LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Airmen and civilians from Team Langley's bioenvironmental engineering and emergency management agencies participated in the fifth annual Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Challenge exercise Jan. 12-15 at the training facility on the north side of base.
Alliance Solutions Group, Inc. designed and administered the CBRN Challenge in 2005 to train pertinent personnel in CBRN peacetime competencies, allowing them to practice implementing response procedures while being coached by subject matter experts.
A five-person team engaged in four hands-on field exercise scenarios, handling threats ranging from radiological agent dispersion to medical care and decontamination. Meanwhile, a group of twelve participated in a tabletop exercise, testing their assessment and decision-making skills. Throughout the exercise, representatives from ASG, including company president and CEO Bob Campbell, evaluated the teams and provided immediate feedback.
"Based on the proliferation of CBRN knowledge and threats among nations and terrorist organizations, I realize that these brave Airmen may be part of a CBRN response in garrison or deployed," said Campbell. "The goal is to provide them with the best training and realistic exercises as possible."
In past years, the event was competition-based, with several five-person teams vying for the best performance in the scenarios. This year, participants pursued common goals, validating the concept of joint operations.
"The objective is to integrate the capabilities of each side and develop synergy," said Freddy Suedbeck, Air Combat Command Medical CBRN analyst. "In addition, evaluators can identify training and equipment deficiencies and provide feedback to leadership."
After the groups completed their field and tabletop exercises, the cadre held classroom training to reinforce principles of critical response operations. Participants shared the results of each scenario to determine errors and successes, and evaluators reviewed the results of the exercise with them.
Campbell said participants have called the exercise the best training of their Air Force career because of its realism, attention to detail and avoidance of simulations.
However, the most important element of the exercise is learning by doing, he continued.
"If the team struggles with something, we are able to pause, do some coaching and then restart the scenario," Campbell said. "This allows the team to get on-site training and put it into practice immediately."