WHO: The New Jersey National Guard's 21st Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team will be participating in an exercise with the New Jersey State Police Hazardous Materials Response Unit, Mercer County Office of Emergency Management and the City of Trenton Fire Department .

WHAT: A joint, multi-agency hazardous materials response exercise

WHEN: Wednesday, January 25 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Sovereign Bank Arena parking lot, Trenton

DETAILS: This is the first exercise that the New Jersey National Guard's Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) is participating in, since receiving Federal certification on November 29, 2005.

      The 21st WMD-CST, located at Fort Dix, N.J., is fully ready to assist civil authorities in responding to a domestic weapon of mass destruction incident, and possesses the requisite skills, training and equipment to be proficient in all mission requirements.

      The Weapons of Mass Destruction - Civil Support Team is a high-priority response unit supporting civil authorities in responding to a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) situation. The unit is made up of 22 full-time National Guard members.   It consists of six sections: command, operations, communications, administration/logistics, medical, and survey, who have been specially trained and equipped to provide a technical reach-back capability to other experts. The team is formed specifically to provide advice to the Incident Commander to help make assessments of the requirements for follow-on forces.

      The unit is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, jointly staffed with Army and Air National Guard personnel, and encompasses 14 military occupational skills.   The unit is Federally resourced, trained, equipped, and sustained, with the State National Guard providing the personnel, stationing, and common support.  The WMD-CST is normally under state control and may be employed as a state asset without DoD authorization.  The Adjutant General either employs the CST to support the State response under the direction of the Governor or to support another State's response under a supported Governor.

      New Jersey is one of the first of 12 teams authorized in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2004 to be certified and activated.  All 32 of the teams authorized in fiscal 1999, 2000, and 2001 have already been certified.  This brings the total certified teams to 34.