I joined the military in 1975 and served through 2001. During at least the first 10 years of that time there was a solid focus on Chemical, Biological and Radiological attack defense where we learned to don and wear protective equipment (of varying levels of protection - depending on our jobs in the Damage Control organization), decontaminate personnel (alive, wounded, or dead), and to decontaminate equipment from CBR agents. Although the posture of the US Armed Forces was in the Cold War perspective between the US and Soviets at the time, I have to wonder now why such a heavy emphasis on these skills when I think about everything I've learned since then.