Naval Weapons Station Yorktown-Cheatham Annex Hosts Collective Protection Exercise

YORKTOWN, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors from various medical and Seabee commands participated in the Navy's first Collective Protection Exercise at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown-Cheatham Annex, May 14.

An Expeditionary Medical Facility Assist Team (EMFAT) from Navy Expeditionary Medical Support Command (NEMSCOM), along with Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202 (CBMU 202) stationed at Cheatham Annex partnered with Sailors and civilians from the Naval Expeditionary Medical Training Institute (NEMTI) and Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Great Lakes, Ill., for this exercise.

In the event that expeditionary units are attacked or are forced to occupy an environment contaminated by a chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) attack, a collective protection system provides both life-sustaining and continued, regular operational capabilities. This initial exercise shows over a 72-hour period how environmentally-controlled and contaminant-free surroundings give an EMF the ability to provide continued medical treatment.

"This exercise gives us the opportunity to not only show that we can work in a collectively protected environment, but also that the training we provide out there to the hospital personnel is adequate in setting up the facility," said Capt. Marty McCue, NEMSCOM officer in charge. "It allows them to shut down, pressurize the facility and operate in that environment for up to 72 hours."

Validating the Navy's ability to operate in an area compromised by a CBR agent is the main priority of this exercise. The EMFAT and CBMU 202 teams were given 10 days to erect a fully operational collective protection system. After the first three days, the system was capable of receiving patients. On day seven, medical personnel had surgical capabilities, and by the end of the 10th day, the system was completely sealed from contamination, pressurized and operational.

The 72-hour medical training period, for the first time, offers Navy expeditionary hospital personnel the chance to conduct a full-range of possible scenarios they may encounter while forward deployed.

While staying inside the collective protection system for the duration of the multi-day exercise, medical officers and hospital corpsmen have the opportunity to simulate performing x-rays, treating injuries service members may sustain in a combat environment on interactive training mannequins, and even performing surgical procedures, all while remaining completely safe from CBR agents.

"This exercise is the culmination of years of work on the part of subject matter experts, most of which are retired chiefs, senior chiefs, and master chiefs in the Seabee and corpsman communities," said Lt. Raul Cuevas, EMFAT officer in charge. "This system allows us to maintain an expeditionary medical facility close to the front lines, where Sailors will need it the most."

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