http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk AUGUST 2019 45“It was absolutely brain-melting, we had loads
of figures and sums thrown at us – we were
shown how to work out protection levels and how
long you can be in certain areas with different
levels of radiation.”
The second package, a four-week cell controller
course, involves working closely with defence
advisers in command centres, gathering data and
predicting the lethality of CBRN attacks to units
on the ground.
“These threats travel downwind so weather and
terrain can affect them greatly,” says student SSgt
Jason Pain (RA, pictured right).
“A unit in potential danger may not know
an incident has occurred so they need to be
warned if a hazard could affect them.
“This course isn’t just about plotting on
a map, it’s about reading the ground, the
contours, where wooded areas or elevationsare, and knowing how certain substances will
behave in these environments.
“Chlorine and mustard gas, for example, are
going to lie low because they are heavier than
air so you would warn the defence advisers that
valleys are to be avoided because they’re going to
hang around in there.”
Another module teaches a range of
decontamination techniques and the fourth one is
a two-week course for training defence advisers –
officers or senior NCOs who assist commanders
on tactical planning and the execution of CBRN
defence measures.
In addition, the centre offers a staggering array
of medical and extremely specialised counter-
CBRN training.
This includes detection and handling of live
biological agents, radioactive materials and the
operation of specialist courier teams.
A technical support group is also based there,
which, on request, provides advice to front-line
commands and can develop bespoke training for
units before they deploy.
“At its most basic level we want all soldiers,
right down to the rank of private, to be confident
about donning their respirators in nine seconds,”
explains Lt Col Normile.
“At its highest we want formation headquarters
to have officers trained by this establishment
embedded within them who can advise
commanders with expert CBRN knowledge.
“We do a lot of work with the US forces and
they have a 20,000-strong Chemical Corps.
“While we’re never going to catch them
up in terms of sheer size, we can with our
standard of training.
“The Army has gripped this
responsibility now and it’s
important we take it forward.”42-46-sol-aug CBRN.indd 4 25/07/2019 17:08