Airmen compete in training challenge

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
  • Air Force Print News
BROOKS CITY-BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Airmen from nine major commands gathered here this week to compete and train in the CBRN Challenge.

The challenge, which covers chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards, is being held for the first time as an Air Force-wide event. The week-long event ends Sept. 15 with a banquet and awards ceremony.

The inspiration for the challenge came from a similar exercise the United States Air Forces in Europe command has hosted on a smaller scale the last two years.

"This week-long training tests the participant's knowledge, hazard identification skills and endurance in responding to threats," said Col. Richard Ashworth, director of bioenvironmental training at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. "These scenarios are very realistic and very tough."

The competition hosts nine four-person teams made up of one officer and three enlisted Airmen. The teams are evaluated by a team of 30 instructors and evaluators who grade the 36 students during the challenge.

There were multiple scenarios introduced throughout the training, varying from a chemical threat in a mail room to threats involved when an ambulance crashed through a base defensive barrier.

The ambulance scenario in particular was difficult for the event participants, event planners said. Many simulated hazards were hidden throughout the ambulance and the teams had to prioritize them. To be successful, teams had to successfully communicate with each other. This was a challenge because team members came from different bases, event planners said.

Staff Sgt. Laura Andrews, a bioenvironmental engineering craftsman from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., represented Air Combat Command. She said it is rare for people in her career field to get a week's worth of training in one chunk. She feels even though she was already confident in her abilities, the competition helped increase her confidence.

"It is good to get a lot of hands-on time with the equipment and learn to communicate with everybody," she said.

Chief Master Sgt. Doug Durn, the Air Force bioenvironmental engineering career field manager, said the competition was made possible by thorough planning and assistance from the Air Force Institute for Operational Health, USAFSAM, major command representatives, and the Alliance Solutions Group, a homeland security consulting firm from Newport News, Va..

Chief Durn said reactions to the event have been positive.

"Many participants have touted this competition as the best hands-on training they have received in their Air Force careers," the chief said. "This challenge provided realistic scenarios and enabled our personnel to demonstrate response capabilities in garrison and deployed environments."

Colonel Ashworth said the events of 9/11 proved the skills demonstrated in the event are just as pertinent here at home as they are in a deployed location. He said the training is critical to completing the Air Force mission.

"You absolutely have to complete the mission no matter what the threats are," he said. "We are able to give commanders the input they need so they can make sure the mission is totally effective while minimizing risks the Airmen may face."