181st LRF Operations Compliance conducts CBRNE rodeo

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Dianne Pirog
  • 181st Intelligence Wing

HULMAN FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. (March 7, 2021) - Members of the 181st Intelligence Wing participated in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) training exercise while donning appropriate Mission Orientated Protective Posture (MOPP) gear at Hulman Field Air National Guard Base, Indiana, March 6, 2021.

The day started with formal instruction on the different MOPP levels. Then, Airmen were split into different elements and had to conduct various tasks throughout the day such as operating a forklift, inflating car tires, and loading a vehicle on a flatbed truck all while dressed in MOPP 4 – the highest and most physically challenging MOPP level.

The last event of the day was a fun, friendly, timed competition between element leaders to see who could don their MOPP gear correctly. Enforcing requirements with a little bit of fun helped the participants remember what they were taught from the formal instruction earlier in the day.

“To practice for if we do have a chem[ical] attack, this is a fun way to do it,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bonnie Barnhill. “Leading one of the elements helped me remember the MOPP levels more since I was the one teaching others.”

The events for the day were put together by the 181st Logistics Readiness Flight’s Operations Compliance element to ensure the 181st IW’s overall compliance with mission readiness requirements.

“It’s been a long time since the wing has done a CBRNE rodeo, so we wanted to make sure we were all prepared in a contested environment,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Rebecca West. “A big shout out to Operations Compliance for putting this whole event together.”

The 181st LRF intends to continue with similar training exercises in the future to help keep the 181st IW ready to act at a moment’s notice.