Drug lab drill

A full-scale, multi-agency exercise unfolded in Barrigada as the Guam National Guard’s 94th Civil Support Team trained alongside the New Mexico National Guard’s 64th CST and Andersen Air Force Base’s CBRNE Response Team in a simulated clandestine drug lab scenario. 

The entry team — made up of one service member from each agency — worked to detect hazardous chemicals, document drug manufacturing equipment, and transmit live updates back to a command post led by Lt. Col. Melvin Pilarca.

The exercise began earlier at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, where Guam Customs and Quarantine and Guam Police tracked suspicious individuals, prompting a coordinated response that included the Guam Fire Department’s HAZMAT Team.

Lt. Col. Pilarca called it a full-scale, all-hazards training designed to strengthen coordination between military units and GovGuam first responders.

Officials say exercises like this ensure agencies are ready to respond quickly and safely to chemical or biological threats, protecting both first responders and the community.