131 



established to meet the border clearance requirements and thereby facilitate move- 

 ment of miUtary cargo and personnel through U.S. ports of entry without unneces- 

 sary delay. 



The Department of Defense does not establish U.S. entry requirements. It is DOD 

 policy, however, to assist and cooperate with all Federal border clearance agencies 

 m enforcing their laws and regulations. 



The Federal Government, through the Plant Pest Act (PubUc Law 85-36) pro- 

 hibits the introduction of any animal, plant, or materiel which is considered harmful 

 to U.S. agriculture. Military vehicles, such as trucks or Ml Tanks, and other equip- 

 ment which have been exposed to the elements or may be otherwise subject to infes- 

 tation (e.g., Gypsy Moth eggs, Nematodes, etc.), are cleaned (subject to washdown 

 operations) and inspected prior to shipment to the U.S. to ensure compliance with 

 Department of Agriculture requirements. 



Brown Tree Snake 



In 1987, the Quarantine and Retrograde Cargo Committee of the Armed Forces 

 Pest Management Board, reouested the support of the DOD inspection program in 

 preventing the spread of the Brown Tree Snake in military cargo from Guam. Work- 

 mg with the guidance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in February, 1988 via 

 a worldwide message, DOD outlined the impact of the Brown Tree Snake on Guam 

 itself and the initial changes to the DOD inspection program that would be required 

 to help stop the spread of the snake in the Western Pacific. 



These changes mcluded: 



• 100 percent examination (inside and out) of all household goods, hold baggage, 

 cargo shipment containers, and pallets prior to packing and loading. 



• Sealing oi shipping containers after cargo loading. 



• Screening of drains and windows in all warehouses and storage facilities. 



• Inspection of aircraft and vessels prior to debarkation. 



• Removal of ground cover in which the snake could hide from around all trans- 



Bortation facilities, 

 development of snake traps. 



• Daylignt operations and loading vice night (since the snake is nocturnal). 



• Comprehensive and continuous education of all personnel involved in the move- 

 ment of personnel property, household goods, military c£U"go, as well as aircraft 

 and vessels. 



This initiative placed DOD in the forefront of the fight to confine the snake to 

 Guam. Since February, 1988, DOD inspectors have been aggressively searching for 

 the snake on military ships, cargo and aircraft. 



DOD Policy 



U.S. military forces may he required to deploy virtually anywhere in the world. 

 Associated with this deployment requirement is the potential to inadvertently intro- 

 duce exotic plants and animal pests when U.S. forces redeploy back to the U.S. Ex- 

 tensive washdown and inspection operations were established for both the Operation 

 Desert Storm and Somalia redeployments. 



Given this, DOD continues work with the government agencies responsible for es- 

 tablishing and enforcing U.S. Border Clearance laws and reauirements. Current 

 DOD procedures are contained in a tri-service regulation entitled "Quarantine Regu- 

 lations of the Armed Forces." In response to inquiries regarding quarantine and cus- 

 toms procedures as related to the military, both with ships and aircraft movements 

 of car^o to the U.S., the Armed Forces Pest Management Board has published a 

 Technical Information Memorandum: Operational Washdowns — Inspection and 

 Cleaning Procedures . 



This manual provides guidance for conducting washdowns of equipment in re- 

 sponse to U.S. Department of Agriculture and public health inspections that are re- 

 quired for all incoming ships, aircraft and equipment returning from overseas. The 

 prime purpose of the washdowns is to prevent the introduction of exotic pests into 

 the U.S. by establishing guidelines for regulatory control of pests. 



Conclusion 



DOD will continue to provide full cooperation to the U.S. border clearance agen- 

 cies responsible for establishing requirements and procedures to prevent the intro- 

 duction of exotic agricultural pests into the U.S. DOD vehicles, ana other equipment 

 which have been exposed to elements or otherwise subject to infestation, will con- 

 tinue to be subject to washdown operations or other cleaning as may be necessary 

 prior to entry into the U.S. DOD aircraft and vessels will continue to be examined. 



Although DOD has been a leader in the prevention of the introduction of alien 

 species into the U.S., DOD does not establish policy to implement the public law. 



