JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. –
Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS) participated in the Defense Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Response Force (DCRF) Mission Year 20 (MY20) Mobile Training Team (MTT) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Wash., Oct. 29-31.
The MTT provided staff orientation training on CBRN and defense support of civil authorities (DSCA) mission training requirements and provided a foundation to develop command relationships.
During the event, 26 subject matter experts from JTF-CS trained DCRF representatives on CBRN and DSCA operations, the DCRF employment concept, mission command procedures, synchronization, communications and other CBRN response operation tasks. The 555th Engineer Brigade, based out of JBLM, hosted the event.
"In most cases you will find that decisiveness and confidence come from knowledge based on studies and training," said JTF-CS Commanding General U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William “Bill” Hall. “My goal for this MTT is to provide command teams with knowledge and tools, the crawl phase if you will, so your formations have the confidence to execute our DCRF mission with zero notice.”
The event also included the Leadership Training Program (LTP), led by the 78th Training Division, based out of Fort Dix, N.J. The LTP trains and prepares leaders in the oncoming DCRF for exercises Sudden Response (SR) and Vibrant Response (VR) during MY20. Units assigned to the DCRF are apportioned to JTF-CS for a mission year that runs from June 1 to May 31 of the following year.
Discussing the value of the training, Col. Troy Newman, I Corps Chief of Protection, stated, "the value of training like this isn't just the content or the delivery. It's who is in the room, who we can have a dialogue with. We have subject matter experts from across the entire joint force. Not just JTF-CS, but the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and U.S. Army Forces Command. The value of having the joint enablers in the room brings an opportunity to dialogue and talk through an event prior to a crisis."
The 5,200 members of the DCRF are comprised of active duty and reserve military and DoD civilian personnel. When directed, JTF-CS deploys to an incident site, establishes command and control of DCRF forces, and provides military assistance and support to civil authorities to save lives, preventing further injury and providing temporary critical support to enable community recovery.
The training event was well attended by representatives from organizations coming on mission in the next year. Michael Collins, JTF-CS Deputy to the Commander, said, “The JTF-CS MTT/LTP is the first training event for units preparing for the DCRF mission and sets the stage for all future unit and multi-unit training events. The very large turnout of officer and NCO leadership by 1st Corps units demonstrates their dedication to this no fail mission.”