Chemical Biological Incident Response Force

Chemical Biological Incident Response Force
CBIRF insignia
Active	April 1, 1996 – present
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Role	CBRNE Consequence Management
Part of	II Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison/HQ	Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center
Nickname(s)	The 'Birf
Motto(s)	Certo Occultus Hostis
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Peter W. Ahern

The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) is a unit in the United States Marine Corps responsible for countering the effects of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incident. They were activated in April 1996 by General Charles C. Krulak, then Commandant of the Marine Corps. The unit is based at Naval Support Facility Indian Head in Indian Head, Maryland and falls under the command of the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Mission

When directed, a CBIRF unit will forward-deploy and/or respond to a credible threat of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incident in order to assist local, state, or federal agencies and Unified Combat Commanders in the conduct of consequence management operations.

CBIRF accomplishes this mission by providing capabilities for agent detection and identification, casualty search and extraction, technical rescue, personnel decontamination, and emergency medical care and stabilization of contaminated victims.

History

Since its inception CBIRF has trained many local agencies. It has also had a presence at the following:

1996 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
1996 Summer Olympic Games
1997 Presidential State of the Union Address
1997 Denver Summit of the Eight
1998 Presidential State of the Union Address
1999 Pope Visit to St Louis, MO 1999 Nato Summit 1999 Presidential State of the Union Address
2000 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2000 Presidential State of the Union Address
2001 Presidential State of the Union Address
2001 Cleaned Anthrax out of the Longworth House Office Bldg in Washington, DC
2002 Presidential State of the Union Address
2003 Presidential State of the Union Address
2004 Presidential State of the Union Address
2004 Ricin Incident Attack on Dirksen Senate Building
2004 Dedication of World War II Memorial
2004 Laying In State of President Ronald W. Reagan
2005 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2005 Presidential State of the Union Address
2006 Presidential State of the Union Address
2007 Presidential State of the Union Address
2008 Presidential State of the Union Address
2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN
2009 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2009 Presidential State of the Union Address
2010 Presidential State of the Union Address
2011 Presidential State of the Union Address
2011 Operation Tomodachi
2012 NATO Summit 2012
2013 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

Awards

MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR

2001 - 2002 2001 - 2004

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR 2001 - Present

GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE STREAMER 2001 - Present

See also

• 2001 anthrax attacks
• 2003 ricin letters
• Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
• History of the United States Marine Corps
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

External links

• CBIRF's official website