FMF CBRN Defense Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between immediate decontamination and operational decontamination?
- Immediate decon uses water only; operational uses decon solutions
- Immediate decon is self-administered to save life; operational restores unit combat effectiveness (Correct answer)
- Immediate decon requires a decon station; operational is done in the field
- Immediate decon covers all equipment; operational covers personnel only
Correct answer: Immediate decon is self-administered to save life; operational restores unit combat effectiveness
Immediate decontamination is life-saving self- or buddy-administered action; operational decontamination is a deliberate process to restore unit effectiveness for continued operations.
Question 2: Which radiological quantity measures the absorbed dose of ionizing radiation in biological tissue?
- Roentgen (R)
- Gray (Gy) or rad (Correct answer)
- Becquerel (Bq)
- Curie (Ci)
Correct answer: Gray (Gy) or rad
The Gray (Gy) or its older equivalent the rad measures the energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue from ionizing radiation.
Question 3: In CBRN defense, what is the purpose of collective protection (COLPRO)?
- To decontaminate large groups of personnel simultaneously
- To provide a contamination-free environment allowing personnel to work without MOPP gear (Correct answer)
- To protect equipment from blast damage during a nuclear attack
- To filter biological agents from water supplies
Correct answer: To provide a contamination-free environment allowing personnel to work without MOPP gear
COLPRO systems use filtered positive-pressure environments to allow personnel inside to work without individual MOPP gear, reducing heat stress and increasing effectiveness.
Question 4: What action should a Marine take if they suspect they have been exposed to a nerve agent but have no visible symptoms yet?
- Wait for symptoms to develop before using any antidotes
- Self-administer one ATNAA injection and seek medical attention (Correct answer)
- Administer all three ATNAA injections immediately as a precaution
- Apply the M291 SDK to the skin and continue the mission
Correct answer: Self-administer one ATNAA injection and seek medical attention
If nerve agent exposure is suspected even without symptoms, one ATNAA should be self-administered and the Marine should seek immediate medical attention.
Question 5: Which type of chemical agent is designed to deny terrain and materiel rather than cause mass casualties?
- Blood agents
- Choking agents
- Persistent blister agents (Correct answer)
- Non-persistent nerve agents
Correct answer: Persistent blister agents
Persistent blister agents like mustard (HD) adhere to surfaces and contaminate terrain and equipment for extended periods, making them effective for area denial.
Question 6: What does the acronym SALUTE stand for in the context of CBRN attack reporting?
- Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment (Correct answer)
- Symptoms, Agent, Location, Upwind, Time, Effects
- Source, Alert, Lethality, Unit, Threat, Evacuation
- Sector, Azimuth, Level, Urgency, Type, Exposure
Correct answer: Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment
SALUTE (Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment) is the standard spot report format used to report enemy activity including CBRN attacks.
Question 7: When conducting a hasty decontamination of skin exposed to liquid chemical agent, what is the first priority action?
- Flush the area with large amounts of water for 15 minutes
- Apply M291 SDK (Skin Decontamination Kit) to absorb and neutralize the agent (Correct answer)
- Remove and discard the outer garment immediately
- Apply STB (Super Tropical Bleach) slurry directly to the skin
Correct answer: Apply M291 SDK (Skin Decontamination Kit) to absorb and neutralize the agent
The M291 SDK should be applied first as it absorbs and deactivates chemical agents on the skin; it is the approved immediate skin decontamination method.
FMF CBRN Defense Procedures 3
What is the difference between immediate decontamination and operational decontamination?