Army Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Hento (left) rehearses the process of decontaminating a camera used by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dustin Clement, both members of the South Dakota National Guard’s 82nd Civil Support Team, during a training exercise April 22 at Camp Rapid in Rapid City, S.D. The exercise, facilitated by U.S. Army North’s Civil Support Training Activity, is designed to test the unit’s ability to respond to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident. The CSTA is based out of Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

Members of the South Dakota National Guard’s 82nd Civil Support Team carry out an “injured” teammate during a training exercise April 22 at Camp Rapid in Rapid City, S.D. The exercise, facilitated by U.S. Army North’s Civil Support Training Activity, is part of the 82nd CST’s evaluation conducted every 18 months to test how well the team responds to a hazardous incident. Training exercises of this type are conducted year-round to maintain readiness for those units designated to support the Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission should a major incident occur, natural or man-made.

Members of the South Dakota National Guard’s 82nd Civil Support Team move mock injury patient Army Spc. Robert Clausen through the decontamination process during a training exercise April 22 at Camp Rapid in Rapid City, S.D. The exercise, facilitated by U.S. Army North’s Civil Support Training Activity, is designed to test the unit’s ability to respond to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident. The CSTA is based out of Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Theanne Tangen