Photo By Roann Gatdula | U.S. Air National Guard Airmen and U.S. Marine Corps Marines from the 174th Chemical,...... read more read more
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The Hawaii Air National Guard played a pivotal role in a hazmat and decontamination joint training exercise on Oahu involving Airmen and Marines that concluded July 29.
Emergency management specialists from the 154th Civil Engineering Squadron provided manning for logistical support, equipment, transportation and a training facility for both branches in the two-phase decontamination and hazmat training exercise Toxic Swell.
The training took place from late June to July and was broken up into two-week cycles per phase. Participants included Marines from the 174th United States Marine Corps Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear or ‘CBRN’ Battalion and several Air National Guard units from across the country.
Joint teams composed of both Airmen and Marines grouped together in various training modules where they reacquainted themselves with proper safety procedures following hazmat exposure and skills acquired from technical training.
Training areas were spread across three military bases on Oahu. On Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Airmen exclusively performed hazmat and radiological training. At the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, both branches conducted decontamination and safety procedures for CBRN agents, and various decon treatment activities. In Waimanalo on Bellows Air Force Base, joint training continued with participants equipped in combat gear performing land navigation exercises in a tropical jungle landscape.
Airman 1st Class Cathleen Drake, an emergency management technician with the 154th Civil Engineer Squadron, was initially tasked with handling logistic requests and support for the event since planning began in January. In an effort to accommodate the participants in the best way possible, she volunteered to be part of the training experience to see how her home unit could improve their support.
She described both training and providing logistical support as a very heavy lift.
“It was tough but in a good way,” she said. “It makes you realize that we really do need to be ready for anything physically and mentally.”
One of the strengths she noticed working alongside her Marine counterparts was their expedient response and direct approach to a mission. She saw firsthand how fast operations needed to move in order to keep everyone safe in scenarios of hostile territory. Drake was grateful to learn from the Marines different techniques for mapping, team movements, tactical combat casualty care, night operations and overall speed when sampling.
With the objective of enhancing participants' abilities to counter weapons of mass destruction, mission planners crafted the training phases with a focus on improving their agility, tactical judgment and technical skills.
Mission planners conceptualized this type of multi-faceted integration between Airmen and Marines in 2017. This was the first year the National Guard Bureau assigned a dedicated project lead and coordinator to scale the training up to what it has become today.
Master Sgt. Kenneth Church, NGB training planner from the 151st Air Refueling Wing, was pleased to see the positive dynamic between both branches and how they complimented one another.
“I’ve observed that the Air Force is eager to become more tactical and I've also observed that the Marines are more eager to become more technical,” said Church. “This is why it's a good marriage for this training.”
The event concluded with a capstone assessment performed in a lush tropical jungle environment. Joint teams applied the skills and practices from their training, executing an overnight training scenario from dusk to dawn.
A thankful Drake reflected on the opportunity to take part in this rare training exercise.
“I feel like I've learned so much and it's definitely a privilege to be able to attend this kind of event,” said Drake. “We can definitely work together as a team regardless of what background we are, where we come from, or what branch we're from, so it's definitely possible.”
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2023 16:06 |
| Story ID: | 452501 |
| Location: | KANEOHE, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 249 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Navigating the Toxic Swell: Joint Hazmat Training Unites Airmen and Marines in Hawaii, by Roann Gatdula, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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