Chem Corps readies for CBRN week

By Carolyn EricksonJune 19, 2009

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Fort Leonard Wood is opening its doors to the joint military community during Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regimental Week, Monday to June 26.

"Each Regimental Week is unique," said Col. Leslie Smith, U.S. Army CBRN School commandant, "but this one is special because we are celebrating the great initiatives of the CBRN community in

defense of the nation and the work of non-commissioned officers in training and developing our Soldiers of

today.

"We also are recognizing those folks that have been awarded to join the Hall of Fame and Distinguished Members of the Corps as part of the conference," Smith continued. "The goal is to continue to

foster our ties with the Soldiers of the past to the present and develop those we have in training for the future. We pay homage to our fallen Dragon Soldiers on Thursday of the week, and we end the event with Gen. Peter Chiarelli, U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff, as the guest speaker for the Green Dragon Ball."

There are two main phases to CBRN Regimental Week, said Command Sgt. Maj. Ted Lopez. The first phase is Dragon's Peak, today through

Sunday, followed by the second phase of conferences.

"Dragon's Peak is where all NCOs and Soldiers compete to be the best noncommissioned officer or Soldier in the regiment," Lopez said. "Dragon's Peak tests battle tasks, technical skills in our Military Occupational Specialty, fitness and overall knowledge."

"It's payoff time - show time," Lopez continued. "We can assess how our NCOs are training our folks out there."

CBRN Regimental Week runs from Monday to June 26, with about 2,000 guests scheduled to attend.

"It's a homecoming for our whole (CBRN) corps," Lopez said.

National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers will attend, as well as CBRN Soldiers from other services and other nations, such as the German and British armies.

"It's a joint CBRN week with sister services and international partners," Lopez said.

The Regimental Week starts with a regimental golf tournament partnering on- and off-post participants, Monday, with the conference following the rest of the week. The CBRN Regimental Week is highlighting NCOs to maintain the Year of the NCO theme.

"It's the first time senior NCOs will be speaking at the main theater," Lopez said. "Normally it's senior or general officers, senior executive service - this is the first time senior NCOs will be speaking.

"We're going to bring NCOs and leaders in to do some problem solving," Lopez said. "We used to have separate conferences for officers and enlisted. This year we're putting them all together and breaking them down in to groups. We want to use their brains to the limit."

While many meetings are strictly for CBRN Soldiers, the CBRN regimental review, Wednesday, and many other events at or near Baker Theater are open to any interested personnel on Fort Leonard Wood.

"(In) the 91st anniversary regimental review ... we will recognize the past, present and future of the Chemical Corps and award the winners of this year's Siebert award for active duty, National Guard and Army Reserve chemical units," Smith said.

"We want all from Fort Leonard Wood to not only visit the regimental review, but also participate in the tour of the multiple cutting edge CBRN capabilities for our nation," Smith said.

Lopez expounded on the opportunities available for the general Fort Leonard Wood community.

"They can see the latest and greatest the regiment has going," Lopez said. "It's time for us here at (the CBRN regimental) home to show what the Chemical Corps is doing for our Soldiers," Lopez said.

"We'll have a film with vignettes to capture what the corps has been doing both in the regiment and in training," Lopez continued. "It will show what we do at Fort Leonard Wood from initial reception to basic combat training to AIT, and how Soldiers are further developed at the unit and then they come back for ANCOC and BNCOC."

CBRN exhibits open Wednesday, and visitors are welcome to wander through the display tent behind Baker Theater. There are demonstrations of CBRN equipment scheduled from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday.

"Each year, the National Defense Industrial Association sponsors demonstrations as part of the conference," Smith said. "We will see some of the cutting edge capabilities that the CBRN industry is developing for the nation."

Several events during the week reflect on sacrifices of CBRN Soldiers. A memorial dedication is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Terry Facility, and an "Honor our Fallen" sunrise service is scheduled on Thursday, at 6 a.m. June 25.

"We always go back so nobody forgets," Lopez said.

(Carolyn Erickson is a photojournalist with the Fort Leonard Wood GUIDON.)

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