ATLANTIC CITY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.J. - Airmen from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Civil Engineer Squadron participated in a recent training exercise with the 21st Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team, or WMD-CST, from the New Jersey National Guard and New Jersey State Police Hazmat Response Team in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The July 31 exercise at Mercer County Park in Mercer County, New Jersey, included briefings, command coordination, safety procedures and joint decision-making tasks in a hazardous environment. The training prepared the units for real-world emergencies, whether they involved chemical, biological or explosive devices.
“We scheduled and prepared the exercise with direct consultation and support from our partners at the 21st WMD-CST, National Park Service and the N.J. State Police,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. David Bernal, 177th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal, or EOD, team superintendent. “The 177th EOD team’s objective was to provide explosive hazard support to our law enforcement partners.”
During the exercise, the 177th Explosive Ordnance Disposal team used a Man Transportable Robotics system in a simulated hazardous material scenario, before the 21st Civil Support Team, or CST, sampled and identified the material. In a follow-on scenario near a mock concert stage, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Airmen performed on-site mitigation procedures alongside partner agencies.
“Honestly, I think the biggest part of this was the interoperability between us, the CST and the state police,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Robert Wittig, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician with the 177th Civil Engineer Squadron.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to kick off in June 2026 in New Jersey, which will be a hotspot for many games, especially the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The 21st WMD-CST and the New Jersey State Police Hazmat Response Team will conduct additional training exercises to prepare for the anticipated influx of people from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“We want our Airmen and the public to know that interagency training and joint operations are routinely conducted to ensure public safety and security,” Bernal said.