DTRA News

May 7, 2021

ISO Hearing Reviewing DOD Strategy, Policy, and Programs for Countering WMD in FY22

May 4, 2021 — Jennifer Walsh, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security and acting undersecretary of defense for policy; Dr. Brandi C. Vann, acting assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs; Navy Vice Adm. Timothy G. Szymanski, deputy command of U.S. Special Operations Command; and Dr. Rhys M. Williams, acting director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, testify during a subcommittee on intelligence and special operations hearing, May 4, 2021. Their testimony will include a review of the Defense Department’s strategy, policy and programs for countering weapons of mass destruction for fiscal year 2022.

May 4, 2021

On Location

5/3/2021 — CBRN systems are being adapted to go more places with the warfighter. American forces and our allies face potential but real symmetric and asymmetric Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats during forward deployed operations. As such, it is vital to possess capabilities to protect, mitigate, and understand these threats to facilitate effective decision-making so that the force can continue operations within a hazardous environment.

March 31, 2021

Saving Our Hides: A Kit for Every Occasion

March 31, 2021 — Fast decontamination is critical to military working dog survival. For immediate canine decontamination, current guidance recommends the use of existing human skin-based decontamination solutions, such as Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL), along with copious amounts of soap and water. RSDL is highly effective on human skin, but since the RSDL is a lotion optimized for human skin, it may not be the best option for dogs, such as when warfighters are downrange where there is not likely enough water to fully wash and rinse the dogs. As a result, DTRA-JSTO is developing an effective immediate decontamination kit specifically for military working dogs to rapidly remove contamination and reduce risk to both the dogs and their handlers.

March 31, 2021

Team Kirtland Career Assistance Advisor Receives AF Award

March 31, 2021 — A senior noncommissioned officer assigned to the 377th Force Support Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., has been selected as the 2020 Air Force Higher Headquarters Command & Control Operations Headquarters Senior NCO of the Year, a functional award for the career field.

March 26, 2021 March 26, 2021

DTRA Sponsors Strategic Dialogues with Partners to Advance Common Interests and Address Mutual Threats

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — FORT BELVOIR, Va. --The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is exploring key, emerging challenges that will manifest over the coming decade and convey key takeaways to the DTRA workforce and Department of Defense (DoD) community. In collaboration with leading research partners, DTRA sponsors strategic dialogues outside official diplomatic channels. These events provide a venue and engagement framework for structured, but informal, discussions among U.S. and foreign subject matter experts on key strategic issues.

NEWS March 25, 2021

DTRA Accomplishes Chemical Weapons Treaty Mission during COVID-19 Pandemic

March 25, 2021 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- International arms control treaties and agreement protocols involve activities that place operatives and inspectors up close and personal with some of the world’s most dangerous weaponized threat agents. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) worked closely with the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Threat Reduction and Arms Control (TRAC), the U.S. State Department and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat to develop procedures that allowed for safe and continued Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) treaty monitoring activities.

March 19, 2021

DTRA Capacity Building Efforts Enhance Partner Nation CWMD Capabilities

FORT BELVOIR, Va.-- In late 2019, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) formed the Building Partner Capacity Integration Cell (BPCIC) to improve capacity building program coordination amongst the agencies BPC programs, external influencers, and partner nations. DTRA’s BPC work has long served to solidify partnerships with foreign nations by working with them to enhance counter-WMD capabilities. This alliance-building approach bolsters our partners but also provides multiple benefits to the United States’ national security.

March 15, 2021

DTRA’s Counter-Proliferation Efforts Support Partners around the Globe

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) uses modest resources to achieve significant returns on investment made in foreign partner agencies that work around the globe to detect, interdict and prosecute illicit shipments of the world’s most dangerous materials. DTRA does so by working outside of the typical military-to-military engagement, employing a whole-of-government approach.

March 10, 2021

DTRA Side-Steps COVID Challenges to Continue Support to International Partners

FORT BELVOIR, Va.--The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) traditional “boots on the ground” approach to build security cooperation capacity with partner nations met with the unanticipated COVID-19 pandemic.

March 10, 2021

USAF CBRN R&S Demo

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Chemical and Biological Technologies Department, in its role the Joint Science and Technology Office held an Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) with a small team of U.S. Air Force Emergency Managers . . .