By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 11, 2024) — The U.S. Army Chemical Corps held its annual regimental week celebration from June 3 to 6 at Fort Leonard Wood.
At the U.S. Army Chemical Corps State of the Regiment event June 3 in Lincoln Hall Auditorium, Lt. Gen. Maria Gervais, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command deputy commanding general, participated in a panel discussion with the U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School leaders, including Col. W. Bochat, USACBRNS commandant; USACBRNS Regimental Chief Warrant Officer 4 Matthew Chrisman; and USACBRNS Regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Quitugua Jr.
“My heart is warm because I am back at the home of our regiment. The home of my regiment for 37 years,” Gervais said. “We have stood at the ready for 106 years in the defense of our nation against weapons of mass destruction. And we will always be at the ready to defend our country against those that want to harm us.”
Immediately following the panel discussion, regimental honors were awarded.
The Sibert Award was given to four units, recognizing the top-performing CBRN companies in the corps.
This year’s winner from the active component was the 45th CBRN Company, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. From the Army National Guard, the winner was the 272nd CBRN Company, from Reading, Massachusetts. The Army Reserve winner was the 323rd CBRN Company, from Sioux City, South Dakota. The team or detachment category went to the Recce Platoon, 23rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, from Fort Carson, Colorado.
One more name was also added to the Chemical Corps Hall of Fame during the award ceremony — retired Lt. Col. James “Mike” Cress, who provided nearly 50 years of service to the Chemical Corps, the ceremony narrator noted.
“(Cress) has undeniably helped to shape the direction and modernization of the corps. Over the span of those decades and to this day, Mr. Cress remains a steadfast innovator, committed to a vision of supporting a continually advancing CBRN enterprise,” the narrator read.
A sunrise service in honor of fallen CBRN service members was held June 4 at Soldier Memorial Chapel.
The guest speaker, Sgt. Maj. William Allen III, said he was “honored to be able to recognize the members of the Chemical Corps, who have left the regiment too soon.”
The ceremony also included a ceremony of remembrance, wreath laying, firing of volleys and a rendition of “Let Freedom Ring” by Soldiers with the 399th Army Band. At the end of the ceremony, bagpiper Dan Jackson performed “Amazing Grace” while walking the aisle of the chapel.
The next day, spouses interested in learning more about CBRN career fields participated in a spouse event. The group met at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex and visited the Lt. Joseph Terry CBRN First Responder Training Facility, where they had the opportunity to learn more about the Army CBRN profession and even don personal protective equipment.
At the Terry Facility, spouses put on CBRN suits and masks before running an obstacle course together.
After maneuvering through the obstacle course, spouse Angela Chrisman said it is important for spouses to bond together and become a team, just like their Soldier spouses do with their units.
“Spouses need to become a team to support in that effort. We make the Chemical Corps stronger by supporting the Soldiers in the regiment,” Chrisman said. “I am proud to be a Chemical spouse because in today’s world, the Chemical Corps is so important to our protection. Chemical warfare is a very real threat, and I have full confidence in our regiment’s ability to protect us.”
On the final day of celebrations, the Regimental Dragon’s Challenge, a team-based event, took place June 6 at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence NCO Academy track and field.
The week concludes the evening of June 6, with the Green Dragon Ball in Nutter Field House.
Photos from throughout regimental week are available to view and download on the Fort Leonard Wood Flickr page.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.