Japan – Airmen from the Air National Guard 151st Wing, 144th Fighter Wing and 113th Wing; the Air Force Reserve 301st Fighter Wing, 910th Airlift Wing and 433rd Airlift Wing; and Active-Duty 35th Fighter Wing components have come together for Exercise Beverly Sunrise, a full-scale chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense training event.
Over two weeks in March, these Total Force Airmen work side by side to bolster joint capabilities, refine warfighting readiness and enhance CBRN response in a contested Indo-Pacific environment.
As global threats evolve, detecting, assessing and neutralizing CBRN hazards is essential to sustaining combat airpower. Beverly Sunrise reinforces Total Force interoperability by integrating Air National Guard and Reserve emergency management teams into Active-Duty operations.
“Exercise Beverly Sunrise reinforces Total Force integration, uniting Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Active-Duty personnel to execute and enhance CBRN readiness in the Pacific,” said Senior Master Sgt. James Mulhall, installation emergency manager, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base. “This collaboration between Guard, Reserve and Active-Duty forces maximizes operational effectiveness, ensuring a synchronized and rapid response to any CBRN threat in the battlespace.”
This exercise places Airmen in realistic, high-intensity scenarios that replicate the operational environments they may encounter in war. Airmen must rapidly respond to simulated CBRN attacks, conduct reconnaissance in contaminated areas and execute decontamination procedures under battlefield conditions.
This exercise is a direct demonstration of combat deterrence, reinforcing the Air Force’s ability to continue operations despite enemy use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attacks.
The reconnaissance teams, comprised of Total Force Airmen, were critical in detecting and assessing threats. Airmen in full protective gear navigate contaminated environments, collect samples and relay intelligence to the Wing Operations Center. This process enables commanders to make informed decisions, execute force protection measures, and launch aircraft without hesitation.
“Our reconnaissance teams are the eyes on the ground, collecting critical data from potentially contaminated areas to give commanders an accurate picture of the threat,” said Master Sgt. Ken Church, emergency manager, 151st Wing, Utah Air National Guard. “Without their assessments, we are operating in the dark. Their work allows leadership to make informed decisions on force protection, sustain combat operations, and neutralize hazards before they escalate into mission-critical threats.”
A defining element of Beverly Sunrise is the combination of Air National Guard and Reserve forces into Active-Duty CBRN operations. The Guard and Reserve bring highly skilled emergency managers, many with civilian-sector expertise in hazardous materials response, firefighting and emergency operations. Their ability to seamlessly integrate with Active-Duty counterparts strengthens the Air Force’s CBRN response capability.
Misawa Air Base is a critical power projection hub, enabling the Air Force to launch and sustain combat operations across the Pacific theater. Training in CBRN-contested scenarios at this location ensures that Airmen are fully prepared to operate in the environments adversaries hope to exploit.
“Our adversaries closely monitor our training and operations, mine our data, and are looking for gaps they can exploit,” said Mulhall. “Exercises like Beverly Sunrise sends a clear message: We are not only watching but also ready.”
The phrase “Total Force Airmen Strengthen CBRN Readiness in Pacific” appears to reference a U.S. Air Force initiative or exercise aimed at enhancing readiness for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats in the Indo-Pacific region.
Key Points:
- Total Force Airmen – Refers to the integration of Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian personnel in joint training and operations.
- CBRN Readiness – Focuses on preparing Airmen to respond to threats involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD), hazardous materials, or large-scale contamination scenarios.
- Pacific Theater – Highlights the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region, where the U.S. military maintains a strong presence amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Possible Context:
- This could relate to an exercise (e.g., Cope North, Balikatan, or Pacific Defender) where Airmen train in CBRN detection, decontamination, and mission sustainment in contaminated environments.
- May involve joint operations with allied nations (Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc.) to improve interoperability.
- Likely includes simulated attack scenarios, protective gear drills, and medical response training.
Why It Matters:
- The Pacific is a high-priority area for U.S. defense strategy, with potential threats from adversarial nations possessing CBRN capabilities.
- Strengthening CBRN readiness ensures forces can operate even in hazardous conditions, maintaining deterrence and resilience.
