74D CBRN questions?

I reclassed to 74D when I was an E5(P), right after graduation, I was promoted. I went to an S-3 shop as the BNCBRN NCO. I had to collect the status of the Company CBRN rooms and send them to Brigade. I had to inspect each CBRN room twice a year, the Brigade would inspect me and each Company once a year. Get ready for A LOT of paper work. Know your way around “JACKS”, this will be your best friend. I don’t know if they do SGT’s time anymore, but I would ask the CSM if I could do MOS training with not just with my CBRN NCO’s but with other BN as well.

Like SGT Wellman said don’t take it lightly, Rad and HazMat is a butt kicker.

I was also an instructor, who taught HazMat, I can help out in any way.

As a 74D, I do my job every line company has a 74D. It's a shame that some units don't utilize their chemical guys.

Usually, 74D In an E6 are at the Battalion level, not in line companies or some headquarters level.

As an E6, you will need to complete HazMat Ops and HazMat Tech in ALC along with Radiation. It's not an easy test;t however, I believe it can be done. I have completed HazMat Tech. It's a hands-on, along with a written test.

My advice is if you decide to reclass you need to study don't take the tests lightly you will fail it we had a 50% failure rate just for Haz Ops, and Tech is just the same.

Happy to help if you have more specific questions

Let's look at MTOE first. (This is for non-CBRN(E) units.) There is typically an SSG at the BN level. That position has "CBRN Oversight" of the line unit CBRN specialists. These are usually a mixture of-10 and -20 level. BDE will have 1-2 -40 level (sometimes -30) and a couple of CBRN officers (O1-O3 usually).

Typically, a BN element will have a CBRN teams: A decontamination team, detection team and a recon team. Often this is trained and maintained by the CBRN Specialist at the HHC/HSC unit, with team member assignments filled as additional duty slots by Soldiers pulled from the other line companies. Obviously units that are physically separated, like detachments, or reserve units that are spread out across a region will have a different situation. As the BN CBRN NCO, you will oversee this training, as well as team proficiency training.

You will also be responsible for making sure that the line unit CBRN NCO's maintain proficiency in their MOS as well as help coordinate professional development by preparing them for the next level of professional education. This means practicing CBRN hazard prediction and plotting, map reading, and use of assigned CBRN equipment.

The Line unit Chem Soldiers will have CBRN cages with equipment and sometimes masks (some units issue them like TA-50...which I discourage...but that is another topic). The maintenance of these rooms and equipment are inspectable. Often done by the BDE, it falls on you to make sure that your BN CBRN elements are prepared.

You may be part of the -3 shop or sometimes -2 shop because the operational aspect of the MOS fall into both lanes. Expect to be an integral part of the BN TOC. This is where you will mostly live during exercises, tracking CBRN activities and reports from line units as well as higher units.

It is often said that we don't get to do our MOS. We have collectively let it be taken away from us. CBRN training sucks and takes a push to get it done. I suggest you develop a plan to train your CBRN Soldiers on a regular basis and help them establish CBRN AWT within their units. Go to the BN training meeting (or perhaps use open door policy to discuss this first with the CSM/LTC). CBRN injects are required parts of FTX evaluations and if you approach the command team with this in mind and a CONOP, you will likely get better reception. The unit CBRN readiness is only as strong as its CBRN NCOs and their team.