World Tribune.com: Threat of WMD attack dominates Army training

Threat of WMD attack dominates Army training

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Wednesday, February 19, 2003

ABU DHABI Ñ U.S. Army forces are dedicating a large portion of their Gulf training in learning to fight under the threat of a weapons of mass destruction attack.

Officials said army units in Kuwait are learning to advance in combat maneuvers with gear meant to protect against biological, chemical or radiation weapons. The training includes NBC protection units and armored vehicles trailing the soldiers and taking samples of the ground to determine whether they have been attacked by nonconventional weapons.

"We improved overall joint force readiness by our recent procurement of improved chem/bio defensive protective clothing, masks and detection systems," Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week.

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"This equipment is significantly more reliable, better at agent detection and further enhances our forces' overall capability to operate in the chem/bio environment."

The mechanized division has undergone extensive training in fighting under WMD attack. The drills include instructing soldiers on quickly donning protective masks to protect against skin decontamination and treating a soldier believed to have absorbed biological or chemical agents.

"All NBC [nuclear, biological, chemical] training is important because it's a situation we could face at any given time," Sgt. Bryant Reid, a member of the 3rd Infantry Division, said. "It's like an insurance policy to save lives."

The division has established a division tactical operations center to train the soldiers in biological and chemical warfare. The center has also instructed soldiers on the maintenance of NBC equipment, including conducting pressure tests on their protective masks.

"We've been getting feedback from the soldiers that come to the classes, and they say they do get something out of the training," Reid said. "We try to cover all the bases so the soldiers can cover themselves and their buddies at the same time."

Last week, U.S. Central Command concluded a five-day computer-simulated exercise, called Lucky Warrior, which tested coordination between air, ground and naval units during war. Central Command also conducted a huge artillery exercise near the Iraqi border.

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