Photo By Maj. Steven Modugno | A U.S. Army civilian activity on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, tackles Chemical,...... read more read more
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – A U.S. Army civilian activity on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, tackles Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE) hazards around the world.
Army civilians from Remediation Response West in the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity support military operations and domestic authorities.
An all-civilian organization, CARA is headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, as a subordinate unit under the 20th CBRNE Command, the U.S. military’s premier multifunctional and deployable CBRNE formation.
Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to take on the world’s most dangerous hazards.
Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general of 20th CBRNE Command, recently visited the activity during a visit to Redstone Arsenal.
Bochat interacted with the U.S. Army civilians at the activity who provide a world-wide emergency response capability for Recovered Chemical Warfare Material and remediation support for combatant commanders.
Yancy A. Rhoden from CARA’s Remediation Response West said it was an honor to host the commanding general.
“Brig. Gen. Bochat was briefed on our unit and its capabilities, and given a tour of our facilities,” said Rhoden.
In addition to conducting remediation missions on Redstone Arsenal, Rhoden said the activity is also able to conduct missions around the world.
“Our mission involves 24/7 response to Recovered Chemical Warfare Material (RCWM) and the remediation of chemical sites at Redstone Arsenal,” said Rhoden, who has an associate’s degree in criminal justice. “We have responded overseas to assist military forces in Taji, Iraq, where we recovered 2,744 munitions.”
During remediation operations on Redstone Arsenal, the CARA team supports the United States Army Corps of Engineers and removes potential military hazards from the environment, which allows the site to be reutilized.
Many of the potential chemical munitions have been there for more than 60 years.
The ordnance was either buried intact, burned or detonated during authorized disposal in the 1940s - 1960s
The ordnance was either buried intact, burned or detonated during authorized disposal in the 1940s - 1960s. That ordnance is packaged and stored for disposal.
Rhoden said his team hones its lifesaving and mission-enabling skills through hands on experience during remediation missions.
On Redstone Arsenal between June 2022 to May 2024, his team completed a remediation mission where they safely removed, packaged and transported six munitions for assessment.
“These six items are awaiting destruction because of possible chemical agent residue,” said Rhoden. “I was one of the supervisors on site. Our unit continuously trains to be masters of our craft, ready to respond to these kinds of missions.”
A former U.S. Navy Weapons Technician, Rhoden graduated from the Nuclear Weapons Training Group Pacific and then went to the Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic.
After serving in the U.S. Navy for three years, Rhoden served in law enforcement as a patrolman, detective and sergeant. Rhoden also served on the Special Reaction Team as a field training officer, firearms instructive, sniper and SWAT instructor.
Rhoden said serving at the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity’s Remediation Response West has been one of the highlights of his career.
“I have 20 years of service with the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, and each mission is challenging and exciting,” said Rhoden.
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2025 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 492538 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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