Marines, sailors take part in large-scale chemical, biological response exercise

Marines and sailors assigned to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) in Indian Head, Maryland recently traveled to Guardian Centers in Perry, Georgia to take part in Exercise Scarlet Response 2017.

The annual exercise aims to develop skills related to chemical biological (CB) incident response and other simulated radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive (RNE) threat scenarios. The exercise is the largest annual event for CBIRF..

With minimal warning, participants respond or assist in various CBRNE scenarios to assist local or federal agencies in consequence management operations, providing command and control capabilities, agent detection and identification, search and rescue operations, decontamination, and emergency medical care for contaminated personnel.

“The way we prepare for events like Scarlet Response and real-world incidents is we set up our full site, which is two tents; one ambulatory, one none-ambulatory and a force protection line for CBIRF responders and first responders alike,” Marine Corps Sgt. Robert Grodzicki, decontamination section leader, said. “We also just finished the advanced decontamination course at guardian centers,”

Once participants complete their job-specific exercises, unit members then rotate into other specialties to hone their skills for a more well-rounded approach.

Marine Corps Sgt. Cody Bennett said Guardian Centers provided them with training resources that aren’t normally available to them, such as deep-trench training and the ability to train in large, sustained operations with role players acting as casualties.

“Some of them have small acting backgrounds so they can make it as realistic for my Marines as possible so when something happens in real life, we’re better prepared,” Bennett said.