Over 100 joint warfighters from across the country had the opportunity to get hands-on experience with and give direct feedback on the latest developments in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense technology at the Science & Technology CBRN-Capability Operational User Trial 2026 (SCOUT 26) at Camp Dawson, West Virginia, from March 20 to March 26, 2026.

Amidst a rapidly shifting global landscape and the escalating threat of biological warfare, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and National Defense University (NDU) convened more than 100 senior leaders from across the national security enterprise to confront this critical challenge. The high-stakes event, held on March 12 at NDU, served as the official rollout of the groundbreaking report.

Alice Crabtree received a prestigious individual achievement award for overhauling DTRA's financial reporting process. By replacing a reactive, year-end approach with a structured monthly reconciliation system, she resolved a material weakness, saved thousands of man-hours, and strengthened audit readiness — a model now adopted as a best practice across the wider DoW.

In a decisive move to bolster national security, the Honorable Dr. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs, delivered a powerful keynote address on March 12 at the "Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence: Report Rollout." Co-hosted by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the National Defense University (NDU), the event united over 100 senior leaders to establish a strategic front against the rapidly evolving threat of biological warfare.