OH Air Guard participates during Vibrant Response 2014

by Master Sgt. Ralph Branson
121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

7/31/2014 - RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ohio -- Members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing here participated in joint exercise Vibrant Response at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, July 21 through July 25.

Vibrant Response is a major homeland emergency response exercise conducted by U.S. Northern Command that involves about 5,500 military and civilian personnel from 28 states and territories.

The exercise included participants from the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and numerous other local, state, and federal agencies. This training event simulates the response to a terrorist attack in the United States.

Airmen from the 121st Medical Group participated as part of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Enhanced Response Force Packages team and the Homeland Response Force. The CERF-P team provides medical support in the form of triage, basic, and critical care to patients as part of the Search and Extraction team.

Air Force Major Steven Kapetansky, a medical doctor assigned to the CERF-P team, described the spirit of the mission as "any disaster, any place, any time."

Airmen from the 121st ARW Force Support Squadron comprised the Fatality Search and Recovery team. Their mission is to assist medical examiners and coroners in collecting human remains from the scene of the simulated terrorist attack.

Air Force Maj. Gregory Bryant, commander of the 121st FSS, was proud of his Airman in the exercise.

"This was the FSRTs first exercise and they did an outstanding job," said Bryant. "Our inspectors told me on several occasions how they could not believe this was our first collective event. I am so proud of their effort, can do attitude, and willingness to help each other at all times."