Kentucky and Puerto Rico National Guard detachments execute joint training exercise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sharymel Montalvo
  • 156th Wing Public Affairs
SALINAS, Puerto Rico --  Airmen assigned to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s 156th Medical Group, Detachment 1, partnered with the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Medical Group, Detachment 1, and the Puerto Rico Army National Guard to conduct a Collective Training Exercise focused on implementing the National Guard CBRN Response Enterprise Information Management System at Camp Santiago Joint Training Center here Aug. 10.

The new information system is geared to improve and accelerate data collection from Search and Extraction teams in emergency events.

During the training, those teams used the Android Team Awareness Kit and Mobile Field Kit software to pinpoint and send real-time information to a medical element managing NGCIMS about sensor readings, simulated victims and obstacles while searching a large rubble pile scenario.

“From requesting equipment to tracking in real-time incidents that are occurring, or even the total number of patients that we manage, we can input that data into the system, and all pertinent areas have access to that information,” said Lt. Col. Sonia Ortiz Flores, commander of the 156th MDG, Det 1.

During the exercise, the 123rd MDG, Det 1 brought a new inflatable tent system, which is more time efficient, easy to set up and less hazardous to deploy than previous tents.

This allowed Airmen with the 156th MDG, Det 1 to get hands-on experience with that new tent system prior to receiving their equipment.

“Bringing our new ZUMRO tents and showing off the setup versus all the manpower that is required with the current tents, has been a fantastic training event for everyone,” said Lt. Col. Tiffany Hubbard, commander of the 123rd MDG, Det 1. “Having this exchange, where we do the same mission, and we’re able to see how others do it, offers insight on how to improve and gain knowledge to make the mission more complete.”

This opportunity for knowledge exchange amongst sister units and integration of the Army and Air National Guard detachments improves mission readiness and response time during an emergency event, officials said.

“This training allowed the participants to create reports, requests for assistance and track expendable equipment all with the push of a couple of buttons, learning to utilize the new NGCIMS tools to bolster the mission they already do, cutting down times for information to reach leadership and other sub-elements more quickly and efficiently” said Nichole Tucker, an NGCIMS instructor from Naval Air Warfare Center–Webster Outlying Field.