Coalition Forces Respond to Mock Chemical Attack Submitted by: Marine Forces Central Command
Marine Corps News
12/18/2002
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge
KUWAIT(December 13, 2002) -- KUWAIT CITY - Training, honing and performing realistic combat scenarios is the key to success on the battlefield. Today's military must constantly prepare so that it may respond with the proper measure of force to defeat the enemy and save lives.
The training setting today at the United States Embassy in Kuwait City, Kuwait, isn't on a battlefield; or is it? While conflict takes on many different forms, today's battlefield could be anywhere. As the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Consequence Management puts it, "To save lives, and reduce suffering is the mission today."
Today's field training exercise, called "Event Horizon," is a scenario calling for terrorists to conduct a chemical attack on the United States Embassy of Kuwait. The explosion prompts the Kuwaiti government to request the assistance of C/JTF-CM.
"Consequence Management was established by United States Central Command in October 2001 at Camp Pendleton, Calif.," said Brigadier General (Select) Craig T. Boddington, the general given the responsibility of heading such a team. "The desire was to create a joint task force that incorporates members of all United States military services and then expand that force into a combined unit that includes our coalition partners.
"The JTF deployed to Kuwait in November 2001 and German and Czech Republic forces joined us in the Spring of this year," said Boddington. Following today's simulated van-deployed nerve gas attack at the embassy, Kuwaiti first responders sounded the alarm for assistance from Task Force Consequence Management. Objective: Clear the hot zone, decontaminate in the warm zone, and move all victims to the cold zone. "Our long-term goal is turning victims into patients," added Boddington.
These coalition rapid response force experts provide assistance to Kuwait and other countries in the United States Central Command area of responsibility in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high yield explosive incident (CBRNE). These experts have the equipment to augment Kuwait's civil defense capabilities in the CBRNE area.
Kuwait emergency services have the primary responsibility for all consequence management operations in Kuwait. Joint Task Force operations would only be conducted after the government of Kuwait has made an explicit request for assistance to the United States, and that request had been approved by the Department of State and Department of Defense.
According to Boddington, Consequence Management is a new term in the extensive military dictionary. It's defined as interagency assistance that's used to mitigate damage resulting from the employment of weapons of mass destruction. Some of the assistance provided would include lifesaving support; locating and identifying hazardous materials, areas and people at risk, and medical assistance.
Brigadier General Boddington said the event solidifies the communication between C/JTF-CM and the Kuwaiti response forces.
"This is a culmination of several exercises. We've trained together with our Kuwaiti friends a number of times. What we are really doing is training for the worst and hoping for the best."
Germany's 750th NBC Defense Battalion, equipped with the six-wheeled, light-armored vehicle known as the Fox vehicle were the first on the scene and identified the chemical nerve agent Sarin. Using remote sensing equipment these vehicles can detect chemical agents within a range of three miles.
The Czech Company, 4th NBC Defense Company, provided decontamination and medical services to individuals playing the role of casualties. The company also decontaminated vehicles used at the scene. They have the capability of decontaminating 120-140 vehicles per hour, as well as 200-300 people.
The United States Army's 101st Chemical Company (Forward) augmented the Czech's efforts, while the Army's 37th Engineer Battalion (Forward) provided light engineer support.
"The exercise was very successful," said Lieutenant Colonel Charles Chase, exercise commander. "From a planning and preparedness standpoint, coordination and communication was excellent."
More than 300 personnel participated in the exercise. The entire event lasted about two hours, and placed the coalition team, along with embassy security, in a simulated, but realistic, contaminated environment that exercised their ability to respond properly.
Today's cooperative exercise between C/JTF-CM and the Kuwait civil defense elements tested the team's ability to respond to a terrorist chemical attack. With each succeeding exercise, the event proves that C/JTF-CM is prepared to execute the mission they were created to accomplish.
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