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    CBRN’s explosive connection with public affairs

    CBRN’s explosive connection with public affairs

    Photo By Carla Debro | (Left to right) Lt. Col. John Finkle sits beside his command sergeant major, Command...... read more read more

    OGLESTOWN, DE, UNITED STATES

    08.01.2013

    Story by Maj. Carla Debro 

    335th Signal Command (Theater)

    OGLESTOWN, Del. – Intently staring at the freshly-prepared brief laying on the table in front of him, Lt. Col. John Finkle, commander of the 485th Chemical Battalion, carefully listens to his executive officer explain their staff’s mission analysis on their upcoming annual training at Vibrant Response in Atterbury-Muscatatuck, Ind., in August.

    The 485th CM BN is one of few Army Reserve units in a complex joint role that supports Defense Support of Civilian Authorities.

    In normal conditions, the 485th falls underneath the 335th Signal Command (Theater), out of East Point, Ga. However, when called upon to support a serious natural or man-made disaster, accident, or catastrophe possibly anywhere in the United States, their command will be led by Task Force 51, U.S. Army North Command out of Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

    “The everyday importance of being prepared for a natural disaster in an urban environment is increasing for reserve soldiers, of course to save lives, but in addition, because our legal rules are changing, and as a commander, I have a responsibility to ensure my soldiers are ready,” said, Maj Mary L. Olodun, 326th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment’s commander out of Reading, Pa.

    Finkle invited the MPAD commander and her soldiers for a visit to his command after a brief encounter during their range qualification training in May, when Olodun expressed her interest in training her soldiers on chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear.

    The joint collaboration comes at a great time when Finkle’s command is preparing to participate in a joint training exercise that has been conducted by U. S. Northern Command for the last several years, Vibrant Response.

    Part of their preparation included a two-day military decision making process class conducted by the 1st Brigade, Atlantic Division, 75th Training Command, based out of Lancaster, Pa.

    “Having done this MDMP training prior to the event, is making us lean forward for Vibrant Response,” stated the 485th CM BN’s Command Sgt. Maj. Charles T. Scheels. “It is important for the Army Reserve, because this training gives us the brevity and focus to confidently and successfully answer the call for a real-world mission.”

    While the staff feverishly worked towards completing their training brief, Finkle and his command staff shared their “capabilities brief” with Olodun’s command team, which spun on her coordination of future training opportunities with the 485th’s CM BN subordinate units.

    The 485th CM BN is comprised of less than 60 headquarters personnel who support three subordinate units spread out across five states: the 300th CBRN Company, whose specific mission is search and rescue in an urban environment, is located in Pennsylvania, and West Virginia; the 130th CBRN Company is made up of detachments located in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Their mission is to be first on the scene of a suspected disaster to conduct a biological detection before other companies are sent in. The third company, the 377th CBRN, is capable of mass decontamination of populace in just about any environment throughout the U.S., and they are stationed in three different locations in Virginia.

    Previously, army reserve units were limited in their ability to assist the community during a major disaster due to legal limitations as Title 10, or federal entities.

    Recently the Department of Defense issued the Immediate Response Authority, which gives Army Reserve commanders and Heads of DOD components, in response to a request for assistance from civil authority, an on-order authority from the secretary of defense to provide an immediate response by temporarily employing their resources (under their control) to help save lives, instead of a presidential order. Requirements are outlined in DoDD 3025.18.

    When asked about the MDMP training conducted this weekend, Finkle stated, “It takes my staff back to the fundamentals so we can do the proper training for successful real-world missions … if we get called out.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.01.2013
    Date Posted: 08.22.2013 17:41
    Story ID: 112428
    Location: OGLESTOWN, DE, US
    Hometown: GREENVILLE, SC, US
    Hometown: WILMINGTON, DE, US

    Web Views: 348
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN