Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Justin Geiger | Slovakian Mechanized Infantry soldiers safeguard from possible contaminates at the...... read more read more
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Multilateral Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear forces from Slovakia, Czech Republic, U.S. and the Indiana National Guard assessed combined operation procedures and capabilities in response to a simulated chemical training event at Training Center Lest, Slovakia March 20, 2017.
Forces from the 588th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Indiana National Guard, Slovakia and the Czech Republic assembled in Slovakia to participate in Toxic Lance, a two-week-long exercise, to enhance each element’s ability to respond to CBRN threats.
The existing relationships that U.S. National Guard units have developed with their European counterparts through the State Partnership Program are efforts to improve allied capabilities and leverage the power of the Army’s “total force.”
“The Indiana National Guard, Slovakians and the Czechs were training on their decontamination mission sets,” said Lt. Col. George A. Mitroka, Battalion Commander, 588th BEB. “Which is taking vehicles through decontamination wash racks, taking personnel through the wash systems in the decontamination tents and ensure all equipment and Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear is properly containerized and disposed.”
Mitroka also discussed how chemical leaders from the Indiana National Guard took lead on the surveillance and the reconnaissance aspect of Toxic Lance.
“This was the first time where we integrated a reconnaissance element, our Stryker vehicles, into a decontamination mission,” said Mitroka. “It was really beneficial to see how the Indiana National Guard used the reconnaissance Stryker teams that we have from the 3rd ABCT, to look for other chemical agents in the atmosphere while the decontamination mission was going on.”
During this training event leaders from each element observed and took notes on operation procedures, tactical techniques and how effective and efficient the soldiers from each nation conducted the mission.
“We’re comparing notes every night,” Mitroka said. “To learn what the Slovakians are doing, what the Czechs are doing, what the National Guard is doing and what the 3rd ABCT chemical reconnaissance team is doing as well, in order to get better and continue to learn from each other.”
Operation Atlantic Resolve provides the opportunity for U.S. and ally countries to make strides by continuously training together and implementing new solutions for combined operations.
“It’s important for U.S. CBRN elements to work with other nations to exercise interoperability,” 1st Lt. Linsey Labarge, CBRN plans officer with the 4th ID Mission Command Element. “It allow us to train on tactical technique and procedures, integrate standard operating procedures and improve our communication during CBRN training events.”
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U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51st country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships we build during more than 1,000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnership and enhance global security.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2017 05:20 |
| Story ID: | 227607 |
| Location: | LEST, SK |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CBRN takes center stage at Toxic Lance, by SFC Justin Geiger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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