1st Regiment 'Valencia' Opens the ‘Tap’ to NBC Defence

Marking a contaminated area (Photo:1st NBC Regiment)

The exercise has been undertaken on Chinchilla National Training Centre (Photo:1st NBC Regiment)

Training in the defence against nuclear, biological and chemical agents as part of combat support is the main aim of exercise 'Grifo' –the most important of this type that the Army undertakes-, which for its 2011 exercise has had the scenario of the ‘Chinchilla’ National Training Centre (Albacete) and has had the participation of nearly 500 service personnel.

Organised by 1st NBC Regiment 'Valencia', from 7th to 13th November, it has served to train its 1st Battalion, but also the Land Force Brigade NBC companies, which have provided support in the reconnaissance and decontamination missions, in taking samples and in tasks of improvised explosive device deactivation carried out by the 12th Engineering Specialties and Pontoneer Regiment Explosive Ordnance team.

The incidences, set in an area of operations with strong insurgent activity and growing NBC threat, included biological agents, vehicles with ‘dirty’ bombs and explosive devices with toxic substances.

Medical Report

Also participating in the exercise were members of the Medical Brigade –especially from the 3rd Medical Group-, who deployed a ROLE 2 type medical formation, a casualty decontamination station, an advanced surgery post and an evacuation platoon.

Among them, there were about ten volunteer reservist doctors and nurses, who were activated especially for this activity. In turn, the Red Cross was present with an advanced medical post.