thedrifter
12-13-02, 02:20 PM
12/11/2002
26th MEU keeps ready
By ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit may have passed its final exams before leaving Camp Lejeune in March, but there are still a few lessons left to learn.
Tuesday morning, the Marines took care of it.
An exercise in how to deal with chemical and biological attacks went off without much problem in the steady rain at Lejeune and gave the Marines a different look from their usual predeployment workup known as a Special Operations Capable Exercise, or SOCEX.
For MEU commander Col. Andy Frick, it was a chance to put his forces through some different paces.
“We have some extra time from the SOCEX to our deployment, and we looked at what we can do to tactically challenge ourselves and pull our skills together,” Andy Frick said. “We’re doing a series of raids in a contaminated environment.”
Although Frick did not want to compare what the MEU was doing to what Marines could potentially face should the scheduled deployment take them to Iraq, he did say that terrorists practice asymmetrical warfare, striking at unexpected times and places. Marines should be ready for it.
“We want to show these young Marines and sailors as many different looks as possible so they will be prepared,” Frick said.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tim Anderson, nuclear biological and chemical officer for the 26th MEU, explained military forces must learn and practice protecting themselves against choking agents that fill the lungs with fluid until the victim drowns, blood agents like cyanide that interfere with the body’s ability to intake oxygen or blistering agents such as mustard gas, which was once used in the trenches of Europe during World War I.
“The last time we dealt with chemical casualties was World War I,” he said. “We focus on detection and avoidance, trying not to put (the troops) in harm’s way, and we can share what we learn (this week) with other MEUs.”
Monday night, the MEU’s Light Armored Reconnaissance section attacked an enemy position at Davis Airfield in Greater Sandy Run Training Area. With each scenario, MEU members encountered a simulated biological or chemical attack. The MEU Service Support Group set up a decontamination station.
Over the next few days, the MEU’s boat company will be attacking a position on Verona Loop and the mechanized company of amphibian assault vehicles will be attacking a position at Landing Zone Plover. Marines and sailors will be wearing protective suits.
Dealing with the wounded is the bigger challenge.
“The question is how do you treat a casualty in a biological (contaminated) environment?” Frick said.
At the decontamination site on Onslow Beach, MSSG-26 commander Lt. Col. John Hahn supervised four lanes of traffic to wash down a variety of casualties.
“Corpsmen and doctors can’t treat casualties until they are decontaminated,” Hahn said. “There are four lanes; one for tracked vehicles, one for wheeled vehicles, one for the walking contaminated and one for chemical casualties.”
Chemical agents can be seen and the casualties start almost immediately, while the biological agents may take a week or more to make a person sick, said Cpl. Matthew Shannon, Nuclear Biological and Chemical specialist with the 26th MEU.
Most of the MEU’s Marines and sailors have been vaccinated against anthrax, and many have also been vaccinated against smallpox, officials said.
The most likely threat would be that of a chemical agent like a nerve gas, and each person carries three ampules of atropine to inject once every five minutes to buy some time until the victim can be decontaminated and get medical attention.
On Tuesday, MEU members practiced responding to an enemy attack with 20 simulated casualties and at least six vehicles that had to be methodically cleansed from contaminates.
One of the greatest challenges in combat would be to find water and generate electricity in a hostile environment like a desert.
While each small unit leader is taught to move quickly in maneuver warfare to take advantage of an enemy’s weak spot, the contaminated environment can slow troops down in combat.
“They will be able to build the confidence (this week) to perform those raids in a higher protective posture,” said Anderson. “It takes more time, and time is a valuable asset.”
Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 236
http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/photo/121102_marine.jpg
John Althouse/Daily News
Biological and chemical warfare training: Marines wear protective gear as a service member portraying an attack victim is rolled into a tent for decontamination at Onslow Beach on Tuesday. The 26th MEU is scheduled to leave Camp Lejeune in March
Sempers,
Roger
26th MEU keeps ready
By ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit may have passed its final exams before leaving Camp Lejeune in March, but there are still a few lessons left to learn.
Tuesday morning, the Marines took care of it.
An exercise in how to deal with chemical and biological attacks went off without much problem in the steady rain at Lejeune and gave the Marines a different look from their usual predeployment workup known as a Special Operations Capable Exercise, or SOCEX.
For MEU commander Col. Andy Frick, it was a chance to put his forces through some different paces.
“We have some extra time from the SOCEX to our deployment, and we looked at what we can do to tactically challenge ourselves and pull our skills together,” Andy Frick said. “We’re doing a series of raids in a contaminated environment.”
Although Frick did not want to compare what the MEU was doing to what Marines could potentially face should the scheduled deployment take them to Iraq, he did say that terrorists practice asymmetrical warfare, striking at unexpected times and places. Marines should be ready for it.
“We want to show these young Marines and sailors as many different looks as possible so they will be prepared,” Frick said.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tim Anderson, nuclear biological and chemical officer for the 26th MEU, explained military forces must learn and practice protecting themselves against choking agents that fill the lungs with fluid until the victim drowns, blood agents like cyanide that interfere with the body’s ability to intake oxygen or blistering agents such as mustard gas, which was once used in the trenches of Europe during World War I.
“The last time we dealt with chemical casualties was World War I,” he said. “We focus on detection and avoidance, trying not to put (the troops) in harm’s way, and we can share what we learn (this week) with other MEUs.”
Monday night, the MEU’s Light Armored Reconnaissance section attacked an enemy position at Davis Airfield in Greater Sandy Run Training Area. With each scenario, MEU members encountered a simulated biological or chemical attack. The MEU Service Support Group set up a decontamination station.
Over the next few days, the MEU’s boat company will be attacking a position on Verona Loop and the mechanized company of amphibian assault vehicles will be attacking a position at Landing Zone Plover. Marines and sailors will be wearing protective suits.
Dealing with the wounded is the bigger challenge.
“The question is how do you treat a casualty in a biological (contaminated) environment?” Frick said.
At the decontamination site on Onslow Beach, MSSG-26 commander Lt. Col. John Hahn supervised four lanes of traffic to wash down a variety of casualties.
“Corpsmen and doctors can’t treat casualties until they are decontaminated,” Hahn said. “There are four lanes; one for tracked vehicles, one for wheeled vehicles, one for the walking contaminated and one for chemical casualties.”
Chemical agents can be seen and the casualties start almost immediately, while the biological agents may take a week or more to make a person sick, said Cpl. Matthew Shannon, Nuclear Biological and Chemical specialist with the 26th MEU.
Most of the MEU’s Marines and sailors have been vaccinated against anthrax, and many have also been vaccinated against smallpox, officials said.
The most likely threat would be that of a chemical agent like a nerve gas, and each person carries three ampules of atropine to inject once every five minutes to buy some time until the victim can be decontaminated and get medical attention.
On Tuesday, MEU members practiced responding to an enemy attack with 20 simulated casualties and at least six vehicles that had to be methodically cleansed from contaminates.
One of the greatest challenges in combat would be to find water and generate electricity in a hostile environment like a desert.
While each small unit leader is taught to move quickly in maneuver warfare to take advantage of an enemy’s weak spot, the contaminated environment can slow troops down in combat.
“They will be able to build the confidence (this week) to perform those raids in a higher protective posture,” said Anderson. “It takes more time, and time is a valuable asset.”
Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 236
http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/photo/121102_marine.jpg
John Althouse/Daily News
Biological and chemical warfare training: Marines wear protective gear as a service member portraying an attack victim is rolled into a tent for decontamination at Onslow Beach on Tuesday. The 26th MEU is scheduled to leave Camp Lejeune in March
Sempers,
Roger