Photo By Staff Sgt. Emily Batchelor | Joint-service members of the 103rd Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team,...... read more read more
Washington, D.C. – Technical Sergeant Conrad Slocum volunteered to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration along with seven other members of the Alaska National Guard Civil Support Team (CST) and arrived only a few days before the event, scheduled to begin Monday, January 20th.
Slocum has been with the CST team for over two years, following his service as a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) specialist in the Minnesota Air National Guard. In his current role, he is part of an elite team trained to provide rapid and specialized assistance to civil authorities in response to potential threats, including weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
“We provide assistance and support to civil authorities,” said Slocum. “We fall under the authority of our governor, and we work for our state.”
The CST’s mission in Alaska often involves collaboration with agencies like the FBI and Department of Energy. The team’s responsibilities range from responding to WMD incidents to supporting state-level emergencies. One example of their recent work was an ammonia leak at a local ice rink.
“The fire department requested our assistance with an ice rink that was leaking ammonia,” Slocum explained. “We used our equipment to monitor the situation and ensure the ammonia wasn’t spreading. Sensors placed around the rink confirmed it was contained.”
If first responders such as police, fire, or EMS encounter hazards beyond their capacity, CST teams are called in to support.
"Every state and U.S. territory has a CST team, ready to respond 24-hours a day, seven days a week,” noted Slocum.
Established in 1998 and expanded significantly after the events of 2001, the CST program now has a 22-person team in every state and territory. CST members are consistently training to do their job and travel often to gain their specialized experience.
“In my first year, I spent six months training across the U.S.—Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio, and New York,” Slocum shared.
This extensive preparation not only ensures team readiness for emergencies, but naturally creates a network among CST teams nationwide, as they often travel to train and operate together. This collaboration allows them to share expertise and provide mutual support for large-scale missions, such as the inauguration.
Maintaining equipment is another cornerstone of readiness. Each CST has vehicles equipped with state-of-the-art tools, ensuring their rapid response.
“We spend so much time maintaining our equipment that by the time we do get that request for support, we’re one hundred percent certain everything will work properly and all we need to do is turn the key and go,” said Slocum.
Recognizing the scale and complexity of the 2025 Presidential Inauguration, civil authorities requested assistance and hundreds of CST members have met that request with their specialized knowledge, experience, and equipment.
Slocum volunteered, “when they asked who wants to go to D.C. and support the inauguration, I didn’t hesitate,” he said. “I love traveling, and when you are a part of a real-world mission, like this, you get to see the real impact.”
The mission’s scope requires a robust network of security measures, including radiation detection and other safety technologies.
“Some of us are tasked to detect for any potential radiation sources or radioactive materials,” Slocum explained. “The city is full of sensors. We’re searching for the things that people can't see, and that's all the way around D.C.”
While these service members are ensuring public safety, some of their families have expressed their concern about the potential danger of a large-scale, high-profile event like the inauguration.
“When I volunteered for this, my family in Minnesota sent texts asking me to stay safe,” Slocum shared, “my wife was in tears when she dropped me off, hugging me at the airport and telling me to come back home to her safely.”
Despite these concerns, Slocum is reassured by the extensive security measures he has seen first-hand.
“Now that I am here, on the ground and able to see behind the curtain, in a sense. I see how many people are here, the Capitol Police force is here with the support of thousands of military members," Slocum explains. "For me to see all the planning put into this, I feel like Washington, D.C. is a very secure place to be right now.”
The work of CST teams often goes unnoticed by the public but is vital to national security. Their responsibilities extend beyond radiation detection to include monitoring for chemical and biological agents, ensuring the safety of high-profile events, and addressing unseen threats. As the nation prepares for this historic event, the dedication of individuals like Technical Sgt. Conrad Slocum and the CST teams play an integral role in ensuring the safety of the 60th Presidential Inauguration and its attendees.
| Date Taken: | 01.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.18.2025 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 489331 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 447 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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