May 24, 2013
SOUTH POTOMAC PILOT NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUTH POTOMAC DEFENSE COMMUNITY
CBIRF says goodbye to Col. Ahern By Andrew Revelos Staff Writer
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The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) welcomed a new leader and said goodbye to Col. Peter Ahern, who led the unit through a very active three years, at a change of command ceremony May 21 at Naval Support Facility Indian Head. Major Gen. Raymond Fox, commanding general of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, attended the ceremony and praised Ahern, who received the Legion of Merit for his “extraordinary” leadership. CBIRF is charged with responding to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) events in support of federal, state and local authorities, as well as combat commanders. Under Ahern’s leadership, CBIRF conducted its firstever overseas contingency response when it participated in Operation Tomadachi. That operation supported relief efforts in devastated regions
of Japan in the wake of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. CBIRF is unique among Marine Corps units in that its primary mission is lifesaving. CBIRF also supported several other high-profile operations under Ahern’s command, including three State of the Union Addresses, two national security nuclear summits, the 2010 Winter Olympics, a joint session of Congress and a 2012 NATO summit. To accomplish their unique mission, the Marines of CBIRF depend on advanced training and technologies. The unpredictable nature of evolving security threats and the specialized responses they necessitate makes CBIRF a challenging tour for junior Marines and leaders alike. Lt. Cmdr. Marc McDowell, CBIRF chaplain, summarized the most important quality for CBIRF Marines and Sailors during his invocation: to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. “CBIRF is a unique unit,”
US Navy photo by Andrew Revelos
Col. Peter Ahern salutes during the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force change of command ceremony May 21 at Naval Support Facility Indian Head. Ahern led CBIRF for three years and through several high-profile operations; he will serve as the director of the Strategic Initiative Group for his next assignment. said Fox. “The capability and the pride the Marine Corps has in this unit is, I think, proven. We are glad to contribute to the larger good in this very challenging, niche part of warfare. Pete Ahern and [his wife] Michel have done a wonderful job here and I can’t thank them enough.”
Col. Stephen Redifer assumed command of CBIRF after his tour as the deputy director of the Budget and Execution Division, Programs and Resources Department, Headquarters Marine Corps. “Colonel Redifer’s bio is really interesting and it shows a lot of diversity. a lot of independent duty,” said
Fox, addressing the audience and Redifer. “And that’s what this job needs. This is not the place for someone who needs to be regimented; this is a [unique] place; there is only one. You’re an out-of-the-box thinker and you’re not a conformist and that’s what we need here.” Fox also praised the Marines of CBIRF for their own exceptional service. “To all the Marines of CBIRF, keep up the great work,” he said. “You’ve got a great reputation. I thank you for everything you’re doing.” Ahern thanked a long list of people for helping make his tour with CBIRF a successful one. “I’ve been very blessed to be the commander for 35 months,” he said. “I’ve also been very blessed to have wonderful people in my life. I’ve been very blessed to be able to lead an organization as unique and as capable as CBIRF.” First and foremost, Ahern thanked his wife, Michel, and
See CBIRF, Page 6
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NSASP Firefighters complete annual training exercises By Andrew Revelos Staff Writer Firefighters assigned to Naval Support Facilities (NSFs) Dahlgren and Indian Head conducted annual training April 22- May 2 designed to keep up their proficiencies and instill the teamwork they depend on to do the job. The first series of exercises were confined space drills that allowed the first responders a chance to practice their craft in close quarters; the second series of drills were live-fire exercises that approximated an aircraft fire. “All members of the department are required to perform Confined Space training - including entering a permit required space - as well as enter a live fire scenario once a year,” said Jerry Schenemann, battalion chief at Dahlgren. “The main purpose is staying proficient with the equipment and techniques.” For the confined-space
U.S. Navy photo by Andrew Revelos
Firefighters advance on a fire May 2 during training at NSF Dahlgren. First, they addressed fire on the MAFTD wing and engine; then they advanced to the interior of the trainer.
drills, the firefighters took turns raising and lowering rescuers and “victims,” roleplayed by other firefighters, down a rather claustrophobic utility access hole. Firefighters used a mixture of time-proven methods and improvisation to accomplish the mission. Ropes, harnesses, rescue baskets, a tripod and a fire truck were all incorporated in the drills. The centerpiece of the live-fire training was the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD), operated by firefighters from Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River. The large device mimicked many features found on real aircrafta cockpit, hatches, enginesalong with a series of large burners that produced fireballs on the interior and exterior of the trainer. NAS Patuxent River firefighters observed the training from a specially-outfitted truck, from which they could in-
See Fire, Page 6
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