Photo By Senior Airman Victoria Coursey | A U.S. Air Force aircrew flight equipment specialist participates in chemical,...... read more read more
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GA ANG’s 165th Airlift Wing hosts major CBRN response exercise Toxic Peach 2025
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Approximately 150 joint service military members, including Airmen and Soldiers from more than 36 different units and seven major commands (MAJCOMs), conducted exercise Toxic Peach April 28–May 2, 2025, at the Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia.
Throughout Toxic Peach, Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) specialists deployed mobile decontamination (DECON) equipment to rapidly respond and employ procedures such as determining the type of CBRN, applying chemical solutions to neutralize contaminants, and removing contaminated clothing on five different simulated aircrew contamination configurations.
“The skills these troops learned during this exercise are invaluable to the deployable combat wing construct,” said Chief Master Sgt. Charles Bittle, C-130 AFE Weapons System Team Chief, National Guard Bureau. “These AFE and CBRN specialists are now prepared and ready to mitigate contamination anywhere, for any airframe or aircrew, whether they are island hopping or working with units of different capabilities.”
In addition to working with various mobile DECON equipment, Toxic Peach provided participants with operational-level training, including the opportunity to practice radiological detection procedures in a simulated austere environment and strengthen interoperability with joint service CBRN procedures and base emergency management.
The event concluded with an aircraft offload of simulated contaminated aircrew that AFE and CBRN specialists had to respond to in real time. The DECON techniques that participants practiced throughout the week were utilized to operate seamlessly when it mattered most.
Hosted by the Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Airlift Wing, exercise Toxic Peach focused on large-scale aircrew contamination control in a joint operating environment.
“The 165th AW has some of the most capable and qualified personnel to support groups of this size,” said Bittle. “Our willingness to complete the mission, coupled with the overwhelming support of leadership, has driven this event to be the most successful exercise of its kind to date.”
The annual certification event involved 72 Total Force AFE specialists, as well as Army CBRN specialists from the 25th CBRNE Company (Technical Escort), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and provided each participant with formal training credit.
As real-world threats continue to evolve, exercises like Toxic Peach ensure joint service teams remain ready, resilient and responsive—reinforcing the 165th Airlift Wing’s role as a leader in large-scale CBRN response.
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2025 14:14 |
| Story ID: | 496953 |
| Location: | SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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