Travis, Guard train together

Published Aug. 15, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Amber Carter
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Fifteen soldiers from the 49th Military Police Brigade of the California Army National Guard Homeland Response Force began a joint service exercise Aug. 11 at Travis Air Force Base.

United Harbor 2014 is an emergency response exercise that begins with the loading of a C-17 Globemaster III at Travis and unloading at Point Mugu, California. Travis Airmen along with Navy personnel and a civilian service team, support the Guardsmen during their exercise. The purpose is to enhance readiness and put their training into practice.

"It's mandated that we be off the ground to anywhere in less than 12 hours," said Army Master Sgt. Jerry Davis 49th MP BDE future operations NCO.

The training exercise starts with loading and unloading mission-critical vehicles and gear and a simulated emergency that involves command and control for search and extraction, Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear and High Yield Explosive Response Force Team assistance and support, decontamination, medical triage and Homeland Response Force logistics.

"Our unit responds as an advance party," said Army Sgt. Rollie Baclagan, 49th MP BDE communications specialist. "Our role is to prepare for homeland response to arrive."

The simulated emergency is not disclosed to the Soldiers until they are in place at the exercise location.

"It's set up like a small city complete with overturned cars and buildings at different levels of destruction," said Army 1st Lt. Christopher Price, 49th MP BDE tactical command post officer in charge. "It helps our Soldiers train so when they get in that situation they are prepared and get to practice all of their skills."

The simulated disaster for United Harbor 2014 is an earthquake. The simulated destruction caused multiple contaminates and required the California National Guard's 9th Civil Support Team and the CERFP team to work together to decontaminate the civilian role players.

"The key mission of the National Guard is to provide civil support in emergencies and disasters," Davis said. "Making sure that we improve upon the capability to support the civilian incident command system is critical to mission readiness."

Joint-service exercises give military branches the chance to work together toward the same goal. The guardsmen, with the help of the 60th Aerial Port Squadron at Travis, loaded a C-17 with two Humvees, two trailers with gear and an expandable mobile command post vehicle.

"I think we're lucky that we have an Air Force base next to us," Price said. "These training exercises are great opportunities to get out and train with different groups and units."

The California National Guard unit in Fairfield has worked symbiotically with Travis since 2011 providing Airmen with driver training and licensing.

"We couldn't do it without their help," Davis said. "Over the last three years, building a relationship with Team Travis has been invaluable for us in enhancing readiness."