CONTACT: Eric Durr, (518)-786-4582 or (cell) (518)429-5186

FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Oct 19, 2008

ON SITE: Staff Sgt. Dennis Gravelle (518)225-6637

WHO:

Approximately 350 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, and the New York Guard, a volunteer state defense force, will take part in the training. The Soldiers come from the 102nd Military Police Battalion, headquartered in Auburn; and the 152nd Engineer Company, based in Buffalo. Air National Guard medical personal who are part of the team come from Air National Guard Bases in Niagara Falls, Syracuse, Schenectady, Newburgh, and Long island.

WHAT:

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA (10/19/2008)-- Soldiers and Airmenr belonging to New York Army and Air National Guard units based in Auburn, Buffalo, Syracuse and Niagara Falls will train to respond to chemical, radiological, biological,nuclear and high-yield explosive attacks October 19-24 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Members of the media are invited to observe the training and interview Soldiers and Airmen on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Opportunity for the media to observe training for the New York National Guard CERFP, a joint force specializing in extracting victims from destroyed buildings, decontaminating them, and providing medical treatment in support of civilian first respondes. CERFP is a military acryonm for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive of (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package.

WHEN:

The team will be training October 19-23 in preparation for a validation exercise on October 24. Members of the media are invited to visit the training on October 22.

WHERE:

Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Located near the intersections of I-81 and I-79 near Harrisburg, PA

New York is one of 17 states which maintain a National Guard CERFP. The responsbility for providing command and control and decontamination personnel for the New York CERFP has been held by the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry. That responsbility is being shifted to the 102nd Military Police Battalion and the week-long training exercise marks the compleition of that process. CERFP: The New York National Guard CERFP provides immediate response capability to the governor for incident site search capability of damaged buildings, rescuing trapped casualties, providing decontamination, and performing medical triage and initial treatment to stabilize patients for transport to medical facilities all in direct support of civilian emergency responders. The CERFP is comprised of four elements staffed by personnel from already established National Guard units. These elements include: search and extraction, decontamination, medical, and command and control. The command and control team directs the overall activities of the CERFP, and coordinates with the N.Y. National Guard supporting Joint Task Force and the local incident commander. The search and extraction element is assigned to an Army National Guard Engineer Company, the decontamination element is assigned to an Army National Guard and New York Guard force, and the medical element is assigned to an Air National Guard Medical Group. This week's training evaluation, conducted by First U.S. Army certifies the CERFP task force for operations in support of known or suspected Chemical, Biological, Radiological or High Explosive incidents. The training and validation marks the transition of this domestic response mission from the Soldiers of the 102nd Military Police Battalion. The unit will oversee the command and control of the response force and provide troops for the decontamination element. The mission had previously gone to the Soldiers of the 2-108th Infantry who completed their certification in June of 2007. FORT INDIANTOWN GAP: Fort Indiantown Gap was first established by the state in 1931 as the primary training base for the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is also home of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs which oversees both the Army and Air National Guard and the state's programs for serving the needs of Pennsylvania's 1.3 million veterans. Since 1940, most of its more than 19,000 acres have been leased to the federal government for military training purposes. During World War II, seven Army divisions trained at the Gap enroute to overseas service. Its mission further expanded in recent years to include all active and reserve components, as well as selected civilian customers. In October 1998, following BRAC Commission recommendations, the U.S. Army garrison at the Gap closed and responsibility for day-to-day management of the post was transferred to the Pennsylvania National Guard. For additional information, or to arrange a media visit, contact the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Officee at 518-786-4581. New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, will be the on-site contact and escort for members of the press. He can be contacted at 518-225-6637.