Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.
Issue link: https://chemical.epubxp.com/i/68692
accomplishment.7
For this reason, the brigade legal team is an
essential element of Task Force Operations. The legal team is incorporated into the planning process to ensure the legality of all missions. The team also relays legal knowledge and advice to all leaders within the brigade. If the law is broken and the bri- gade is unable to conduct further operations, lives could be lost.
A CBRNE incident could result in thousands of casualties.
In addition, there could be people who are not physically sick but believe that they are, as well as those who are "worried sick." The MEB brigade surgeon and medical team is avail- able to help plan, coordinate, and synchronize the medical op- erational response requirements with Task Force Medical. To save the maximum number of lives, Task Force Operations and Task Force Medical must work together. The brigade surgeon and medical team provides the necessary link.
The airspace management cell is yet another reason that
the MEB is the ideal organization for Task Force Operations. Large numbers of personnel and supplies must be moved throughout an area during a CBRNE response. When road net- works are damaged, air may become the only means by which isolated individuals can receive supplies or medical treatment; therefore, airspace is crucial. The airspace management cell is the essential link that synchronizes Task Force Aviation and Task Force Operations air operations.
A CBRNE incident could demolish buildings and devas-
tate the infrastructure. This would require a huge amount of HQJLQHHU VXSSRUW $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH RI¿FH LQ FKDUJH RI WKH WK MEB Engineer Cell, an MEB possesses all possible aspects of engineering within its organization. It encompasses the areas of bridging, debris removal, construction, asphalt, con- FUHWH SOXPELQJ HOHFWULFDO VXUYH\ DQG GHVLJQ DQG ¿UH¿JKWLQJ While the number of MEB personnel is limited relative to a true engineer brigade, the military occupational specialty abili- ties of the MEB exceed those of an engineer brigade.
The civilian communication system will probably be over-
loaded during a CBRNE response, with thousands of people attempting to call friends and family to request help or to no- tify them of their status. And many civilian agencies also rely on the communication system, adding to the strain on the sys- tem. The communication infrastructure itself could be dam- aged—especially if the incident were to involve a nuclear bomb with an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The signal com- pany assigned to the MEB can provide the necessary commu- nication for all Task Force Operations units.
A CBRNE attack on the Homeland would create more ter-
ror and confusion among Americans than any other type of attack, which is why terrorists continue to acquire and attempt to use weapons of mass destruction. And the CBRNE threat will remain as long as individuals and organizations that are willing to use terrorism as a means of achieving political goals are in existence. The United States must remain vigilant in protecting the Homeland and must stand ready to provide a swift, synchronized response to any CBRNE attack. The MEB
Summer 2012 33
is the military unit best-suited to assist civilian authorities in responding to a CBRNE attack. Due to the robust, specialized MEB staff and the ability of the MEB to command and con- trol any number of CBRN, engineer, and military police units, DOD should continue to assign the Task Force Operations mission to the MEB.
Endnotes: 1
"National Strategy for Homeland Security," Homeland Se-
curity Council, October 2007. 2
8 6 *RYHUQPHQW $FFRXQWDELOLW\ 2I¿FH *$2
Planning, Resourcing, and Training Issues Challenge DOD's Response to Domestic Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive Incidents, 7 October 2009.
"Title 10" refers to U.S. Code (USC), Title 10, Armed
Forces, which governs forces under the control of the federal government.
"Statement of General Victor E. Renuart, Jr., USAF Com-
mander, United States Northern Command Before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats and Capabilities," 28 July 2009,"