Friday, May 15, 2015
What is it?
The U.S. Army’s 20th Command’s CBRNE Leaders Course is designed to create adaptable leaders capable of combating chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive hazards in both permissive and non-permissive environments around the world.
The inaugural CBRNE Leaders Course was conducted at Gunpowder Range, Maryland, in late March 2015.
The two-week CBRNE Leaders Course is part of 20th CBRNE Command’s expeditionary-focused training strategy.
What has the Army done?
Tactical skills required to integrate CBRNE technical competencies have atrophied over the past decade. Based on observations of CBRNE operations during Combat Training Center rotations, the 20th CBRNE commanding general and command sergeants major directed the establishment of a centralized training program that focuses on building CBRNE leaders who are tactically and technically competent.
While being fully immersed in a tactical environment, the students enhance their leadership skills with emphasis on specialized CBRNE techniques and perform battle drills necessary to lead others while operating in a CBRNE environment. The course is designed to build unit cohesion and esprit de corps by focusing on troop leader procedures, CBRNE identification, mitigation and neutralization techniques and procedures, foreign weapon identification, land navigation and contingency threats, all while working in squad and platoon sized elements. The course culminated in an intense three day situational training exercise that reinforced the lessons learned throughout the course.
Why is it important to the Army?
CBRNE hazards include some of the most dangerous and most prevalent threats that our Soldiers face on the modern battlefield, from weapons of mass destruction to improvised explosive devices.
Effectively combating these threats requires tactically and technically expert CBRNE teams that can move with authority in and out of contact with the enemy, operate with confidence in an environment complicated by CBRNE hazards and rapidly integrate with other forces.
The CBRNE Leaders Course is but one element in the development of expert, expeditionary CBRNE formations.
What is planned for the future?
The CBRNE Leaders Course is currently only attended by members of the 20th CBRNE Command. The command intends to open future iterations to Soldiers in every occupational specialty, as well as to joint and allied troops.
As the only CBRNE formation of its kind in the Defense Department, the 20th CBRNE Command must build and maintain CBRNE capacity that is ready, reliable and globally responsive, capable of defending liberty around the world, anytime and anywhere.
Resources:
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