Commander presents integrated capabilities at AUSA

By Bethani A. Edwards, 20th CBRNE Command Public AffairsOctober 17, 2014

Commander presents integrated capabilities at AUSA
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. JB Burton, 20th CBRNE Commander, speaks at the AUSA Warrior's Corner Oct. 15, 2014 in the District of Columbia. Burton's presentation, "Integrated Solutions for Integrated Threats," detailed how the 20th CBRNE delivers ready, reliable and ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Commander presents integrated capabilities at AUSA
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. JB Burton, 20th CBRNE Commander, speaks at the AUSA Warrior's Corner Oct. 15, 2014 in the District of Columbia. Burton's presentation, "Integrated Solutions for Integrated Threats," detailed how the 20th CBRNE delivers ready, reliable and ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Commander presents integrated capabilities at AUSA
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. JB Burton, 20th CBRNE Commander, speaks at the AUSA Warrior's Corner Oct. 15, 2014 in the District of Columbia. Burton's presentation, "Integrated Solutions for Integrated Threats," detailed how the 20th CBRNE delivers ready, reliable and ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Commander presents integrated capabilities at AUSA
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. JB Burton, 20th CBRNE Commander, speaks at the AUSA Warrior's Corner Oct. 15, 2014 in the District of Columbia. Burton's presentation, "Integrated Solutions for Integrated Threats," detailed how the 20th CBRNE delivers ready, reliable and ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The U.S. Army's only formation for combating chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats to the nation presented at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference Wednesday in the District of Columbia.

20th CBRNE Commander (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives), Brig. Gen. JB Burton, delivered his briefing titled "Integrated Solutions for Integrated Threats" at the AUSA Warrior's Corner to detail how the command provides its unique capabilities to the Department of Defense.

"We are charged to provide the nation with ready, reliable CBRNE forces anytime, anywhere," Burton said to a packed audience.

Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. and assigned to the U.S. Army Forces Command, the 20th CBRNE Command consists of 5,000 Soldiers and 225 civilians at 19 installations in 16 states and operates routinely across the globe. It is comprised of 85 percent of the active Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and CBRN units.

"Our EOD and CBRN forces are distributed in close proximity to major Army combat units, other services, as well as CONUS first responders," Burton said. "We maintain a 24-7 focus on countering the broad range of CBRNE hazards at home and abroad."

Burton explained that the global strategic environment is complicated by potential adversaries with the technology necessary to employ hazards ranging from radiological dispersal devices to toxic chemicals and biotoxins to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This new reality mandates a rapidly deployable, tailorable and scalable CBRNE capability capable of effective integration and decisive employment in unified land operations.

The command, in partnership with the combat training centers (CTCs) and other members of the CBRNE communities of purpose, has constructed industrial scale training venues and targets at the CTCs. This will provide Soldiers an opportunity to encounter full-scale CBRNE hazards that include roadside IEDs, underground facilities, life-sized chemical and biological laboratories and nuclear production/reprocessing facilities.

Burton also presented information on the concepts the command is testing at the CTCs for task organizing CBRNE capabilities into a CBRNE Battalion Task Force with a mission command element, and he outlined the command's proposed regional alignment strategy. Both concepts ensure that the Army's only formation with specialized CBRNE capabilities is ready, reliable and globally responsive.

"We are organizing to be tailorable and scalable to further increase our tactical and operational capabilities through the integration of echeloned mission command and tactical reach-back capabilities," Burton said.

The commander also highlighted the 20th CBRNEs role in countering the recent Ebola outbreak in Western Africa.

He said that the command has Soldiers preparing to deploy in support of Operation United Assistance, the DoDs new mission to help prevent the spread of Ebola in Liberia.

When audience members asked how the command interacts with other agencies, Burton pointed out that his Soldiers routinely support and train with joint, special operations, interagency and international CBRNE organizations.

"Great partnerships with Army Reserve and Federal agency components are a critical aspect of our capabilities," Burton said.

Burton closed his brief by saying that his command will continue to refine their specialized capabilities to provide the best trained CBRNE units and Soldiers in support of homeland defense and overseas contingencies.

"Our mission is critical to the security of our nation, and our unit has become a national asset that is important to the success of combating CBRNE threats," Burton said. "We are the nation's only force of its kind -- tested and proven in combat -- and we are proud of it."

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