Seabees execute CBR exercises

Courtesy Photo | Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 personnel team wash down a simulated contaminated vehicle during an operational decontamination exercise onboard Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, Calif. NMCB 4 is finishing up its homeport training schedule in preparation of its field training exercise in April of this year. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of NMCB 4)  

PORT HUENEME, CA, UNITED STATES

03.19.2014

Courtesy Story

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4

By Lt. j.g. Joseph DeMarzo

PORT HUENEME, Calif. – Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 recently completed an operational decontamination exercise on board Naval Base Ventura County March 19.

The daylong exercise was carried out by 40 battalion personnel under the watchful eyes of the battalion’s leadership and Naval Construction Training Center evaluators.

The training evolution exercised the battalion’s ability to respond and recover from a chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) attack. Specifically, it challenged the battalion to properly decontaminate personnel and equipment to quickly return to the mission. Seabee units are unique in this capacity as they are expected to continue the mission with limited delay or loss of capability when faced with a CBR attack. They are trained to stay in the fight and this “Can Do” attitude sets them apart from other fighting forces.

The exercise kicked off with a convoy of three vehicles that were notionally hit and contaminated by a chemical attack. The attack quickly forced the CBR team into action and they donned their full chemical suits, commonly referred to as Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear, to allow them to safely operate in the deadly environment.

After donning their gear and selecting an adequate site for decontamination operations, two survey teams were sent to the area to ensure it was clear of any agents. Once an “all clear” was determined, the remaining personnel were able to move into the area and begin the site lay down. A decontamination site is made up of multiple stations for equipment and personnel to move through.

The stations include an entry control point to control vehicle and personnel flow, a vehicle wash down station to remove vehicle contamination, a MOPP gear exchange for personnel to receive new MOPP suits, and an assembly area for personnel to rendezvous and continue their mission. Although it consists of a limited number of stations, establishing the proper layout of the site is a difficult task that requires rapid planning and decision making.

The stations must be spaced at pre-determined distances and the orientation is highly dependent upon wind direction and terrain that can change at a moment’s notice. These key factors were taken into careful consideration by the team as they developed their site and moved in their equipment.

Upon site establishment, the decontamination portion began when the contaminated vehicles arrived at the ECP. Under the close guard of ECP security personnel, the contaminated passengers inside the vehicles disembarked and were led to the MOPP gear exchange station to receive new MOPP suits while the vehicles continued to the vehicle wash down station. Each station, led by a first class petty officer as the station supervisor, had to coordinate their movements to ensure a common effort and a safe working environment. After all the vehicles and personnel were deemed clean, they were able to regroup at the assembly station and continue on with their convoy.

The exercise participants were a part of the battalion’s CBR Team, a specialized unit of 102 personnel trained to detect, respond, and recover from a CBR attack. The team members are pulled from each company throughout the battalion and receive high quality instruction from NCTC’s Disaster Recovery Schoolhouse and through unit driven training during homeport. The instruction and training ensures they meet their required capabilities to include detecting CBR attacks, marking contaminated areas, and decontaminating units in an expedient manner.

The team’s performance throughout the exercise was flawless which quickly lead to passing marks for the evolution. Through teamwork and communication, the participants demonstrated the required technical skills, command and control to execute operational decontamination in a timely manner. It is a mission set the Seabees hope to never have to use but can be counted on to perform in worst case scenarios.

With the completion of this exercise, the battalion and CBR team now focus their efforts on their upcoming Field Training Exercise this April and Pacific deployment later this year.

• Date Taken: 03.19.2014
• Date Posted: 04.08.2014 19:43
• Story ID: 125005
• Location: PORT HUENEME, CA, US