King visits NATO CBRNE training facilities

Courtesy Photo | Brig. Gen. William King (right) receives a capabilities briefing at the NATO Explosive Ordnance Disposal Centre of Excellence in Trencin, Slovak Republic. Leaders from the 20th CBRNE Command included Lt. Col. Michael Ricciardi and Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Graham. Key centre leaders included (far right) Capt. Robert Hromada (Slovak Republic, Transformation Support Department Officer, NATO JCBRN Defence COE). On the left: Col. Ľubomír Mrváň (Slovak Republic, Director); Lt. Col. Zoltan Katona (Hungary, Technology Department head), and Lt. Col. Constantin Efrim (Romania, Capabilities Development Department Head) (Courtesy photo)  

HOHENFELS, GERMANY

02.10.2017

Story by Clemens Gaines 

20th CBRNE Command

Brig. Gen. William E. King IV, commander, 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, visited key NATO training facilities in February that focus on the unique training required to recognize and defeat threats from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives weapons.

King, joined by Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Graham, senior enlisted advisor, 20th CBRNE Command, received briefings and toured training facilities at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. They also met and engaged key CBRN leaders in the Czech Republic and the Slovak republic.

In Germany, King received briefings and toured the facility that can provide training for brigade combat teams from the United States as well as units from other NATO countries. The discussions centered on creating mock target areas that provide training for CBRNE threats. As a countermeasure to these threats, JMRC is developing replicated mock-chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training sites throughout the Hohenfels training area to facilitate in-depth training.

“There is a need for training areas mimicking a complex battlefield where these threats are involved,” said King. The 20th CBRNE Command will partner with JMRC in an advisory role and assist in building up the large scale assets.

“Nuclear and chemical plants are a significant part of the European infrastructure,” said Maj. Joseph E. Myers, JMRC’s Mustang Team CBRN observer, coach, trainer. In fact, so significant, there is a need to recognize labs and plants as a common part of the territory.

“Earmarking real estate within several of the training area’s MOUT sites (military operations on urban terrain), JMRC is building sites that replicate various conditions common to Europe,” said Myers. These fixed-site and mobile labs range from a site dedicated to medium scale chemical production of ammonia or chlorine, a home-made explosives (HME) lab, a stationary college chemistry lab, a radiological laboratory, a nuclear power plant and labs producing traditional chemical warfare agents.

King was accompanied by Col. Henry Neumann, chief of CBRN for German Bundeswehr Joint Service Command, touring the many town sets and buildings where CBRN assets will be active.

“From the German and NATO perspective, and the cluster CBRN protection in the framework nations concerned, [JMRC] is valuable due to its capacity,” said Neumann.

“By purpose, JMRC is meant to bring NATO forces together and train on the more complex aspects of maneuver operations in Europe,” said King. “Providing the training site for the U.S. and NATO to refine CBRN tactics, techniques and procedures in this capacity is an incredible advance in mission readiness and interoperability.”

King and Graham traveled to three key training facilities in both the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic for key leader engagements and to assess the potential for future training possibilities.

At Vyškov in the Czech Republic, King toured the NATO Joint CBRN Defense Centre of Excellence. King and Graham noted that this facility was more for individual training with small scale exercises.

“I see fantastic future training opportunities for our CBRNE Soldiers as well as opportunities to share information in this very specialize threat areas. This center also provides a great opportunity for our NCOs and officers to gain exposure to the Joint and NATO environments for training and interoperability,” King noted.

In the Slovak Republic, King and Graham visited the only live chemical agent training facility in Europe at the National Centre EOD and CBRN in Zemianske Kostol’any. The Centre offers EOD and CBRN courses and training opportunities in a realistic outdoor environment.

At the NATO EOD Centre of Excellence in Trenčín, King received a capabilities briefing and discussed future training and exchange possibilities. Individual Soldiers from the United States and NATO allies would train here after receiving their host nation EOD certification.

“I believe we can capitalize on future visits that will build from these key leader engagement and training opportunities at these important centers of excellence,” King noted.

Sgt. Karen Sampson contributed to this story

• Date Taken: 02.10.2017
• Date Posted: 03.02.2017 17:35
• Story ID: 225513
• Location: HOHENFELS, DE