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Posted on 04/09/2003 6:33:50 AM PDT by GailA
Local chemical cleanup team to deploy
By Thomas Jordan jordan@gomemphis.com April 9, 2003
Army Reserve soldiers from Arkansas and Tennessee who can clean up chemical and biological contamination have been mobilized to support the war in Iraq.
The 398th Chemical Company, stationed at the Navy base in Millington, will leave Thursday for the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The company of about 80 soldiers will get deployment orders while they are at the Maryland post.
The 398th has the dual mission of chemical decontamination and smoke generation, the making of a nontoxic cover for the concealment of troops in combat.
Platoon leader Lt. Frank Daniels of Jonesboro said members of the company are trained to decontaminate soldiers and equipment exposed to a chemical or biological agent.
Chemical decontamination has become a reality in the war.
About a dozen soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division were decontaminated this week after coming into contact with possible chemical agents in a bunker.
They were cleansed with chlorine bleach and water showers and full-body scrub downs with bleach detergents.
Daniels, who works in manufacturing as a civilian, said he had no fear about doing his military job.
After graduating from Officer's Candidate School, Daniels said he decided to become a chemical officer.
"I've been trained. I was a little nervous about my training, but after my complete training I'm not nervous about the chemicals anymore," he said.
"I feel confident about the equipment the government issued me. I'm not nervous about it. It's just part of my job."
Among the gear of the 398th soldiers is the protective "moon suit," he said.
Sgt. VeDarro Crutchfield, 32, of Memphis, a chemical operations specialist, also said he wasn't fearful.
"That's what I chose to do as far as my job in the military," Crutchfield said.
Crutchfield, who works for Northwest Airlines loading and unloading baggage, said the company also is trained to provide various forms of smoke cover on the battlefield.
Daniels said his wife Angela "is very supportive" of his job and possible deployment to the Middle East. They have a 20-month-old daughter Jasmine.
Crutchfield, who is single, has a 10-year-old daughter, Shawntel of North Billerica, Mass.
Daniels said the company doesn't have an Army Fox rolling lab, which checks air, water and ground samples for toxic agents. The huge vehicles are being used in Iraq to check for possible chemical and biological agents on the battlefield.
While at Naval Support Activity Mid-South, the soldiers of the 398th are verifying their personnel, health and financial records. They also are completing family support plans.
The 398th is assigned to the 90th Regional Support Command, which has its headquarters in North Little Rock, Ark.
The company is one of more than 200 Army Reserve units commanded by the 90th, mostly in the five-state area of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
The mobilization of the 398th brings the number of reservists on active duty from 90th units to about 7,100. The 90th's authorized strength is about 17,000 soldiers.
- Thomas Jordan: 529-5880
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