Photo By Col. Ryan Donald | 20th CBRNE Command’s Nuclear Disablement Team members conduct training on the ORTEC...... read more read more
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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - Soldiers from the 20th CBRNE Command (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives) Nuclear Disablement Teams, NDTs, conducted two weeks of individual and collective nuclear/radiological training at Idaho National Laboratory, a Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Oct. 19-30, 2015.
The annual training event begins the annual training schedule and prepares all team members for the challenges and requirements of nuclear fuel cycle assessment and characterization operations.
The first week of training consisted mostly of academics with first-time attendees covering the basic components of the nuclear fuel cycle. Returning team members received training on more advanced topics of the nuclear fuel cycle. The second week involved more hands-on practical exercises, culminating in a detailed characterization capstone exercise. The NDTs train on radioisotopes and special nuclear material only available through the Department of Energy Laboratories.
Throughout the training year, the NDTs frequently train and coordinate with DOE laboratories. Synchronization of the NDT’s language, understanding, infrastructure assessment and characterization with the DOE is pivotal for the NDT mission in support of combatant commanders.
Highlighting some of the training events, the NDTs conducted extensive gamma spectroscopy training using its organic team detectors. The NDTs trained on a nuclear reactor control room simulator and exercised safe shutdown procedures under normal and adverse conditions. The NDT conducted numerous training lanes on radiological contamination, radioisotope identification and nuclear fuel-cycle infrastructure characterization. Finally, the NDTs visited Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, Experimental Breeder Reactor-1 and Experimental Breeder Reactor-2 in order to gain more experience in the hazards, equipment and infrastructure in nuclear reactors.
Additional 20th CBRNE Command elements (Consequence Management Unit (CMU), CBRNE Coordination Element, Plans section) also sent soldiers to the training.
“Attending this training helped me understand the capability and function of the NDT. I will use this knowledge in future theater-level exercises,” said Capt. Mohammad Alrubaiee, an officer in the CMU.
The mission of the 20th CBRNE Command’s Nuclear Disablement Teams is to deploy and conduct disablement operations to counter radiological/nuclear threats in support of National Combating (Countering) WMD objectives. The NDT has a unique capability to locate, characterize, and collect radiological or nuclear material to support national counter-weapons of mass destruction goals.
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.30.2015 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 180434 |
| Location: | IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 223 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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