What should I expect being a CBRN Specialist in a Reserves Civil Affairs unit?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 00:42:03 -0400

I've come across the opportunity to transfer from my Chemical Company to a local Civil Affairs unit that will eliminate the required complicated commute once I begin school. I feel like the posotion will come with more responsibility which is something I'm prepared and hopeful for. However I dont know just what exactly I'd be getting myself into and I'm hoping for someone to shed some light on it and offer advice.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2018 1:10 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 01:10:58 -0400

What civil affairs unit are you going to be with? I can tell you that your experience is going to change drastically, especially coming from a Chemical Unit.

At your level, your job won't be much different than any other non-chemical unit, such as an engineering company, signal unit, or medical unit. You will be in charge of maintaining the unit's fairly limited chemical defense equipment. You can expect to manage the care of pro masks (we just got our M50s last year, so your unit may have those as well), and some basic detection equipment-both rad and chemical. Probably ICAM, ACADA, AN/VDR2.

I imagine that there will be a an officer that has been tasked with being the chemical officer for the unit...typically the XO. I imagine you will assist that officer in providing CBRN guidance to the commander, but your focus will be on the unit's CBRN readiness.

I am trying to imagine what it will be like. I am at the brigade level in a Civil Affairs unit, and I do all those kinds of things for the HHC..even as a SFC. But, I also am involved in mission planning and advising the Brigade Commander on how CBRN events may effect the "civilian landscape".

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2018 7:47 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 07:47:30 -0400

You will be a decontamination specialist in a line CA company.
What is expected of you will vary from place to place, but typically you will be responsible for keeping pro-masks fitted and mission ready, along with the chemical alarms that we have on our MTOE.
A good unit will employ you to conduct training on protection and decontamination procedures for personnel and equipment.
In the real world... I hope you are bored. If a CA unit comes under chemical attack or gets into an NBC environment, there well be significant civil defense considerations that will be frankly more than we could handle without significant support from a Chem Company. Most deployments we have had during the GWOT we have left our Chem SPCs at home in favor of higher priority personnel.

I will say this, as a temporary assignment, it is ok for a while, but only for a while. You will find your skills will athropy from lack of use away from the Chem Corps mothership. If you have designs on making Sergeant, I wouldn't stay in a CA unit for more than two years unless you are willing to reclass to CA Specialist. Otherwise, I would suggest you have a plan to go back to a chemical company down the road a bit. I love CA and have been doing it a long time, but there is only so much we can do with low density MOSs like yours.