10th Civil Support Team Strengthens International Response at Maple Mayhem

Focused on training with their partners in a multi-national environment, 10th Civil Support Team (CST) members helped investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operate safely around simulated chemical, biological and radiological threats during “Exercise Maple Mayhem,” an international capability exercise in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, Oct. 24–30, 2026.

Joining specialists from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, the 10th CST provided hazardous-material detection and decontamination support, while strengthening coordination in responding to complex threats.

“CAPEX strengthened our ability to work alongside FBI Hazardous Evidence Recovery Teams,” said LTC Ryan Dykes, commander, 10th CST. “Our detection and decontamination support helped investigators focus on collecting evidence while maintaining a safe environment for responders. It also showed our international partners how National Guard capabilities can strengthen a civilian-led response to hazardous materials.”

The training connected the CST’s hazard-response expertise with the FBI’s responsibility to recover evidence and investigate potential crimes. FBI-led instruction emphasized how detection, monitoring, sampling and forensic practices contribute to investigations involving CBRN materials or weapons of mass destruction. Those processes can help build prosecutable cases, produce actionable intelligence and guide further response operations. Participants worked through three comprehensive training lanes centered on biological, chemical and radiological hazards, as well as a CBRN-themed escape room and a drone scenario, that simulated a downed aircraft carrying a potential radiological payload.

“The sheer volume of potentially hazardous substances combined with the presence of ‘active’ chemical processes forced hard decisions when prioritizing efforts during site exploitation,” said Maj. Callie Kiaunis, deputy commander of the 10th CST. “To narrow down critical tasks, Team USA relied heavily on FBI science officers and chemists to identify lab equipment likely to contain the most hazardous substances, and direct sampling teams to items that could yield the most intelligence.”

The U.S. delegation included the 10th CST, representatives from the National Guard Bureau and U.S. Department of State, as well as FBI personnel representing field offices and scientific and forensic laboratories from more than 10 states. Canadian participants included national defense personnel and Royal Canadian Mounted Police hazardous-material and weapons-of-mass-destruction specialists. Australia contributed specialists from government departments and state law enforcement agencies. The United Kingdom’s delegation included explosive ordnance disposal personnel and representatives from defense science, counterterrorism policing, forensic management and other government organizations. Their participation brought additional perspectives on the overlapping challenges of explosive hazards, hazardous materials and evidence recovery. Working through scenarios together gave participants an opportunity to compare procedures, question familiar approaches and better understand the capabilities their international partners bring to an incident.

“Operating alongside allied CBRN specialists allowed us to cross-validate sensor data and sampling methods in real time, bringing tactical, technical, and procedural insights back to our regional response doctrine,” said Kiaunis. “When training at home, you rely on familiar checklists and terminology.”

For the 10th CST, the exchange also demonstrated how National Guard personnel can support civilian law enforcement during hazardous-material incidents. The capabilities practiced at Maple Mayhem also support the 10th CST’s work protecting large public gatherings. At Seattle Seahawks home games, the team works alongside civilian responders to detect potential hazards and provide specialized technical support. During Seattle’s Jan. 17, 2026, divisional playoff game at Lumen Field, CST personnel partnered with the Seattle Fire Department’s hazardous materials unit to provide radiological detection and safety monitoring.

The following month, a six-person team supported security operations for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, providing chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive detection and assessment capabilities in support of civil authorities. The unit also worked alongside first responders during the Seahawks’ championship celebration in Seattle on Feb. 11, 2026.

Those missions underscore the value of training with partner agencies before an emergency. Its technical support helped investigators concentrate on evidence recovery while responders addressed hazards within the training environment.

“The biggest takeaway we can bring back to Washington partners and our regional allies is how to bridge the transition from initial HAZMAT containment to long-term federal forensic evidence collection without missing a beat,” said Kiaunis.

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