Air Force CBRN training requirements increase

Effective Aug. 4, all Airmen are required to complete their Chemical, Biological, Radiation, and Nuclear defense survival skills training every 18 months instead of 36 months per Air Force Guidance Memo 201-02 to AFI 10-2501, Air Force Emergency Management Program.

“On [Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson], we already have a well-organized training program with a brand-new facility, which is an ideal training environment,” said Air Force Capt. Jeffrey Mellgren, 773d Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness and Emergency Management Flight commander. “This change means we will just be a little busier, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”

The update requires Airmen to go through CBRN training more often because it is required before arriving in a medium to high chemical-threat area and most deployment locations.

If an Airmen’s CBRN training expires while they are deployed, they must complete that training before they leave.

“It won’t be much of a challenge, but … instead of one class a week, we may see two to four classes a week,” said Senior Airmen Cierra Andrews, 773d Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness and Emergency Management trainer. “It will be a small increase to [our] work load, but this is what we are training to do and this is what we are going to do.”

All CBRN classes are hosted at Building 5303, the new training building for other classes such as CPR, self-aid and buddy care, and the Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force.

Each class is approximately three hours long, with the first half composed of instruction on the various equipment and tools at an Airman’s disposal during a CBRN attack and the proper procedures pre- and post-attack.

The second half of the class is putting that knowledge to the test with an application of those procedures in full Mission-Oriented Protected Posture gear.

Classes can have up to 30 students per two instructors. To complete the class, students must have the necessary MOPP jacket, pants, protective mask, boots, gloves, cotton-glove inserts, and canteen with protective mask drinking cap.

To register for a class, the Airmen’s unit scheduler or Unit Deployment Manager must schedule them through the Automated Readiness Information System. Airmen must complete the CBRN Defense Awareness CBT before they attend CBRN training to ensure they are properly oriented with their gear.

For more information about CBRN classes, call 773d CES Emergency Management Training section at 552-5009.