Marines train in CBRN scenarios at Volunteer Training Site in Georgia

Marines assigned to the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Platoon, Marine Forces Reserve recently completed a seven-day assessment and consequence training exercise at the Volunteer Training Site in Catoosa, Georgia.

Participants took part in exercises, including clearing buildings, clearing underground tunnels, and working in tandem with the Personnel Retrieval and Processing Platoon. Due to the risks associated with CBRN materials, a Marine CBRN unit is attached to every major subordinate command in the Marine Corps.

“Current events drive our training scenarios,” Master Sgt. Ian Stewart said. “We have to integrate based on what is going on in the world and we try to set up real world scenarios that capture that.

Each exercise involves sending small teams of Marines in waves to address specific parts of a mission. First, a reconnaissance team is sent to scout the area and gather information through photos and sketches. Then, a sampling team is sent to identify what is causing the area to be dangerous. In the last wave, an extraction team is sent to decontaminate the area and make it safe for others to enter.

Throughout the last two days of the exercises, the CBRN Marines worked in tandem with the Personnel Retrieval and Processing Company, whose job is to recover and process the deceased remains of fallen service members and then conduct evacuation operations from the combat theater.

The Marine Corps said in a release that the platoon will soon head to Jordan to continue its training in support of host nations overseas.