Fort Bliss Monitor

Bliss gets gassed

Pvt. Jessika Greendeer
11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

NBC personnel carefully load training canisters of chemical agent into mortar like launchers.

Nuclear Biological Chemical personnel conducted a Simulator Projectile Airburst Liquid Chemical Agent training at Tobin Wells recently.

The training was the first time the NBC teams have trained with the chemical at Fort Bliss. NBC personnel of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Headquarters mutually readied the projectiles and training site with NBC personnel from the 31st ADA.

The purpose of the training is to allow Soldiers the ability to detect and decontaminate themselves and their equipment.

“The projectiles are used as a training device,” said Capt. Veronica Chinn, 11th Bde. chemicals officer. “The physical effects are null, however the chemical agent is detectable on clothing and is used as a visual training aide. The chemical agent releases from the canister after detonation so everything in an area becomes contaminated.”

The contamination can be detected using tools such as M8 detector paper. M8 detector paper is used to detect evidence of chemical warfare, by wiping an unnatural liquid or chemical on the paper it will detect nerve or blister agents by changing color.

The teams were briefed on the component throughout the morning and then successfully detonated two of the projectiles for the instructional portion of the training.

Briefing the team was Staff Sgt. Gerald Eidson, the NBC noncommissioned officer in charge, 1st Battalion, 1st ADA.

“I have worked with this system once before and it fires similar to a mortar,” said Eidson. “You have to make sure that you ground yourself before setting it up because it has been known to detonate in their hands. It is necessary to take all of the proper precautions.”

Eidson ensured all of the Soldiers wore the proper equipment while training and explained all of the features on the projectile.

“The projectile can launch into the air about 25 to 50 feet high,” said Eidson. “With the wind here, it might get up to about 35 feet, but that is about the average range.”

They also disposed of CS canisters, more commonly known as tear gas.

The personnel then prepared the site for the afternoon demonstration, where they simultaneously launched five of the projectiles.

The team detonated the projectiles from about 75 feet up range and linked them together to simultaneously detonate.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	April 14, 2005

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Bliss gets gassed Pvt. Jessika Greendeer 11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs NBC personnel carefully load training canisters of chemical agent into mortar like launchers. Nuclear Biological Chemical personnel conducted a Simulator Projectile Airburst Liquid Chemical Agent training at Tobin Wells recently. The training was the first time the NBC teams have trained with the chemical at Fort Bliss. NBC personnel of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Headquarters mutually readied the projectiles and training site with NBC personnel from the 31st ADA. The purpose of the training is to allow Soldiers the ability to detect and decontaminate themselves and their equipment. “The projectiles are used as a training device,” said Capt. Veronica Chinn, 11th Bde. chemicals officer. “The physical effects are null, however the chemical agent is detectable on clothing and is used as a visual training aide. The chemical agent releases from the canister after detonation so everything in an area becomes contaminated.” The contamination can be detected using tools such as M8 detector paper. M8 detector paper is used to detect evidence of chemical warfare, by wiping an unnatural liquid or chemical on the paper it will detect nerve or blister agents by changing color. The teams were briefed on the component throughout the morning and then successfully detonated two of the projectiles for the instructional portion of the training. Briefing the team was Staff Sgt. Gerald Eidson, the NBC noncommissioned officer in charge, 1st Battalion, 1st ADA. “I have worked with this system once before and it fires similar to a mortar,” said Eidson. “You have to make sure that you ground yourself before setting it up because it has been known to detonate in their hands. It is necessary to take all of the proper precautions.” Eidson ensured all of the Soldiers wore the proper equipment while training and explained all of the features on the projectile. “The projectile can launch into the air about 25 to 50 feet high,” said Eidson. “With the wind here, it might get up to about 35 feet, but that is about the average range.” They also disposed of CS canisters, more commonly known as tear gas. The personnel then prepared the site for the afternoon demonstration, where they simultaneously launched five of the projectiles. The team detonated the projectiles from about 75 feet up range and linked them together to simultaneously detonate.