The West Virginia Army National Guard’s (WVARNG) 35th Civil Support Team (CST) Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) recently completed an extensive and rigorous Standardization Evaluation and Assistance Team (SEAT) inspection, scoring above the National Guard Bureau’s (NGB) national average.
The 35th CST, located in St. Albans, West Virginia, is a 22-person quick-response team who supports civil authorities with domestic preparation for and response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear or High-Yield Explosive (CBRNE) incidents. When activated, the 35th CST can deploy statewide and nationally to a potential or ongoing CBRNE incident to assist authorities in identifying unknown agents or substances, assessing ongoing and projected consequences or an incident, and advising on response measures including appropriate requests for additional state and federal support.
The SEAT inspection process looks at National Guard CBRNE Response Enterprise (CRE) organizations nationally in order to assess their degree of compliance with federal law and policy, and to assure the Congress and the Department of Defense (DoD) that programs are operating within established guidelines. CST units are graded on analytical laboratory procedures, budget management, logistics management, maintenance management, medical management, operational management, personnel management and training management. Additional areas of communications, physical security and safety are also addressed.
The WVARNG 35th CST received an overall grade of 98%. The national average is 96%.
“Our entire team excelled during the NGB SEAT evaluations,” stated 35th CST commander Maj. Jerry “Chip” Floyd. “Their efforts reflect the pride they have in our unit, the WVARNG, and the importance of their work in regard to Homeland Security and National Defense.”
Through the SEAT process, units work with inspectors and evaluators to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in the unit’s performance and focus on ways to improve overall efficiency and operational capabilities. Compliance with SEAT requirements necessitates year-round vigilance, including daily monitoring and local evaluation of various program efforts, keeping the CST sharp and prepared for any incident.
“The most critical element of any inspection is to identify areas we can improve,” stated Floyd. “The process is very beneficial, providing checks and balances as to how the unit operates, and gives the command an objective view of the unit’s ability to sustain and maintain operation capabilities so we can better serve our fellow West Virginians and citizens around the nation. Our goal is to always continue to improve and enhance our team, and the SEAT process helps us meet that mission.”
Floyd added, “Again, I cannot stress enough how very proud I am of all the 35th CST members who worked so diligently and professionally to excel at this SEAT inspection and keep the WVARNG among the very highest-rated units in the nation.”
During 2019, the 35th CST completed more than 74 missions, including assisting the West Virginia State Police with the annual Bridge Day celebrations in Fayette County, responding to the Stevens Correctional Facility in McDowell County to help identify an unknown substance incident, providing CBRNE capabilities to the World Scout Jamboree in Fayette and Raleigh counties, and ensuring on-site critical support and protection during all West Virginia University home football games.