FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers with 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, prepare for a mission April 26, 2021, to support Guardian Response exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, by ensuring the equipment is in good condition at Fort Carson. (Photo taken by Sgt. 1st Class Andrae Jones)
By Capt. Jake Valdick
4th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Pfc. Gabriel Corona, aviation operations specialist, with 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, attaches a canister onto a gas mask at Fort Carson April 26, 2021, in preparation to support Guardian Response exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. (Photo taken by Sgt. 1st Class Andrae Jones)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Elements of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, departed Fort Carson Monday to participate in the Guardian Response exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.
Guardian Response is an exercise comprised of multiple units and task forces across the country. Soldiers with 4th CAB will fulfill the role of Task Force Aviation during the exercise, providing the headquarters element to another unit’s ground support aviation battalion.
All DOD units fall under Joint Task Force Civil Support, which means the 4th CAB will continue support of civil authorities integrating the DOD response with other interagency capabilities to achieve unity of effort. In the exercise, Fort Carson Soldiers will be tested not only on aviation mission command, but how well they can operate in a defense support of civil authority (DSCA) mission.
“The nature of the DSCA mission poses a unique challenge, requiring 4th CAB to integrate our capabilities with a host of local, state and federal entities to effectively respond to a homeland crisis,” said Col. Scott A. Myers, commander, 4th CAB. “This Guardian Response exercise serves as step No. 1 in validating our preparedness and capabilities to fulfill this critical responsibility.”
Success at Guardian Response is important because 4th CAB will pick up a mission in 2022: the defense chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear response force (DCRF), where the Soldiers will have to be prepared to save lives, mitigate human suffering and facilitate recovery operations in a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) environment.
“The DCRF mission plays a vital role in our country’s National Defense Strategy; it’s an enormous undertaking,” said Sgt. 1st Class Andrae Jones, CBRN NCO in charge, 4th CAB. “Guardian Response will allow for 4th CAB (Soldiers) to understand their roles and responsibilities, and how to effectively operate in a CBRN environment. I welcome the challenge of getting (Task Force) Aviation ready to support in the event of a major CBRN incident.”
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Pfc. Gabriel Corona, aviation operations specialist with 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, checks equipment for gas masks at Fort Carson April 26, 2021, in preparation to support Guardian Response exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. (Photo taken by Sgt. 1st Class Andrae Jones)
The Soldiers have been preparing for this mission since returning home from their recent U.S. Central Command deployment.
As the brigade supports the DCRF mission, the Soldiers will continue to train, validate and be prepared to support civil authorities.
“No matter whether our mission resides at home or takes us abroad, it’s our job to provide premier aviation support wherever it’s needed,” said Myers. “Clearly, while we’d all strongly prefer (not to receive the call to) respond to a crisis in the United States, (but) if we are, I’m absolutely confident we’ll be ready.”