North Carolina: Training for the unthinkable, Task Force 2 validates domestic response readiness

Soldiers from units across the force converged at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Feb. 10-12, to validate their readiness as part of Task Force 2 under the Defense Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Response Force. The training ensures the soldiers Read More …

AFRICA SHIELD 2025: Strengthening Counterproliferation Efforts Across Africa

From August 4-6, 2025, DTRA’s International Counterproliferation Program (ICP), in partnership with the EU CBRN CoE and UNICRI, hosted the AFRICA SHIELD 2025 Regional Counterproliferation Workshop in Rabat, Morocco. This inaugural workshop brought together nearly 100 participants from across the Read More …

USCG: Units, make sure to do your CBRN training!

Attention, all units! Be sure to complete your unit’s chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) self-assessment. CBRN training is critical to ensuring continued readiness for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear events—and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). With WMD threats on the Read More …

Philippines, US train to stop illegal WMD trafficking

From March 24 to 28, the United States government, through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) International Counterproliferation Program (ICP), hosted a maritime security training to enhance Philippine government’s efforts to counter the maritime trafficking of hazardous chemical, biological, radiological, Read More …

Wisconsin teen allegedly killed parents in extremist plot to assassinate Trump

A Wisconsin teen allegedly killed his parents to “obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary” to kill President Donald Trump and overthrow the U.S. government, federal authorities said in court documents. Nikita Casap, 17, was arrested in March and charged Read More …

Massachusetts Guard Civil Support Team Put to the Test

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Outside an empty school, the hum of generators and radios squawking breaks the silence. Inside, members of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 1st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team in hazmat suits survey the scene. What Read More …

Morocco: 2024 African Lion Holds WMD Exercise at Agadir Military Port

As part of the Morocco-U.S. military cooperation in disaster management, an exercise to counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) took place on Thursday at the military port of Agadir. This operation is part of the joint Moroccan-American exercise “African Lion Read More …

Louisiana: DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, City of New Orleans Hosts Readiness Event

In partnership with the City of New Orleans, with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), is hosting a multiday readiness event from Monday, March 18, through Friday, March 22. The purpose of this Read More …

Michigan Army Guard Civil Support Team Trains with Law Enforcement

Detroit – Highly specialized teams from the Michigan Army National Guard trained with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies during a countering weapons of mass destruction response exercise. More than 30 members of the Michigan Army National Guard 51st Read More …

Assistant Secretary Callahan Discusses the DHS’s Role in Countering CBRN Threats

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released a video package for broadcast including comments from Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) Mary Ellen Callahan on the importance of the Department’s work Read More …

US trains Bangladesh Police in preventing WMD terrorism

The US Department of State’s Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism, along with partners from CRDF Global and Thin Blue Line, International, trained Bangladesh Police officials on investigative skills to counter chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive terrorism from Read More …

Oregon: Joint Training Strengthens Emergency Response in Eugene

EUGENE, Ore. — On Aug. 16, various local and state agencies came together for a joint training exercise to enhance emergency preparedness in Eugene and surrounding communities. The annual event called a Joint Hazard Assessment Team (J-HAT) training, involved members from Read More …

North Carolina: Man charged with possessing ‘weapon of mass destruction’ outside Sheetz in Holly Springs

Holly Springs police arrested a man who they say had an improvised explosive in his car outside a Sheetz on Wednesday. According to the police, the incident happened at the Sheetz gas station at 1100 Avent Ferry Road. Police said Read More …

US Army EOD company trains to stay ready for counter WMD missions around world

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – Hand-picked American Soldiers from a one-of-a-kind U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal company that combats Weapons of Mass Destruction train for high stakes missions around the world. U.S. Army EOD technicians from the 21st Ordnance Read More …

How the National Guard dresses for COVID-19 and other disasters

We got a virtual tour of the gear on hand at a Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team. The coronavirus pandemic has understandably spurred millions to think about how they protect themselves—and others—in public spaces. And now, the Centers Read More …

U.S. Soldier Who Discussed News Network Attack Admits Sharing Bomb-Making Instructions

U.S. Army soldier has reportedly pleaded guilty to sharing instructions for making explosive devices, months after federal officials accused him of planning to carry out terrorist attacks on American soil. Jarrett William Smith was arrested in September after he allegedly Read More …

USMC EOD Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group conduct a Field Evaluation Exercise at Camp Lejeune

U.S. Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group conduct a Field Evaluation Exercise (FEX) at various locations at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., Feb. 7, 2020, to assess ability to respond to emerging Read More …

DHS Security Tech Innovation Program Means Big Money for SMBs

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is operating a yearly program through which it accepts proposals from U.S. small businesses who want to provide their expertise to help the government’s security technology research and development efforts. If the “government” part Read More …

DARPA Seeks to Expand Real-Time Radiological Threat Detection to Include Other Dangers

Advanced commercially available technologies-such as additive manufacturing (3-D printing), small-scale chemical reactors for pharmaceuticals, and CRISPR gene-manipulation tools-have opened wide access to scientific exploration and discovery. In the hands of terrorists and rogue nation states, however, these capabilities could be Read More …

Defense Threat Reduction Agency: 20 Years of Making the World Safer

“As an agency, DTRA started 20 years ago, but it wasn’t starting from scratch,” said Vayl Oxford, DTRA director. “It was initially created to focus various C-WMD efforts throughout the Department of Defense, and we’ve been building on those past Read More …