JTF-CS to participate in interagency homeland response exercise

Media Advisory VR13, Public Affairs Operations
July 23, 2012

U.S. Air Force Photo

The Tactical Command Post tent serves as the liaison between Fort Monroe and the simulated detonation point for exercise participants of Exercise VIBRANT RESPONSE at Forward Operations Base Panther, March 13, 2011. Members of the tent are subject matter experts tasked from each directorate to help the task forces accomplish their mission during the exercise. The exercise focuses on Department of Defense support of civil authorities in a consequence management role.

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS) will participate in the largest annual interagency homeland chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) response exercise this Wednesday. The exercise, called Vibrant Response 13, prepares the specialized military response forces to assist civilian authorities in saving lives and relieving suffering following a catastrophic CBRN event.

JTF-CS is the nation’s only standing CBRN joint task force. Headquartered in Newport News, Va., the joint task force can deploy within hours of notification of an incident providing command and control of more than 5,000 military responders from 36 installations across the U.S. The Defense CBRN Response Force is integrated under the lead civilian agency as directed by the National Response Framework. It is comprised of over 5,200 people with 70 individual capabilities including search and rescue, chemical detection, decontamination, radiation analysis, communications, logistics and medical treatment.

The exercise will last 10 days and test the response capabilities of active duty, National Guard and reserve military units from across the country. In the exercise scenario, a 10-kiloton nuclear device, commonly referred to as a “dirty bomb,” has been detonated over a major U.S. metropolitan city. The scenario involves handling the logistics of more than 100,000 casualties and more than 200,000 displaced civilians, along with the residual effects of the explosion on the city. Participating units will be required to conduct aviation, medical, engineering, logistics and life-saving tasks under conditions such as wearing protective clothing, providing information to a highly stressed public, and establishing logistics and communications where the infrastructure has been destroyed.

U.S. Air Force Photo

Kevin Liske, JTF-CS, monitors the Common Operating Picture in the Tactical Command Post tent which serves as the liaison between Fort Monroe and the simulated detonation point for exercise participants of Exercise VIBRANT RESPONSE at Forward Operations Base Panther, March 13, 2011.

“Vibrant Response is our opportunity to train DCRF forces to assist civil authorities when the situation overwhelms the capabilities of the local first responders,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Mathis, JTF-CS commander. “When directed, we respond in support of civil authorities, working directly with local leadership to build and maintain public confidence in our ability to rapidly respond and provide life-saving and life-sustaining capabilities to the recovery effort.”

The primary contingent of JTF-CS Vibrant Response participants will depart Thursday morning. The exercise will last through Aug. 4, with operations occurring both at Joint Base Langley-Eustis; Camp Atterbury and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, both in Indiana.

For news media representatives: JTF-CS Public Affairs deploys with satellite broadcasting capability, allowing media to conduct remote interviews to participating members at Camp Atterbury via Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS). For more information visit www.dvidshub.net and search Vibrant Response. Media wishing to cover the deployment should contact the JTF-CS Public Affairs office by noon July 25. Media interested in covering the exercise at any other time should contact the JTF-CS Public Affairs at (757)501-7855 or email JTFCS_PAO@jtfcs.northcom.mil

U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 99th Medical Group stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., carry a patient to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during Exercise Vibrant Response taking place at Camp Atterbury, Ind., Mar. 17, 2011. Vibrant Response 11.1 is a training event for the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosives (CBRNE) consequence management response force (CCMRF).

U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army 1st Sgt. James Clem, Alpha Company, 193d Brigade Support Battalion, braces Private 1st Class Tessienee Ubedei, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, as she signals a CH-47 Chinook to sling load eight tons of water blivets during Exercise Vibrant Response 11.1 at Camp Atterbury, Ind., Mar. 18, 2011.