Nuclear ‘Reactors’: Joint training exercise plans for the worst

The National Guard ^ | Aug 24, 2005 | Spc. Chris Jones

[SandRat]

FORT MONROE, Va. (8/23/2005) — Most local headlines in Charleston, S.C., probably won’t grab national attention: a road is closed for construction, local officials debate a proposed law, a man is shot in a small town outside Charleston.

But how about this for a headline: “Run for Your Lives: Charleston will blow up this week.” A military training exercise, Sudden Response 2005, is using Charleston as the setting of a nuclear disaster to improve the United States’ readiness if such an event should occur.

At Fort Monroe, Joint Task Force Civil Support, a unit composed of servicemembers from all branches of the military, including Army National Guard, will use the training to improve and accelerate the nation’s response to a major terrorist attack. The unit is commanded by Maj. Gen. Bruce Davis, Army National Guard.

The diversity of military personnel, as well as the high number of Department of Defense civilians, is crucial to the unit’s success, said Army National Guard Capt. Jamison Kirby, aide to the commanding general.

Kirby, a native of Macon, Ga., said National Guard troops offer a key element to the unit’s success – a link to their civilian counterparts.

“The unit is of every variety,” he said, “from Marine Reserve to Air National Guard to Navy… Most of these missions are involved with the civilian sector, and National Guard elements have that association with the civilian sector.”

Many of the National Guard and Reserve servicemembers in JTF-CS are prior active duty, including Kirby, who spent six years active duty enlisted with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment.

The JTF-CS battle captain, Maj. Diron Cruz, also served on active duty, working four different positions in four years with the 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault out of Fort Campbell, Ky. Cruz said JTF-CS is unlike other units in the military because the interaction between services makes it seem “like we’re all in the same branch.”

The scenario for SR05 is based on a nuclear attack by terrorists, JTF-CS also trains on how to react to four other types of catastrophic events: chemical, biological, radiological and high-yield explosive, according to a JTF-CS capabilities report.

Established in October 1999, JTF-CS, which falls under U.S. Northern Command, was formed to “save lives, prevent injury and provide temporary critical life support following a national disaster,” said Davis.

To ensure its readiness, JTF-CS routinely conducts training exercises. SR05 officially began Monday, but preparation began several months ago.

Less than 160 people fill the staff of JTF-CS. However, the unit swells to huge numbers in the event of a catastrophe. Up to 3,000 people can be attached to the unit or organized into separate task forces, according to Ken Lucas, deputy operations officer for JTF-CS. This number would be difficult to reach if not for the high number of Reservists and Guardsman, said Lucas.

In a nuclear disaster, the explosion is not what takes the most lives, but the subsequent fallout, as stated in the initial assessment approved by Davis. Where JTF-CS can save the most lives is after the detonation, by sheltering those in the contaminated fallout path.

According to exercise organizers, SR05 also features outside players from Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Energy, South Carolina Division of Emergency Management and U.S. Northern Command.

“This is our most significant training exercise of the year,” Davis said.

[SandRat]

National Guard, ever vigilant, ever ready.

[Calpernia]

Most local headlines in Charleston, S.C., probably won’t grab national attention: a road is closed for construction, local officials debate a proposed law, a man is shot in a small town outside Charleston.

But how about this for a headline: “Run for Your Lives: Charleston will blow up this week.” A military training exercise, Sudden Response 2005, is using Charleston as the setting of a nuclear disaster to improve the United States’ readiness if such an event should occur.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!