Photo By Senior Airman Jessica Mun | U.S. Airmen assigned to the 51st Medical Group set up a mobile decontamination site...... read more read more
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OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- U.S. Airmen assigned to the 51st Medical Group conducted decontamination training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Sept. 10, 2026. The training prepared medical personnel to better respond to potential hazardous material and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.
The exercise gave the patient decontamination team an opportunity to practice safely processing contaminated patients while protecting personnel and reinforcing each team member’s role during an emergency response.
“Realistic training is important because it helps build confidence and muscle memory,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sophica Boonyoo, 51st MDG medical information systems flight chief. “It gives our Airmen the chance to practice using the equipment, communicating with each other, and working as a team under more realistic conditions.”
During a real-world incident, Airmen may have little warning about what type of threat they are responding to or how quickly the situation will develop. This training emphasizes the importance of knowing procedures, communicating clearly and working together when time is critical.
“The majority of the decontamination team are from the dental unit but we have individuals that are from everywhere within the medical group to train in decontamination so that anyone can do any job at any time,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Any Cuello-Kalivas, 51st MDG resources management noncommissioned officer in charge.
The hands-on training also allowed Airmen to identify areas for improvement before facing an actual incident. By repeatedly practicing their procedures, the team can build the speed, confidence and teamwork needed to respond effectively in a high-stress environment.
“Readiness comes down to repetition and teamwork,” said Boonyoo. “Everyone has a role, and everyone’s role matters. The more we train together, the more confident and effective we become when faced with a stressful situation.”
The team’s capabilities are not limited to a single location. The mobile decontamination facility can be established where it is needed, providing flexibility to respond to an incident at different locations across the installation.
“This is our projected setup site for whenever we are activated, but if this site is affected, we can bring all of our equipment to a different location and set up anywhere so we’re ready to fight tonight, whether it’s here or at a different location,” said Cuello-Kalivas.
The exercise highlighted the dedication and professionalism of 51st MDG Airmen, whose commitment to training ensures they are prepared to respond to the unexpected, keeping Osan ready to respond and support the mission at a moment’s notice.
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.14.2026 02:56 |
| Story ID: | 574592 |
| Location: | OSAN AIR BASE, GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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