Photo By Capt. Scott Walters | Sgt. Hassan Rammal (center), the noncommissioned officer in charge of chemical,...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colorado – Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment (Fighting Eagles) Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted operational decontamination training July 13 in preparation for the brigade’s culminating fire coordination exercise in the 20-day Iron Strike field exercise.
The purpose of the decontamination course was to increase readiness, adaptability and proficiency in reaction to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack.
“The goal of CBRN training is to familiarize each Soldier on how to react in a worst-case scenario,” said Maj. Michael Harrison, 1-8 Operations Officer. “Operational decontamination helps reduce the effect of a chemical warfare agent in the area we may be operating in, for both friendly units and the civilian population.”
During 3rd Brigade’s Iron Strike exercise, which runs from July 5-24 across Fort Carson’s Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, the training scenario includes the possible use of weapons of mass destruction by an enemy.
“Due to the CBRN threat that adversaries overseas present, it is essential that our conventional fighting forces are able to conduct all operations in our chemical protective equipment (also known as Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, or JSLIST) as well as our ability to quickly decontaminate to get back into the fight. We’re training readiness for any circumstance under conditions as close to combat as possible,” said Harrison.
The training kicked off with the mechanized infantry Soldiers conducting a movement to contact. Upon overwhelming the enemy, they were hit with simulated, persistent chemical rockets that forced Companies Alpha and Charlie to react and continue their mission in their chemical protective equipment.
The units then moved to an operational decon site to learn about the stages of decon.
“I already knew a lot of what we executed during our movement to contact, but I learned a lot during the operational decontamination training,” said 1st Lt. Markus Ford, a Company B platoon leader. “I’m glad we had the opportunity to conduct CBRN training. Iron Strike has been a good proving ground to give our Soldiers confidence in knowing that they have the right equipment to survive in combat.”
Once at the decon site, 1-8 Inf.’s training was broken down into five stations for contaminated Soldiers to pass through, said Sgt. Hassan Rammal, the CBRN noncommissioned officer for the battalion.
“The purpose of decontamination is to limit the spread of a chemical warfare agent. To accomplish this, a decontamination lane is broken down into measuring the extent of contamination, initial wash of gross contaminate, application of decontaminate, detailed wash of vehicle, and secondary monitoring,” Rammal said.
He added, “Most people know how to wear their individual JSLIST but don’t know how to use the CBRN detection equipment that is organic to the battalion.”
1st Bn., 8th Inf. Regt., along with the rest of 3rd ABCT, is preparing for an upcoming rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, in August and continued to conduct CBRN training during Iron Strike to prepare for worst-case scenarios on a deployment.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2016 12:26 |
| Story ID: | 204183 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, CO, US |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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