Soldiers Refresh on Reacting to Contact, Protecting Against Chemical Attacks

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

05.04.2017

Story by Sgt. Elizabeth Raney 

343rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Soldiers entering the decontamination lane had to move effectively as a unit, set up a perimeter, react to enemy contact, don chemical protection suits and masks, move to the decontamination site, and complete the decontamination process.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jenna Caserta, a team chief with the 1982nd Forward Surgical Team out of Niagara Falls, New York, said her team of 19 personnel paired with three other units and encouraged all of their Soldiers to become the leadership for the mission.
"They all worked together to go up on the hill and decide on a good hasty defense location," she said. "We were all on 360 security in the prone; we learned from what we trained on and built it up to make it more of a more deliberate defense. We continued to readjust our sectors of fire and establish teams and finally the enemy attacked. They came up the hill and the Soldiers started firing back."
"It was a good exercise in communication during chaotic times," Caserta continued. "The company commander and first sergeant had everyone put on their J-List [chemical protective suits], so we were ready when the enemy did use the chemical weapons. Then everyone put on their masks and continued fighting and checking in on each other, which also was a challenge, as you can’t hear very well.
"Finally the enemy was pushed back and the team was able to move out to the decontamination lanes," she said. "That was really interesting because we got to see step by step what they do to decontaminate someone after they’ve been exposed. "
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jarvis Randall, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with the 310th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 181st Multi Functional Training Brigade at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, and resident of Necedah, Wisconsin, said the individual decontamination lane is six stations and ensures that all contaminants are removed from the Soldiers and their gear.
“Station one is the equipment drop area," he said. "They lose their weapons, helmet, and vest if they have. A runner from the chemical company will come retrieve that and take it for decontamination on another line and return it to the Soldier at the end of the line."
"Station two, they remove the jacket and trousers," Randall continued. “Station three, they move down and lose their boots. Station four, they lose their gloves. Station five, they get monitored to see if there’s any chemical residue. Then they move forward and do the mask next. The Soldier will hold the mask and go over the line. Once he’s cleared that line, he’ll be reissued all of his equipment and come off the line."
Caserta said the training was very beneficial to her medical unit.
"It’s very realistic, considering what may come in the future," she said " It also gives us some ideas of ways we can train further in the rear, maybe wearing our masks while trying to do medical care when you can’t really communicate."
During the chemical lane operations on May 3, 2017, the chemical companies working the lane came under enemy fire after finishing decontamination of another unit.
U.S. Army Reserve 2nd Lt. David Graham, a resident of Nashville, Tennessee and platoon leader with the 327th Chemical Company out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was one of the Soldiers working on the individual decontamination line that day.
“After we got the all-clear, we started breaking down the line and we had some activity in the wood line," he said. "I heard contact and I saw people start to take cover in the woods. Then we got on line and started bounding toward the enemy to get a solid fighting position.” The unit responded to enemy fire and regrouped back in the company area after sustaining one injured Soldier.
"During drill, you really only get to set up once and do it and have a review and you have to wait to try to become proficient on that again. Here, the next day you can try out what you talked about last night and the same people are here to go further and tweak it a little bit more. I feel like at the end of the two weeks, since we have the same observer-coach-trainers, this will all be very smooth."
U.S. Army Reserve 1st Sgt. Cindy Villanueva, from the 397th Signal Company of Riverside, California, whose unit went through the lane on May 6, 2017, said this training was a good experience for her troops.
“WAREX provides good training for our Soldiers,” she said. “If they experience this type of threat over in theater, this training may save their lives.”

• Date Taken: 05.04.2017
• Date Posted: 05.08.2017 13:35
• Story ID: 233025
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US