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  Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction:

  Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal receives a NIMBLE ELDER capabilities overview by Maj. Keith McManus, chief, Future Capabilities, Contingency Operations Division, Operations, Readiness and Exercises Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction...

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  Army Efforts to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction:

  Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal meets with leaders from the U.S. Army Nuclear and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Field Operating Agency to discuss their mission, current priorities, and capabilities. USANCA is task organized under...

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  Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction:

  Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal receives information on the NIMBLE ELDER Rapid Deployment Vehicle system from Ken Myers (center), director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and Maj. Keith McManus (right), chief, Future Capabilities...

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  Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction:

  Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal is greeted by Ken Myers (center), director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and Col. Robert Cornelius (left), chief, Contingency Operations Division, Operations, Readiness and Exercises Directorate, DTRA...

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (March 20, 2013) -- Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal met with leaders from the U.S. Army Nuclear and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Field Operating Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to discuss their mission, current priorities, and capabilities.

U.S. Army Nuclear and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Field Operating Agency, or USANCA, is task organized under the Army G-3/5/7 and provides Nuclear and Combating weapons of mass destruction, or WMD, planning, execution and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear, known as CBRN, effects expertise in order to meet Army combating weapons of mass destruction, or CWMD, operational requirements. This Field Operating Agency has 34 personnel consisting of a mix of senior Department of the Army Civilians and Army Officers with specialized CBRN technical expertise.

The organization provides deployable team to assist Army Service Component Commands and select Combatant Command staffs with CWMD planning expertise, and supports the development of Army CWMD capabilities.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, or DTRA, addresses the entire spectrum of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive threats. DTRA's programs include research and development, operational support to deployed troops, and an in-house WMD think tank that aims to anticipate and mitigate future threats before they harm the United States and our allies.

The agency works with the each of the military services, other U.S. government agencies, and countries around the globe, on counter-proliferation, non-proliferation and critical WMD reduction issues.

Westphal's visit to each organization provided him situational awareness on key programs and initiatives to better advise the Secretary of the Army and prioritize Army resources.