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ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – Nuclear Disablement Team Soldiers and Army Rangers seized and exploited an underground nuclear facility during a training exercise.
Nuclear Disablement Team 1 trained with Army Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment during operations under simulated fire at a decommissioned pulse radiation facility, June 6.
Maj. Aaron J. Heffelfinger, the team chief for Nuclear Disablement Team 1, said the facility was an optimal training site.
“This training location challenges the force for planning, execution and especially communications,” said Heffelfinger. “Being a former reactor site, it also has the security measures in place to make it a realistic target.”
The Nuclear Disablement Teams are part of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier CBRNE formation.
From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
In addition to the highly trained and deployable Nuclear Disablement Teams, the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland-headquartered 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity and five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams.
NDTs directly contribute to the nation’s strategic deterrence by staying ready to exploit and disable nuclear and radiological Weapons of Mass Destruction infrastructure and components to deny near-term capability to adversaries.
Nuclear Disablement Teams also serve on the FBI-led National Technical Nuclear Forensics Ground Collection Task Force, which stays ready to conduct post-blast nuclear forensics.
The NDTs have previously trained with Army Rangers and Special Forces troops during combat training center rotations.
“The NDTs have been collaborating with the 75th Ranger Regiment and other Special Operations Forces to increase interoperability and interdependency across nuclear and radiological problem sets with U.S. Army Special Operations Command and 20th CBRNE Command support, said Heffelfinger, a native of Moore Township, Pennsylvania, who previously served as an Air Defense Artillery officer.
As the U.S. military prepares to deter or defeat near-peer adversaries, Heffelfinger said having Nuclear Disablement Teams that are trained, equipped and ready is critical for supporting conventional and Special Forces units during large-scale combat operations.
“The highlight of the exercise was the integration of the NDTs and 75th Ranger Regiment teams,” said Heffelfinger. “Both have a vested interest in radiological and nuclear issues, so being able to train together and learn each other’s tactics, techniques and procedures provided both with additional skills. It also ensured that if we train together or respond to a real-world crisis in the future the teams are already familiar with each other’s capabilities.”
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.13.2024 16:24 |
| Story ID: | 473916 |
| Location: | ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 894 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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