For the cyanogen bromide molecular formula, follow CBrNFor the cyanogen bromide molecular formula, follow CBrN------CBRN is an acronym for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is in common use worldwide, to refer to incidents or weapons in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves...
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CBRN is an acronym for
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is in common use worldwide, to refer to incidents or weapons in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves. The term CBRN is a replacement for the cold war term NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) which has replaced the term ABC (atomic, biological and chemical) that was used in the fifties.
For the cyanogen bromide molecular formula, follow CBrNFor the cyanogen bromide molecular formula, follow CBrN------CBRN is an acronym for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is in common use worldwide, to refer to incidents or weapons in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves...
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CBRN is an acronym for
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is in common use worldwide, to refer to incidents or weapons in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves. The term CBRN is a replacement for the cold war term NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) which has replaced the term ABC (atomic, biological and chemical) that was used in the fifties. The addition of the R (for radiological) is a consequence of the "new" threat of a radiological weapon (also known as the "poor man's atomic bomb"). The new millennium introduced a replacement term for CBRN: CBRNe. The e in this term, represents the (improvised) explosives threat.
CBRN defense (CBRND) is used in reference to CBRN passive protection, contamination avoidance and CBRN mitigation.
CBRN weapons/agents, are often referred to as weapons of mass destruction (WMD). However, this is not entirely correct. Although CBRNe agents often cause mass destruction, this is not necessarily the case. Terrorist use of CBRNe agents may cause a limited number of casualties, but a large terrorizing and disruption of society. Terrorist use of CBRNe agents, intended to cause terror instead of mass casualties, is therefore often referred to as weapons of mass disruption.
A CBRN incident differs from a hazardous material incident in both effect scope (i.e., CBRNE can be a mass casualty situation) and in intent. CBRN incidents are responded to under the assumption that they are deliberate, malicious acts with the intention to kill, sicken and/or disrupt society. Evidence preservation and perpetrator apprehension are of greater concern with CBRN incidents than with HAZMAT incidents.
Canada
The term is in common use in disaster and emergency services organizations across the country. Since July 2005, the
Canadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
also started using the term CBRN Defence, instead of NBC Defence, due to the increased threat of
dirty bombThe term dirty bomb refers to a speculative radiological weapon which combines radioactive material with conventional explosives. Though an RDD would be designed to disperse radioactive material over a large area, a bomb that uses conventional explosives would likely have more immediate lethal...
use (which is radiological in nature). CBRNE is a new term that is being used in both civilian and military organisations.
United Kingdom
CBRN is also used by the UK
Home OfficeThe Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security and order. As such it is responsible for the police, United Kingdom Borders Agency and MI5. It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs, counter-terrorism...
as a civil designation. Police, Fire and Ambulance services in the UK must all have some level of CBRN providers.
The term CBRN has replaced NBC in the UK armed forces.
United States Marine Corps
The
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
(USMC) use it as an initialism for their 5711 and 5702 military occupational specialties (MOS). 5711s are enlisted Marines that are CBRN Defense Specialists. 5702s are
warrant officersIn the United States military, a Warrant Officer is ranked as an officer above the senior-most enlisted ranks, as well as officer cadets and candidates, but below the officer grade of O-1...
that are CBRN Defense Officers. Prior to the MOS name change, 5711s were known as nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) defense specialists and 5702s were known as NBC Defense Officers.
The Marine Corps runs a CBRN School to train Marine CBRN Defense Officers and Marine CBRN Defense Specialists at
Fort Leonard WoodFort Leonard Wood is a United States Army Basic Combat Training post located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...
,
MissouriMissouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
.
United States Army
The
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
uses CBRN as an initialism for their 74D Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Operations Specialists military occupational specialty (MOS). The United States Army trains all US Army soldiers pursuing a career in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) at the United States Army CBRN School at Fort Leonard Wood, also known as the birthplace of all 74D's.
The term (CBRNE) is also used to define the scope of the FA-52 (Nuclear & Counterproliferation Officer) functional area community.