Army Chemical Review

SUMMER 2013

Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.

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By Sergeant First Class Shawn T. Watterson and Mr. Charles Klaus T his article provides the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) community with an update on CBRN information systems that are available to the warfghter and describes the proper employment of the Joint Warning and Reporting Network (JWARN) and the Joint Effects Model (JEM). The JWARN and JEM, which reside on mission command host systems or network tacticalthrough strategic-level servers, provide full-spectrum CBRN situational awareness for commanders and staffs. System Descriptions, Deployment Status, and Operational Use The JWARN and JEM are two separate and distinct Department of Defense (DOD)-accredited software applications that provide critical technology for CBRN warning, reporting, modeling, and simulation. These software programs can be used independently or as a single, integrated capability to provide greater situational awareness for commanders and staffs. JWARN The JWARN, which meets the standards outlined in Allied Tactical Publication (ATP)-45, Warning and Reporting and Hazard Prediction of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Incidents (Operator's Manual),1 provides a comprehensive analysis and response capability that helps minimize the effects of CBRN and toxic industrial material hazards. The program integrates weather, terrain, and other key information and provides CBRN staff with an automated system for analyzing, evaluating, and predicting CBRN/toxic industrial material hazards for the development of contingency and operation plans. JWARN correlates sensor alert information and observation reports to provide warnings to affected units and to supply data to the common operational picture. The JWARN is also capable of archiving data for future use. A JWARN full-deployment decision was made for the Global Command and Control System–Army, the Global Command and Control System–Joint, the Command and Control Personal Computer, and the Joint Tactical Common Operating Picture Workstation in 2010. The JWARN is currently under development as a Web application for the Joint Project Manager Information Systems; it is expected to receive a full-deployment decision and to be deployed to the feld in late fscal year 2014. Summer 2013 JEM JEM is a modeling and simulation Web application program that provides the warfghter with the most mature technology available to address a wide spectrum of potential CBRN and toxic industrial material threats. The best science and technology models available from legacy programs such as the Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC); a downwind distance atmospheric dispersion model (D2PUFF); and Vapor, Liquid, and Solid Tracking (VLSTRACK) have been incorporated into JEM. JEM can be used in stand-alone mode as an analytical tool for planning and training purposes or as an integrated capability on mission command systems so that CBRN staffs can contribute to the common operational picture (see Figure 1, page 38). JEM is capable of modeling CBRN hazards for the following operations: active and passive defense, counterforce, urban environment, building interior elimination, incident, high-altitude release, accident, and human performance degradation. JEM full-deployment decisions were made for the standalone version of the program in 2008 and for the Global Command and Control System–Army, the Global Command and Control System–Joint, the Command and Control Personal Computer, and the Joint Tactical Common Operating Picture Workstation in 2010. New JEM capabilities (civilian population, estimated source location, human effects, infectious and contagious disease) are currently undergoing improvements and integration into Joint Program Manager Information Systems; JEM is expected to receive a full-deployment decision and to be deployed to the feld in late fscal year 2015. All branches of the armed forces—primarily CBRN staffs—use JWARN and JEM. When used as an integrated CBRN warning and reporting entity, JWARN and JEM provide operational commanders with a comprehensive analysis, response, and predictive modeling capability to mitigate the effects of CBRN/toxic industrial material hazards. Integrated JWARN/JEM entities are felded at the battalion level and above—and to some specifed teams (civil support teams, special forces teams) to provide CBRN staffs with an automated CBRN warning and reporting system. This allows CBRN reports to be processed and disseminated with greater speed and accuracy. 37

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