Guardian Response 22: Maintaining Soldier Readiness

MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, IN, UNITED STATES

05.10.2022

Story by Spc. Christian Cote 

372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Taking place at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Indiana, U.S. Army Soldiers are evaluated based on how they apply occupational skills to a notional nuclear event at Guardian Response 22. Guardian Response 22 is a homeland emergency exercise that provides realistic disaster response training to sharpen the skills and increase the capabilities of soldiers. These exercises allow leaders to build stronger teams while elevating unit readiness levels.
Staff Sgt. Francisco Vasquez, leader of 4th Squad, 2nd Platoon, 172nd Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Company, participated in Guardian Response for the first time with his unit. Vasquez and his unit have trained since February to be evaluated on Mass Casualty Decontamination, but he said he is able to use his spare time to ready his soldiers, ensuring they are quicker and more precise when it comes to setting up a decontamination tent. Vasquez and his team are responsible for decontaminating anyone contaminated in this nuclear scenario. Their hard work made them capable of setting up a decontamination tent within thirty-six minutes which is twenty-eight minutes faster than required.
“The soldiers and I, once we found out our roles, needed to learn how to conduct this [exercise] at one hundred percent. Not cutting corners. We built team cohesion, we worked together real well. They know what's expected of me, and I know how much I have to give to them, ” said Staff Sgt. Vasquez, during the decontamination tent set-up evaluation. “I’m always drained at the end of this, because I’m always giving them one hundred percent.”
The team’s skills will be taken to the test as their first training exercise is a night operation which reduces visibilty. Such challenges make night operation exercises useful for training and readiness.
“I’m feeling pretty confident about the night mission”, Spc. Matthew Bass, a soldier of 4th Squad, 2nd Platoon, 172nd CBRN Company, “I think our team is good enough. Without the experience of having to set up at night, I have enough confidence that we can do it.”

• Date Taken: 05.10.2022
• Date Posted: 05.11.2022 10:57
• Story ID: 420458
• Location: MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, IN, US