Michigan, Indiana National Guard units train in realistic environment

By Spc. Bradley J. Wancour, 13th Public Affairs DetachmentAugust 13, 2013

Damaged and abandoned vehicles litter the streets
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A street is littered with damaged vehicles to simulate the aftermath of a nuclear explosion during Vibrant Response 13-2, Aug. 10, 2013, at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Ind. Approximately 5,700 service members and civilians from the military an... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Michigan National Guardsmen don protective suits for reconnaissance mission
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 51st Civil Support Team, Michigan National Guard, don protective suits at the beginning of their initial reconnaissance mission during Vibrant Response 13-2, Aug. 10, 2013, at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Ind. Vibrant Response... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Observer-controller advises Soldiers
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Willie Coleman, observer controller with U.S. Army North (5th Army), gives advice to Soldiers from 51st Civil Support Team, Michigan National Guard, on their initial reconnaissance mission as part of Vibrant Response 13-2, Aug. 10, 2013, at Muscatatu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Buildings display signs for help
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Buildings at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Ind., are covered with home-made signs asking for help to create a realistic environment for Vibrant Response 13-2, Aug. 10, 2013. Vibrant Response, a major field training exercise, is conducted by U.S.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, Ind. (Aug. 2013) -- Soldiers from the Michigan and Indiana National Guard began their domestic response training during Vibrant Response 13-2, Aug. 10.

The 51st Civil Support Team from Battle Creek, Mich., and 53rd CST and the 1st Infantry Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment, from Stout Field, Ind., traveled to the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center to take part in Vibrant Response, and react to a scenario in which a nuclear device detonated in an American city.

"They are what we would call second responders," said Jay B. Norris, U.S. Northern Command, USARNORTH, observer controller/trainer division chief from Edinburg, Miss. "They arrive right behind the firemen and the police. They've been asked to go out and survey the area for hazardous materials, or in this case, radiation. They are trying to determine for the first responders if it's clear and clean so they can move in and assist the local population."

In order to "train as we fight," as the popular Army saying goes, the training site has to simulate

real-life conditions as much as possible.

"(The environment here) replicates an actual American town," said Norris. "It has all the facilities of a typical small town, which is the type of environment they will be operating in. This mission is not like the typical mission in Afghanistan. This is urban. This is American ground."

Vibrant Response, a major field training exercise, is conducted by U.S. Northern Command and led by U.S Army North (5th Army). Approximately 5,700 service members and civilians from the military and other local, state and federal agencies are training to respond to a catastrophic domestic incident. The mission of USARNORTH is to coordinate timely federal military response to disasters in the homeland to help the American people in time of need.

First Lt. Zachary Martinez, platoon leader, Company C, 1-151 Infantry Regiment, agrees with Norris' assessment.

"The environment is pretty real-world," said Martinez, Richmond, Ind., native. "They got everything from train stations to subways, buildings, broken down cars. It's a pretty good reenactment of a real situation."

Martinez realizes the importance of his unit's training. He has high hopes that the realism of the scenario will allow him and his platoon to more efficiently respond to any kind of domestic incident, should the need arise.

Related Links:

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Army.mil: National Guard News

STAND-TO!: Field Training Exercise Vibrant Response 11.1

U.S. Army North (Fifth Army)

U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) on Flickr

Indiana National Guard

Camp Atterbury and Muscatatuck Urban Training Center

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Michigan National Guard