Email   Print   Share By Staff Sgt. Wynn Hoke 14th PAD

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Role-players acting as injured civilians from a nuclear detonation participate in a 61st MMB training event highlighting the Incident Response Force portion of a CBIRF homeland mission at Camp Bullis June 19. The role-players were taken through simulated decontamination and medical treatments validating the 61st’s training for the upcoming Vibrant Response exercise. Staff Sgt. Wynn Hoke, 14th PAD

A Soldier from the 583rd Medical Logistics Company Rear Detachment, 61st MMB, acts as an injured civilian during a training execise conducted by the 61st MMB at Camp Bullis June 19. The unit participated in a weeklong exercise aimed at testing their ability to conduct decontamination measures and provide a medical response force to a disaster. Staff Sgt. Wynn Hoke, 14th PAD

A Soldier with the 181st Chem. Co., 2nd Chem. Bde., preps an injured simulated casualty for decontamination before being medically treated during an Incident Response Force exercise with the 61st MMB at Camp Bullis June 19. The exercise simulated a nuclear detonation with the 61st MMB acting as first responders to the incident. Staff Sgt. Wynn Hoke, 14th PAD

CAMP BULLIS - The 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, along with the 181st Chemical Company, 2nd Chemical Brigade, conducted a field training exercise here June 18 through Friday in preparation for the upcoming Defense CBRN Reaction Force “Vibrant Response” exercise in Indiana later this year.

The 61st MMB is familiar with training for CBRN incidents, having been a part of the DCRF for more than 15 months.

But this field exercise has put a twist into their training cycle.

The 61st conducted training to react as a Chemical, Biological, Incident Reaction Force, which provides capabilities for agent detection and identification, casualty search and extraction, technical rescue, personnel decontamination, and emergency medical care and stabilization of contaminated victims. The unit brought 120 vehicles and more than 400 Soldiers to conduct the training exercise.

CBIRF is typically executed by the II Marine Expeditionary Force CBIRF unit.

“This is the first time that the Army has started training a unit on portions of the CBIRF,” Lt. Col. Kenneth Allen Lemons, commander of the 61st MMB, 1st Medical Brigade, said. “And this is the first time that U.S. Army North has exercised this piece of training at this lower level.”

Lemons said the training at Camp Bullis helped build a new capability for the Army.

“During this exercise, we are trying to build capabilities,” Lemons said. “The biggest thing is just understanding the CBIRF and DCRF and the no-notice response and getting back to that mentality.”

Army North is helping them get into the quick-reaction mentality by supplying role-players and observer/controllers to make the exercise as real as possible.

“We have some role-player casualties out here with different types of injuries that include radiation burns, fractures and other injuries to include possible contamination,” James Barkley, division chief, Golf Division, Civil Support Training Activity, Army North, said. “This exercise portion we will see these medical guys decontaminate these people and save lives and mitigate casualties. That is what we plan on getting out of this.”

This portion of the exercise focused more on the Incident Response Force part of the CBIRF, Barkley added. If this was a full exercise for CBIRF, the training would also have tech rescue and reconnaissance.

Another important aspect of this exercise was the validation that the participating units will receive in Early Response Entry.

“The concept for this validation is a simulated nuclear detonation hot zone that our patients will be moving out of, into a warm-to-clear zone, to be decontaminated and treated in the mass casualty decon line,” Capt. Stephen Krutko, operations officer for the 61st MMB, said. “This validation will prepare the units for the upcoming Vibrant Response exercise later this year.”

“This homeland mission and our Soldiers taking care of their own is what this training is all about,” Lemons said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”