Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 WMD civil support teams train on land, sea, in air By Staff Sgt. Leia Tascarini,
                107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
 PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – National Guard civil support teams from six states are training with local, state and federal agencies this week in Operation Night Hammer. The three-day exercise is conducted in the air and on land and the sea May 22-24 with National Guard CSTs from Florida, New York, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. “This is a massive exercise with multiple WMD-CSTs training with the capabilities that we have,” said South Carolina Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. DeVon McFarland, 43rd WMD-CST emergency manager. “I am truly humbled and honored to be here because this is actually history. The 48th CST set up this entire exercise, and it’s the first time an exercise to this magnitude has been coordinated by a CST. It has been wonderful working with the Florida National Guard.” WMD-CSTs include medical, survey and decontamination sections, an analytical laboratory system, and operational support. Florida’s 48th and other WMD-CST teams are using these capabilities in the exercise to solve scenarios tailored to potential real-world situations. Florida Army National Guard Lt. Col. Mark Bianchi, 48th WMD-CST commander, said the exercise his team put together enables members “to train with our partners across federal, state and local law enforcement” and other Guard teams. CSTs all over the country support civil authorities during potential domestic chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRNE) incidents. ”We’re operational 24/7-365 days a year,” said Bianchi. “Our guys have real-world missions where they’re providing crisis management capabilities by monitoring and detecting for CBRNE threats at special events like the Super Bowl and NASCAR events. We work regionally and nationwide. The team came together really well to put together an exercise of such a large magnitude, and I think that it will set the standard for years to come. “We’ve got people coming from as far as New England to watch this exercise so they can put one on in the future,” he said. “That’s a credit to the team that I have. The reason they’re so good is because they’re operational.”
 SHARE
 PRINT
  Florida National Guard
 South Carolina National Guard
 Georgia National Guard
 Illinois National Guard
 New York National Guard
 North Carolina National Guard
 WMD-CST
 
 Kentucky, Tennessee Win Regional Best Warrior Competition
 By Milt Spalding,
  105th Airmen Support Security Forces Training at Red Flag
 By 1st Lt. Briana Ross,
  Florida Guard’s 202nd RED HORSE Hosts Contingency Exercise
 By Senior Airman Brooke Keisler,
  More
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise5/3/2024Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar5/2/2024Massachusetts Air Guard Airmen Test New Air Combat Tactics5/2/2024 View more Guard News »
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School5/3/2024
New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa4/30/2024
Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership5/3/2024

Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program5/3/2024

Enduring Partners 2024 Begins with Thai-US Airmen Exchange5/2/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil