Agenda / Objectives

• Briefly describe the US military's experience with chemical warfare agents in World War I and the use of chemical warfare agents in the Iran-Iraq War (1984-1987).
• Describe some of the ways in which modern clinical protocols derive directly from battlefield experience in history with chemical warfare agents.
• Explain how many of the issues posed by the modern chemical warfare threat are not new and how the study of history can inform our response today.
• Live Q & A session

The VA Employee Education System (VA EES) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. The VA EES takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity. The VA EES is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Timed Agenda

• 1:00-1:05: Introduction
  Moderator: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D.
• 1:05-1:15: World War I History of Chemical Warfare Agents: Chlorine, Phosgene, Sulfur Mustard - Use of Protective Masks, Proper Training
  Experts: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D., Dave Smith, Ph.D., and Gary Cagle
• 1:15-1:45: Lessons from Iran-Iraq War - Importance of Decontamination; Patterns of Death that Affect Planning; Dehydration in Mustard Patients; Chronic Problems; Continuum of Care
  Experts: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D., Charles Hurst, M.D., Dave Smith, Ph.D., and Gary Cagle
• 1:45-1:55: Dilute Bleach and Dakins's Solution in WWI
  Experts: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D. and Charles Hurst, M.D.
• 1:55-2:05: How Preparations for Chemical Warfare & Chemical Casualty Care Can Affect the Military Formation's Operational Plan
  Experts: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D., Dave Smith, Ph.D., and Gary Cagle
• 2:05-2:30: History of Chemical Weapons & Relationship Between the Scientist and the Soldier; Learning Curve on Use of Chemical Agents - in World Wars I and II and Iraq; History of the "Ultimate Weapon" and Relativistic Ethics
  Experts: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D., Charles Hurst, M.D., Dave Smith, Ph.D., and Gary Cagle
• 2:30-3:00: Live Question and Answer
  Moderator: COL Jonathan Newmark, M.D. Expert Panel: Charles Hurst, M.D., Dave Smith, Ph.D., and Gary Cagle

Continuing Education Credit:

The VA Employee Education System designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 hours in category 1 credit towards the American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the receive a certificate from EES, you must sign in/register at the beginning of this activity, complete an evaluation/critique, and attend 100% of the satellite broadcast. educational activity.
The VA Employee Education System designates this educational activity for 2.4 contact hours in continuing nursing education. A certificate of attendance will be awarded to participants and accreditation records will be on file at the Employee Education System. In order to receive a certificate from EES, you must sign in/register at the beginning of this activity, complete an evaluation/critique, and attend 100% of the satellite broadcast.

Faculty Disclosure Statement:

The Employee Education System (EES) must insure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor to all EES sponsored educational activities. The intent of this disclosure is not to prevent faculty with a significant financial or other relationship from presenting materials, but rather to provide the participant with information on which they can make their own judgments. It remains for the participant to determine whether the faculty interests or relationships influence the materials presented with regard to exposition or conclusion. When an unapproved use of a FDA approved drug or medical device, or an investigational product not yet FDA approved for any purpose is mentioned, EES requires disclosure to the participants. Faculty reports regarding disclosable relationships or FDA issues are not complete at this time.

Target Audience

• Military and civilian medical care providers;
• Emergency and intensive care workers;
• Rehabilitation medical care providers;
• First responders and others who would assist in recognizing and managing casualties from a biological and chemical agent attack.

VA Scantron From for manual participation

If you plan to use the VA's Employee Education System and do not want to register using the instructions from above (on-line or with RegisterAmerica.net assistance), feel free to contact Mr. Mark Lawson at 205-731-1812, ext 309 or email him at [email protected] in order to receive the satellite registration form.

Individuals should register and complete an evaluation/critique on-line at the web-site biomedtraining.org. You will be able to review and choose from a list of viewing sites available in your state. You must confirm your registration at a specific viewing site by using e-mail or telephone information indicated to contact the site facilitator.

If you do not have Internet access or cannot complete your registration on-line, please call RegisterAmerica.net at (850) 784-6002, Ext 16 for assistance. In order to receive a certificate (CME/CNE/CEU), you must register, view 100% of this program, and complete an evaluation/critique.

Web Archive:

48 hours after the completion of each of the six programs in this series, a archived web cast will be available at www.swankhealth.com. To view this web archive, register at biomedtraining.org under the "View Via Web Archive" button. When you are finished viewing you must complete the critique/evaluation to receive credit/CEs at biomedtraining.org. A certificate of training will be presented after testing for you to print locally.

Site Facilitator Instructions:

Ensure your organization or installation has assigned one person to act as the local site facilitator who will register your facility at biomedtraining.org. If you do not have access to the Internet or cannot complete your site registration on-line, please call RegisterAmerica.net at (850) 784-6002, Ext. 16 for assistance. They will help you register or determine if your organization or installation has been registered as a downlink site. The local site facilitator must reserve a classroom and obtain a local technical point of contact (POC), and should be prepared to be the main POC for information regarding their facility (i.e., satellite downlink capability, GETN site code/ID, and/or VTC system dial-in number).

The test signal for the live satellite broadcast will be from 12:30 - 1:00 PM ET. The program begins promptly at 1:00 PM on August 27, 2003. Coordinates are currently posted at biomedtraining.org.

The broadcast will be available as C-band, Ku-band, and digital (GETN: i.e. Air Warrior, AETC, ATN, etc.) satellite signals, as well as a VTC signal via the U.S. Army Medical Command's (MEDCOM) VTC Bridge. Arrangements can be made to use the MEDCOM Bridge by sending an email to or by calling 210-637-2256 or DSN 471-9706 extension 2256. Please have your Site ID # available.