National Guard Civil Support Teams Help Kick off

  • Published
  • By Spc. Frank O'Brien
  • 29th Infantry Division, Virginia National Guard
CAMP DENALI, Alaska --  Soldiers and Airmen from the 103rd Civil Support Team of the Alaska National Guard and the 101st Civil Support Team of the Idaho National Guard assisted local police and fire officers of Cordova, Alaska, in a homeland defense training simulation that kicked off the Alaska Shield/Northern Edge training exercise Monday, May 7.

Using a Colorado Air National Guard airplane as a prop, Cordova police officers and firemen along with Alaska State Troopers swarmed over the Cordova airport to apprehend suspected drug smugglers played by other members of the Alaska and Idaho National Guards. Upon discovery of a suspicious package, Ron Bishop, City of Cordova police chief, called in the National Guard.

The Civil Support Team mission is to assess hazards, advise civil authorities, and facilitate military support during emergencies and incidents of suspected weapons of mass destruction. In addition, the CST advises civilian responders on appropriate actions through on-site testing and expert consultation which was at the heart of today's training.

Army Spc. Lucas Revaul and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Aaron Decker of the 101st CST recon/survey team were flown in by two Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to inspect the suspected radiological device in the scenario.

Alaska Shield/Northern Edge is a joint training exercise designed to test military and civilian responses and coordination capabilities should multiple terrorist attacks occur throughout the state of Alaska.

The National Guard is the first military responder in all domestic emergencies. It has an extensive history of supporting civilian authorities and protecting the communities of our country.

The National Guard is prepared with highly-trained professionals and state-of-the-art equipment to respond and support incident commanders in any crisis. Exercises like this provide an excellent opportunity for civilian and other government agencies to train with the National Guard to review processes and techniques and build relationships. It is part of an on-going cycle of training that prepares people to face the myriad of challenges of the post Sept. 11 world.