CBRN Challenge 2011: Air Mobility Command Comes Up Big!

  • Published
  • By Ed McAteer
  • AFCESA/CEXR
AFCESA --  The Air Force's premier emergency response training event, CBRN Challenge, was held at the Center for National Response in Gallagher, W.V. during July 18-22. Fifty warriors, representing 10 major commands, gathered to showcase their capabilities in a variety of realistic training scenarios. Each command provided a team of one bioenvironmental engineer officer, two BE technicians, and two emergency managers to represent them. Team members participated in several emergency response exercises that focused on homeland defense and expeditionary HazMat and CBRN objectives. The event is designed to sharpen emergency response procedures and help identify policy and equipment gaps in both the Bioenvironmental Engineer and Emergency Management mission sets.

"At the installation level, the teams train together already and they do exercises together," Chief Master Sgt. Claudette Watler-Hall, the Air Force Emergency Management Career Field Manager said. "Bringing them here helps us to validate some of the tactics, techniques, and procedures that we're teaching them."

"CBRN Threat Response Training is the ultimate challenge between major commands and showcases who is performing at the top of their game," said Mr. Fred Casale, AFCESA's Emergency Management Support Manager. "The complexity of the scenarios that the teams faced this week is very similar to what they would encounter during an actual threat."

This year's CBRN Challenge included the use of a diverse array of simulated environments such as a manufactured home, passenger vehicle, cave, and subway car. The teams also had to identify and respond to live chemical and biological agents prepared by the CNR cadre.

With the 2,800-foot-long Memorial Tunnel, the CNR provides a place for this type of realistic training. The CNR facility allows the teams to see real effects of the threats on the materials and equipment they use. This tunnel is also used as a training facility for exercises that range from counterterrorism measures to combating weapons of mass destruction.

CBRN Challenge 2011 concluded with a simulation of a nighttime scenario at Joint Base Andrews, Md., where team members had to locate and identify the chemical or biological agents present in a base housing unit. The teams were given very little information and had to deduce the situation based on clues at the scene.

Chief Master Sgt. Watler-Hall says events such as CBRN Challenge offers a chance to develop invaluable real-world integration between units. "This training helps continue the cohesive working relationship between the bioenvironmental and emergency management teams. Having both career fields working and training together ensures a smooth operating environment in which both speak the same language and understand the other's capabilities."

The team from McConnell AFB, Kan., represented Air Mobility Command and was recognized as the best-trained team and successfully completed the most scenarios. The team included Maj. Jung Lee (BE), Staff Sgt Randy Golleher (EM) Staff Sgt. Timothy Hoffma (BE), Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosenfeldt (BE), and Senior Airman Shellie Vincent (EM). Other recognition for Air Mobility Command included the Outstanding Performer (BE Technician Category) and the Outstanding Performer (Emergency Manager Category) presented to Staff Sgts. Timothy Hoffma and Randy Golleher, respectively.

Maj. Michael Fea from Air Force District of Washington was also recognized as the Outstanding Performer (Team Lead) during the event.