By Spc. Jamie L. Philbrook
Soldiers of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command spent the last couple of weeksrefreshing some basic skills in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear training.The first stop was simply for everyone to properly fit their individual protective mask.
The following week the Soldiers from the 101st Chemical Company assisted the 1st TSC by training soldiers on more extensive areas of CBRN.
“We are training for nerve agents, choking agents, blood agents, things that the joint service lightweight integrated suit technology will protect you against,” said Sgt. Shayla Yackera, 101st Chemical Company, reconnaissance and surveillance platoon.
“There are new world threats out there. We want to make sure this unit can react to any kind of hazard downrange if they came into contact with something like this.”
The major areas of focus were on maintaining the protective mask, warning signals, chemical detector paper and equipment mission oriented protected posture gear levels, donning MOPP gear and decontamination of self and equipment.
“It’s good to get some refresher training on how to don the mask and how to properly wear the JSLIST and proper decontamination procedures,” said Staff Sgt. Allen Caldwell, special projects office, distribution management center, supply and service, material management non-commissioned officer in charge.
In the following weeks, Soldiers from the 1st TSC will put all of the skills to the test in the gas chamber.
“We benefited greatly,” said Caldwell. “Just having the training done is a wake-up call to a lot of people, that even though we are a strategic unit, that it is necessary to have the training so we are ready.”