Chemical Biological Incident Response Force


The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force is a unit in the United States Marine Corps responsible for countering the effects of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive 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 United States Marine Corps Forces Command.

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 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 CBRN agent detection and identification, casualty search and extraction, technical rescue, personnel decontamination, and emergency medical care and stabilization of contaminated victims. All CBIRF Marines and sailors are basically trained to perform both casualty extraction and decontamination. The lifesaving competencies required of personnel serving at CBIRF are taught during CBIRF Basic Operations Course. By completing CBOC, the Marines and Sailors earn their CBIRF unit patch and may begin wearing it on their flight suits and search and rescue vests.

History

Since its inception CBIRF has trained many local agencies. It has also had a presence at the following:
1996 Summer Olympic Games

1997 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

1997 Denver Summit of the Eight

1997-2019 Presidential State of the Union Addresses

1999 Pope Visit to St Louis, MO

1999 NATO Summit

2001 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

2001 Cleaned Anthrax out of the Longworth House Office Bldg in Washington, DC

2001 Cleaned Anthrax out of the Hart Senate Bldg in Washington DC

2004 Ricin Incident Attack on Dirksen Senate Building

2004 Dedication of World War II Memorial

2004 Lying In State of President Ronald W. Reagan

2005 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN

2009 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

2011 Operation Tomodachi

2012 NATO Summit

2013 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

2016 State of the Union Address

2016 Republican and Democratic National Conventions

2017 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony

Awards

RibbonAward
Meritorious Unit Commendation with 2 bronze stards
National Defense Service Medal woth 1 bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal