DTRA News

UNICRI Director Antonia De Meo visited DTRA

May 3, 2022

UNICRI Director Antonia De Meo visited DTRA

UNICRI Director Antonia De Meo visited DTRA on May 3rd to discuss ongoing and future CBRN capacity-building collaboration. Director De Meo met with the Cooperative Threat Reduction and On-Site Inspection and Building Partner Capacity directorates. UNICRI currently partners with DTRA's Global Nuclear Security program to build regional counter-nuclear smuggling capabilities in the Black Sea region. UNICRI's broad reach and reliable partner engagements ensure development of sustainable counter-WMD capabilities in regional, multilateral, and international fora.

Ms. Rebecca Hersman is welcomed as the new Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency on April 11,2022. Seen in the photo left to right: CSM Brant Syrigh, Rear Admiral Ryan Scholl, DTRA Director Ms. Rebecca Hersman and Acting Director Dr. Rhys Williams. ( Photo: Sunghee Chon, DTRA Photographer).

April 12, 2022

Ms. Rebecca Hersman is welcomed as the new Director of the DTRA

Fort Belvoir VA — Ms. Rebecca Hersman is welcomed as the new Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency on April 11,2022. Seen in the photo left to right: CSM Brant Syrigh, Rear Admiral Ryan Scholl, DTRA Director Ms. Rebecca Hersman and Acting Director Dr. Rhys Williams. ( Photo: Sunghee Chon, DTRA Photographer).

Congratulations to the DTRA ABQ MILCON for being recognized by SAME – Society of American Military Engineers with a Merit Award as Best Design 2022. This award was given for the design of the new Facility that just broke ground in December at Kirkland Air Force Base, NM.

March 31, 2022

DTRA ABQ MILCON receives Merit Award as Best Design 2022 by SAME

Kirkland AFB Albuquerque, NM — Congratulations to the DTRA ABQ MILCON for being recognized by SAME (Society of American Military Engineers), with a Merit Award as Best Design 2022. This award was given for the design of the new Facility that just broke ground in December at Kirkland Air Force Base, NM.

Mr. Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security visits Acting Director Rhys Williams and DTRA senior leaders.

March 30, 2022

U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security visits Acting Director Rhys Williams and DTRA senior leaders

Fort Belvoir VA — Mr. Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security visits Acting Director Rhys Williams and DTRA senior leaders.

DTRA’s Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Security Cooperation Engagement Program continued their partnership to train and equip First Responders from the Republic of Georgia to effectively respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents. In mid-March 2022, DTRA proudly partnered with personnel from three Georgian government agencies to participate in realistic CBRN Defense Training while operating in an environment with live Chemical Agents.

Czech Republic March 25, 2022

DTRA’s Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Security Cooperation Engagement Program continued their partnerships

Field Live Chemical Agent Testing and Training Facility — DTRA’s Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Security Cooperation Engagement Program continued their partnership to train and equip First Responders from the Republic of Georgia to effectively respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents. In mid-March 2022, DTRA proudly partnered with personnel from three Georgian government agencies to participate in realistic CBRN Defense Training while operating in an environment with live Chemical Agents.

The U.S. Joint Forces, international partners and capability developers participated in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s, (DTRA) U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction Engagement 2022 (DICE-22) technology demonstration at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB), Waimanalo, Hawaii last week.

March 15, 2022

DTRA Demos High Performance technology solution at INDOPACOM CWMD event

WAIMANALO, Hi — The U.S. Joint Forces, international partners and capability developers participated in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s, (DTRA) U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction Engagement 2022 (DICE-22) technology demonstration at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB), Waimanalo, Hawaii last week.

Australian Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce, A/Director for General Strategic Security Mr. James Ryan Visit to DTRA Rhys Williams, PhD, Acting Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency

March 14, 2022

Australian Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce, A/Director for General Strategic Security Mr. James Ryan Visit to DTRA

Fort Belvoir VA — Australian Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce, A/Director for General Strategic Security Mr. James Ryan Visit to DTRA Rhys Williams, PhD, Acting Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 03-10-2022. Portions of this image were masked for security reasons.

DTRA instructors guided an open discussion on the similarities and differences between the U.S. and Thai national preparedness systems

March 8, 2022

DTRA Conducts Executive-level Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Event with Thailand

Thailand — DTRA recently conducted a successful Executive Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Seminar in Thailand. Senior-level participants hailed from across the Thailand interagency and included civilian and military units tasked with CWMD, natural disaster, terrorism, emergency, and first responder duties. This event was hosted in Bangkok, Thailand at the Royal Thai Armed Forces’ Counter Terrorism Operations Center headquarters. DTRA has been working to build Thailand’s CWMD capabilities over the last decade. However, due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, this was DTRA’s first touchpoint with their Thailand CWMD partners since 2019.

We were thrilled to welcome our CCRs here for the first in-person CCR Workshop in 2.5 years. Our intent was to present updated strategy and capabilities while facilitating relationship building and fruitful exchanges. We wanted to take advantage of their physical presence by including time for intentional discussions with every single department in the agency. Many CCRs were able to work towards solutions related to their respective AOR through office calls, or the exchanges that took place in the mass setting of the Workshop.

March 7, 2022

CCR Workshop

Fort Belvoir, VA — We were thrilled to welcome our CCRs here for the first in-person CCR Workshop in 2.5 years. Our intent was to present updated strategy and capabilities while facilitating relationship building and fruitful exchanges. We wanted to take advantage of their physical presence by including time for intentional discussions with every single department in the agency. Many CCRs were able to work towards solutions related to their respective AOR through office calls, or the exchanges that took place in the mass setting of the Workshop.

DoD's Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program, executed by DTRA, aims to peacefully reduce biological threats around the globe but certain countries try to falsely undermine and discredit the program's efforts to do so. Take a look at the below video to hear how the United States formally responded to the false allegations targeted at the CTR program.

Jan. 11, 2022

The U.S. Government responds to false allegations targeted at the DoD CTR Program.

Fort BELVOIR, VA — DoD's Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program, executed by DTRA, aims to peacefully reduce biological threats around the globe but certain countries try to falsely undermine and discredit the program's efforts to do so. Take a look at the below video to hear how the United States formally responded to the false allegations targeted at the CTR program.