SOURCE: www.samhouston.army.mil/feedback.asp

Charles C. Engel, Jr., MD, LTC, MC, USA
Chief, Deployment Health Clinic Ctr.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave., NW, Bldg 2, Rm 3G01
Washington, DC 20307-5001
ph: 202- 782-8064; email: charles.engel@amedd.army.mil

Chief, Clinical Services Division,
MEDCOM Health Policy and Services:
Kelly.murray1@amedd.army.mil

ARMY REGIONAL MEDICAL COMMANDS
www.armymedicine.army.mil/org/ms c.html
Oversee day-to-day operations in military treatment facilities, exercising command and control over the medical treatment facilities in their regions.

Europe Regional Medical Command
Commanding General: 011-49-6221-17-2010
Chief of Staff: 011-49-6221-17-2010
Command Sergeant Major: 011-49-6221-17-2199
email: ERMC-PAO@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: ermc.amedd.army.mil/

Great Plains Regional Medical Command
2410 Stanley Rd., Building 1029
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-6230
ph: 210-295-2355 DSN 421-2355
Commanding General: 210-916-1125
Chief of Staff: 210-295-2355
Command Sergeant Major: 210-916-4276
web form: www.gprmc.amedd.army.mil/
SOURCE: www.gprmc.amedd.army.mil/

North Atlantic Regional Medical Command
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Community Relations
6900 Georgia Ave. NW; Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
Commanding General: 202-782-1104
Chief of Staff: 202-782-0419
Command Sergeant Major: 202-782-3003
Public Affairs: WRAMCPublicAffairs@amedd.army.mil
web form: narmc.amedd.army.mil/Pages/ contact.aspx
SOURCE: www.narmc.amedd.army.mil 		Pacific Regional Medical Command
Tripler Public Affairs Office, ATTN: MCHK-IO
1 Jarrett White Road; Honolulu, Hawaii 96859-5000
ph: 808-433-5785; fax: 808-433-6558
Commanding General: 808-433-5716; Chief of Staff: 808-433-5322
Command Sergeant Major: 808-433-6746
Public Affairs:
TAMCPublicAffairsOffice @haw.tamc.amedd.army.mil
webmaster: tamc.external.webmaster@amedd.ar my.mil
SOURCE: www.tamc.amedd.army.mil/offices/PAO/pao.htm

Southeast Regional Medical Command
Commander, Eisenhower Army Medical Center
ATTN: Public Affairs Officer, Ms. Jennifer M. Chipman
300 Hospital Road; Fort Gordon, GA 30905-5650
Commanding General: 706-787-8191; Chief of Staff: 706-787-8192
Command Sergeant Major: 706-787-6472
submit a question: bill.bowman@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: sermc.amedd.army.mil/index.htm
www.ddeamc.amedd.army.mil/default.htm

Western Regional Medical Command
Madigan Army Medical Center
Public Affairs Office, ATTN: MCHJ-PAO
9040 Fitzsimmon; Tacoma, WA 98431-1100
ph: 253-968-1901, DSN: 782-1901; fax: 253-968-3270
Commanding General: 253-968-1215; Chief of Staff: 253-968-1210
Command Sergeant Major: 253-968-0162
Public Affairs: mamcpao@amedd.army.mil
website feedback: WRMC.Webmaster@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: www.wrmc.amedd.army.mil
www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/pao/PAO_index.htm

OTHER MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS
www.armymedicine.army.mil/org/msc.html

Army Medical Department Center & School
Commanding General: 210-221-6325; Chief of Staff: 210-221-8277
Command Sergeant Major: 210-221-8050
web form: www.cs.amedd.army.mil/contactus.a spx#
SOURCE: www.cs.amedd.army.mil

Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC)
MCMR-XX; 504 Scott Street; Fort Detrick MD 21702-5012
Commanding General: 301-619-7613; Chief of Staff: 301-619-7378
Command Sergeant Major: 301-619-7620
Office of Research Protection: hsrrb@amedd.army.mil
Chief, Animal Care and Use Review Office: acuro@amedd.army.mil
webmaster: usamrmcwebmaster@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: mrmc.amedd.army.mil/hdqorgchart.asp
mrmc.amedd.army.mil/rodorpcontact.asp
mrmc.amedd.army.mil

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR)
MCMR-USZ; 3400 Rawley E. Chambers Avenue
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-6315
BAMC Public Affairs Office (PAO): 210-916-3016
ph: 210-916-3219; email: webmaster.usaisr@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: www.usaisr.amedd.army.mil

U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD)
MCMR-UVA; 31 Ricketts Point Road
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5400
ph: 410-436-3276
Public Affairs Officer: mricd.pao@apg.amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: chemdef.apgea.army.mil

U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID)
Commander, USAMRIID / Attn: MCMR-UIZ-R
1425 Porter Street; Frederick, MD 21702-5011
ph: 301-619-2285; comments: USAMRIIDweb@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: www.usamriid.army.mil

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
MCMR-UWZ
503 Robert Grant Avenue; Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500
ph: 301-319-9471
Public Affairs Officer: wrair.publicaffairs@amedd.army.mil
SOURCE: wrair-www.army.mil

U.S. Army Medical Research Detachment (USAMRD)
MCMR-UWB 7914 A Drive, Building 176
Brooks Air Force Base; TX 78235-5106 / ph: 210-536-4626
SOURCE: army.brooks.af.mil

Defense Centers of Excellence For Psychological
Health & Traumatic Brain Injury
1401 Wilson Blvd, Suite 400; Rosslyn, VA 22209
ph: 877-291-3263; email: Resources@DCoEOutreach.Org
SOURCE: www.dcoe.health.mil/ContactUs.aspx

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ORIGINAL ALERT SOURCES:


House Report 112-479, National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2013
SECTION 724, REPORT ON STRATEGY TO TRANSITION TO USE OF HUMAN-BASED METHODS FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL TRAINING
This section would require the Department of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees not later than March 1, 2013, a report that outlines a strategy to refine, and when appropriate, transition to using human-based training methods for the purpose of training members of the Armed Forces in the treatment of combat trauma. It would also require an annual report on the development and implementation of human-based training methods beginning on March 1, 2014.

The committee is aware that effective combat-trauma training has contributed to the lowest killed-in-action rate and fatality rate in U.S. military history. Over the past few years, the committee encouraged use of simulation technology in medical training by the Department of Defense, but also noted that the use of live animals in combat-trauma training is appropriate for critical, high-risk medical procedures until alternatives are developed that provide combat medics an equal or better training experience. The committee believes that the Department has striven to provide realistic combat-trauma training while also ensuring the humane treatment of animals.

However, as also expressed in the committee report (H. Rept. 112-78) accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, the committee believes that the Department should continue to aggressively pursue alternatives to the use of live animals in combat-trauma training and to implement a strategy for the development of future technology to refine, reduce, and when appropriate, replace the use of live animals in medical education and training. The committee is encouraged that such progression has already taken place in the area of chemical-biological defense training, and encourages the Department to continue this progression in other areas of medical training.

DISCLAIMER: Information in these materials is verified with original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for accuracy of information or for consequences of its use. Nothing on this website intends to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful action. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct.

EMAIL ADDRESSES: Kinship Circle cannot guarantee validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Email addresses obtained from government or other official websites may be outdated or incorrect.


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