W.Va. Guard’s 35th Civil Support Team completes Training Proficiency Evaluation

The West Virginia National Guard’s 35^th Civil Support Team (CST) recently completed an extensive National Guard Bureau Training Proficiency Evaluation (TPE), passing with flying colors.

The TPE, conducted by evaluators from United States Army North (ARNORTH), focused on how the 35^th CST executed basic Mission Essential Task List (METL) functions during mock drills, while also looking at the overall leadership, organization, and functionality of the unit across a wide-spectrum of managerial, logistical, and operational activities.

Consisting of more than 20 full-time Army and Air National Guard members, the 35^th CST (Weapons of Mass Destruction), located in St. Albans, West Virginia, supports civil authorities at domestic Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear or Explosive incidents. The team is trained how to identify unknown agents or substances during an incident or accident, how to assess consequences to public safety, advise local responders and officials on proper response measures, and to assist additional state-level and federal response assets. The CST is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the Governor for rapid deployment throughout West Virginia via either ground or airborne transportation.

The mock drills during the TPE established that the CST was well versed and performed exemplarily with deployment and redeployment procedures, conduct of proper site assessments, establishment of advanced communications systems for command and control efforts, rapid establishment of decontamination lanes, overall site safety, detailed medical operations and monitoring, and proper integration of CST personnel into existing civilian-led site Incident Command System (ICS) operations.

“NGB requires each CST unit to be fully evaluated every 18-months,” stated Lt. Col. Jerry “Chip” Floyd, 35^th CST Commander. “Our members trained exceptionally hard over the past few months to prepare for the evaluation, and their efforts were rewarded by high scores across the board. Our evaluators complimented our performance, and especially the enthusiasm with which we maintained during the evaluation.”

“We welcome this type of in-depth and extensive evaluation not only because it gives us confidence in and verifies what we are doing right, but also identifies areas we can improve that will allow us to keep our fellow West Virginians safe and secure,” he added.

Each year the 35^th CST completes various missions supporting high-visibility events throughout West Virginia including Bridge Day, Boy Scout Jamborees, and West Virginia University home football games, while providing rapid deployment support to first responder and public safety agencies around the Mountain State.