Should every CBRN soldier be HAZMAT Tech qualified in order to be an NCO or Officer?

SSG Carlos Madden — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 10:40:41 -0500

In 2015, going though HAZMAT Awareness, Ops and Tech seem more applicable to the 74D/74A MOS than some of the professional development curriculum requirements at NCOES. Wind vector plots, flash to bang calculations, are all relics from the Cold War. While its possible we'd still need these skills, its much more probable that we'd need our HAZMAT training in the modern battlefield.

Additionally, providing our soldiers with certificates that are recognized by counterparts in the civilian sector gives them greater opportunities when they transition.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2015 10:46 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 10:46:13 -0500

74d alc teaches all the way to hazmat tech, as well as many cbrn classes such dismounted recon and tech escort, as well as mass casualty decon and hazwhopper to get just the basic awareness and ppe courses for hazmat. Do i think it should be a requirement for promotion? No, let those leaders who don't want to stay relevant fall to side and make way for the new generation of go get em leaders!

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Dec 17 at 2015 11:05 AM

SSG Audwin Scott — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 11:05:02 -0500

Only a selected few.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Dec 17 at 2015 12:56 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 12:56:11 -0500

If they can be an Officer or NCO/SNCO without it (It doesn't or is not supported/required for the grade), then no. That sounds more like an Occupational Requirement based on the MOS and is not grade specific (applicable at any grade, officer or enlisted). Maybe that would be the better direction to approach this.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2015 1:05 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 13:05:54 -0500

It makes sense for units that have the potential to react to some event that will require DHS to call upon military CBRN services. This is great on paper, but we are supposed to renew that certification annually, and I have not been able to find a way to do that.

If anyone knows how this can be accomplished, please let me know. I have talked to local firehouses about some sort of refresher training with their hazmat teams, even military/DOD Engines on base. No one is able to assist.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2015 1:09 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 13:09:49 -0500

National Guard states with CERFP or HRF require all of their Decon troops to be MasDecon, HazMat Ops level regardless if 74D MOSQ. I think that the current system of requiring HAZTECH ascpart of ALC makes sense.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2015 4:31 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 16:31:25 -0500

Yes. To be an NCO or Officer it should be absolutely required. Why not make it a skill level task (or even PME) associated with the position. Notice I said position and not MOS. A CBRNE NCO who solely completes tasks within a non-CBRNE unit might not require additional training. Those serving in technical escort or bids or other CBRNE specific units should strive to send their Soldiers to what is/should be considered a PME course for their field. *Note I've been out of that specific field for a while and if it is not considered PME it really should be.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2015 11:17 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 11:17:14 -0500

Yes. A Hazmat skill identifier should be part of the promotion process. This is critical when a CBRN Soldier promotes out of a non-74D line unit into a BN/BDE staff position, or into a Chemical Company.

It is important that CBRN Soldier understands a wider concept of the operations.

Specifically, in an asymmetric environment, the ability to identify and understand what protective equipment is available, and how that equipment is going to degrade the unit's ability to move, shoot, and communicate.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2015 1:01 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 01:01:21 -0500

Hazmat Ops, Tech 1 and Tech 2 used to be taught at ALC and Incident Commander was taught at SLC when I went through. I went through SLC in 2014, didn't know they changed it

Response by SGT James Hughes made Jul 19 at 2016 6:10 AM

SGT James Hughes — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 06:10:10 -0400

yes

Response by SPC Miles Blackman made Nov 24 at 2016 1:50 PM

SPC Miles Blackman — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:50:47 -0500

I was a volunteer firefighter for 20 years after I got out and your NBC skills are relevant in a hazmat incident. If you can get your awareness, operations, and technicians certification get it. If possible get Firefighter I and I I it will help you to understand how firefighters think and work as well as what equipment they have to work with. I think your MOPP gear may be cheaper and better than the Chem suits that we had to use and we had to throw them away after one use. When a Chem suit can cost up to 1000 dollars per unit not including the SCBA which may be warn inside or outside of the suit depending on the type of suit, needless to say it can get very expensive for the department.

Response by SSG Rev,Dr,Tony Taylor,DD made Jan 6 at 2018 3:11 PM

SSG Rev,Dr,Tony Taylor,DD — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 15:11:26 -0500

I myself agree yes every CBRN Soldiers should be trained and certified in hazmat training to be NCO or officer they will be better trained and understand what they are Do as better leaders

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jan 6 at 2018 3:56 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 15:56:59 -0500

Unless the Army is ready to go that route, spend the money, send people to the correct training to bring the trainers in, no I do not support this concept. For the Guard and Reserve people how do you propose to get them qualified, trained, and recertified annually? How do you maintain the SCBA devices, refill them, keep on the process for that. Among my many duties as a Hospital Emergency Manager I run a hospital decon program and it is nightmare trying to that along with other duties on the civilian side with PAPR's and Level C PPE.

Add in the logistics of getting you there, mastery of detection equipment, and what is your purpose of being? To sit around and wait for a real world event? Respond to Civilian emergencies (Civil Support Teams do that already under the National Guard, but have to be called up first).

Be careful what you ask for, looking at this image, the first questions I ask are two different colored Level A suits, no chem tape anywhere, no exterior detection devices, and you are escorting an ambulatory patient . Any reason why you didn't get on a bull horn and ask them to come your way? The time you can spend in that outfit is limited, why waste it escorting someone who can walk there? Notice also the lack of reinforcement tape at the wrists.

Now those were the simple questions, what is it going to take to get you deployed? Under Title 10 Posse Comitatus comes into play, tell me what you bring to the table that a modern fire fighter/hazmat tech with real world experience with real incident experience doesn't have? How do you integrate into the Incident Command System, what Fearless leader is going to tell the local Incident Commander you are releaving them of their incident command duties? At best you will be used for body retrieval, mass causality/mass fatality procedures. Why do you ask, you can't get their faster than they can.

So now the question is, are you worth the time, expense, manpower for a mission that you cannot fill?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2018 9:04 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 09:04:36 -0400

I think from a life after the Army stand it is a good certification tool that would open up more doors for jobs