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CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. – As part of the Vibrant Response 14 training exercise, the Department of Defense responded to a simulated 10-kiloton, nuclear explosive device that detonated Aug. 1, in a major Midwestern city.
In the event the detonation of a nuclear bomb were to occur, it is not just the immediate community that would be affected; the explosion would have a ripple effect causing distress throughout adjacent states, who would then turn to the federal government for assistance because the scope of the disaster would quickly overwhelm local and state first responders.
“Vibrant Response 14 is a combination of active, reserve and civilian components that come together to form a unified, joint response to a large catastrophic event,” explained Maj. Gen. Charles Gailes, a Huntsville, Ala., native, exercise director of Vibrant Response 14. “The real task at hand is how do we give support to those states and communities that have been affected.”
As part of the scenario, the State of Indiana requested assistance from the federal government in dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. This procedure would parallel a real-life event. Due to its unique capabilities, federal agencies have the option to call on the military to provide assistance. This is what VR14 is rehearsing – the Department of Defense’s response to civil authorities request for aid.
The DOD’s response force is the Command and Control, Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear Response Element (C2CRE), a 1,500 person strong force designed to provide lifesaving elements to a "worst-case scenario" event that occurs on the American home front in the most expedient fashion possible. The DOD has two C2CREs at its disposal. C2CRE-A, Task Force 76, is made up of reserve units from around the nation and C2CRE-B, Task Force 46, is made up of National Guard units. The units are on this mission for one to two years before cycling off.
Once they have arrived on the scene, the task force will monitor situational awareness and assist first responders in alleviating human suffering. Gailes noted that the main focus and duty of the task forces is to be the nation’s secondary response force to any catastrophic, man-made, domestic disaster.
As with any situation involving the homeland, the military gets its marching orders from a civilian authority.
“We are always in support,” said Gailes.
As part of VR14 both Task Force 46 and 76 are rehearsing their response capabilities.
“Task Force 76 is going to handle chemical, biological and nuclear responses. We are one of the three elements in the C2CRE enterprise,” said Sgt. Maj. William Powers, 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, an Army Reserve unit from Chicopee, Mass. The Boston native is also the Task Force 76 mobilized operations sergeant major.
Coordination of manpower and timeliness are paramount once federal defense elements have been activated. The process is a quick one and the mission is vital – to aid their fellow Americans when called upon.
“One of the most difficult elements when it comes to responding to such a catastrophic event is responding quickly and getting federal aid to the state and local citizens as soon as possible,” said Gailes.
As Vibrant Response 14 continues, there is evidence that the annual training exercise is evolving.
“As we get further and further along, we bring in more partners and willing-participants for the exercise including the state of Indiana and FEMA’s regional response coordination center,” Gailes said.
As the nation’s premier homeland response exercise, VR 14 is a training exercise that continues to provide a plethora of learning experiences for all participants involved.
Gailes remarked, “We learn a lot from our state and local counterparts, and they also learn a lot about our federal capabilities as well.”
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.03.2014 18:35 |
| Story ID: | 138142 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US |
| Hometown: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Hometown: | HUNTSVILLE, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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