Chemical Biological Incident Response Force

Chemical Biological Incident Response Force
(CBIRF)
Chemical Biological Incident Response Force; (CBIRF)
	CBIRF insignia
Active	April 1, 1996 – present
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Role	CBRNE defense
Size	~ 600 Marines, Sailors and Civilian Contractors
Part of	United States Marine Corps Forces Command
Garrison/HQ	Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center
Nickname(s)	The 'Birf, Birfsoc
Motto(s)	Latin: Certo Occultus Hostis; To Fight Hidden Threats
Colors	Black, Red, Gold
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Colonel Zeb B. Beasley
Sergeant Major	SgtMaj Paul A. Forde

The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) is a Marine Corps unit responsible for countering the effects of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incident, support counter CBRN terrorism, and urban search and rescue when CBRN incident. They were activated in April 1996 by General Charles C. Krulak, then Commandant of the Marine Corps. The unit is based at Naval Support Facility Indian Head in Indian Head, Maryland and falls under the command of the United States Marine Corps Forces Command.

Mission

When directed, a CBIRF unit will forward-deploy and/or respond to a credible threat of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incident in order to assist local, state, or federal agencies and Unified Combat Commanders in the conduct of consequence management operations.

CBIRF accomplishes this mission by providing capabilities for CBRN agent detection and identification, casualty search and extraction, technical rescue, personnel decontamination, and tactical emergency medical care and stabilization of contaminated victims. All CBIRF Marines and sailors are trained to perform both casualty extraction and decontamination. The lifesaving competencies required of personnel serving at CBIRF are taught during CBIRF Basic Operations Course (CBOC). By completing CBOC, all Marines and Sailors are able to support CBIRF's mission, and bolster the current response force.

History

Since its inception CBIRF has trained many local agencies. It has also had a presence at the following:

1996 Summer Olympic Games
1997 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
1997 Denver Summit of the Eight
1997-2020 Presidential State of the Union Addresses
1999 Pope Visit to St Louis, MO
1999 NATO Summit
2001 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2001 Cleaned Anthrax out of the Longworth House Office Bldg in Washington, DC
2001 Cleaned Anthrax out of the Hart Senate Bldg in Washington DC
2004 Ricin Incident Attack on Dirksen Senate Building
2004 Dedication of World War II Memorial
2004 Lying In State of President Ronald W. Reagan
2005 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN
2009 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2011 Operation Tomodachi
2012 NATO Summit
2013 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2016 State of the Union Address
2016 Republican and Democratic National Conventions
2017 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2018 State of the Union Address
2019 State of the Union Address
2020 State of the Union Address
2020 Republican and Democratic National Conventions
2021 Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
2021 Presidential Address to Congress

Awards

Ribbon	Award
	Meritorious Unit Commendation streamer with 2 bronze stars
	National Defense Service streamer with 1 bronze star
	Global War on Terrorism Service streamer