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Joint-service protective suit working in CENTCOM

by Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 14, 2002) - Hours after it was reported that Iraq had ordered antidotes to a nerve gas it claims not to have, Army chemical soldiers at a Pentagon press briefing affirmed they have the skills and equipment to respond to such weapons of mass destruction.

The U.S. Army Technical Escort Unit is able to respond whenever a chemical or biological agent is suspected or found, said Lt. Col. George Lecakes, battalion commander for the TEU. The unit supports Department of Defense and other federal, state and local agencies.

From the war-torn country of Afghanistan to gala sporting events, TEU soldiers have suited up to detect, identify or dispose of hazardous chemical or biological material.

With the threat of war with Iraq in the air, Americans want to know if soldiers are prepared.

"Can you operate in that chem/bio suit in the desert and for how long," one reporter asked during the briefing.

"Is there any specific chemical that you are fearful of," another reporter rang out.

"I put my life on the line in this suit while serving six months in Afghanistan, and I'll do it again," said Staff Sgt. Michael McRoberts, a chemical operations sergeant with TEU.

The suit McRoberts defended is called the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology overgarment. The JSLIST will replace the Battledress overgarment, which is the clothing that most soldiers now wear while performing required annual chemical and biological training.

Both overgarments are similar. JSLIST was a result of Congress mandating that all future research, development and procurement for chemical items be jointly managed, officials said.

Dressed in the joint-service suit, a blast-resistant suit and other variant chemical suits about a dozen of the TEU soldiers demonstrated what they do during peacetime when people spot suspicious contaminants. The scenarios included an unattended package at a Super Bowl Game, a suspicious letter in a mailroom and an unexploded World War II munition.

After the demonstration and while standing under the bright television lights during the question-and-answer session, a soldier fainted, but was able to return to the briefing a few minutes later.

The combination of bright lights, nervousness, lack of water and close conditions were most likely the reasons the soldier fainted, said a TEU spokesman.

"TEU teams have been wearing the JSLIST suits in support of Central Command for over a year. They have trained in a variety of scenarios in the hot desert summer of Afghanistan without incident," officials said.

The chemical suits that were displayed by the soldiers are unlike anything any other country has, officials added. As long as soldiers stay hydrated and are in decent physical condition, the chemical suits are lifesavers, officials said.

TEU will soon celebrate its 60th anniversary as the oldest military chemical unit in existence. It's a battalion-level organization with companies in Maryland, Virginia and Arkansas. It is made up of civilians, officers and noncommissioned officers who go through a rigorous six-month training program, Lecakes said.