Medical Radiobiology Advisory Team (MRAT)

WHAT WE DO

MRAT provides health physics, medical, and radiobiological advice to military and civilian command and control operations worldwide in response to nuclear and radiological incidents requiring a coordinated federal response.

Through "reachback," the deployed team of radiation medicine physicians and senior health physicists can call on the knowledge and skills of radiobiologists, biodosimetrists, and other research professionals at AFRRI as well as those of other Department of Defense (DoD) response teams.

CONTACT

To initiate contact with MRAT, please dial 301.295.0316.

MRAT SERVICES

  • Augment the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Consequence Management Advisory Team, which provides deployable teams of 2 to 20 personnel who are experts in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives matters.
    • Military physicians advise on-scene commanders, senior officials, and local medical personnel.
    • Health physicists advise senior officials with risk assessment through analysis of plume models as well as guidance for patient, personnel, and equipment decontamination.
    • Team members interface with their counterparts from other organizations.
  • Provide direct support to the National Military Command Center, the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Nuclear Matters), Response Task Force Commanders, and Combatant Commanders
  • Participate in the planning and execution of DoD and U.S. interagency exercises involving radiological and nuclear scenarios.
  • Support two to three major command post and field training exercises each year.
  • Collaborate with other operational experts to conduct graduate-level continuing education through the Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation Course and to develop relevant information products.
    • AFRRI handbook: Medical Management of Radiological Casualties
    • Allied medical publication [AMedP-6(C) Volume 1 (Nuclear)]: NATO Handbook on the Medical Aspects of NBC Defensive Operations
    • Army field manual (FM 4-02.283): Treatment of Nuclear and Radiological Casualties
    • DoD manual (DoD 5130.8-M): Nuclear Weapon Accident Response Procedures (NARP, Chapters 10 and 11)
    • NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG): Commander’s Guide on the Effects from Nuclear Radiation Exposure During War
    • NATO STANAG: Guidance on the Use of Antiemetics for Radiation-Induced Nausea and Vomiting