Defense Threat Reduction Agency completes NUWAIX 15

FORT BELVOIR, VA, UNITED STATES

05.07.2015

Story by Ronald Lovas 

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

FORT BELVOIR, ALEXANDRIA, Va. –- Imagine that a U.S. nuclear capable submarine base is attacked by a domestic terrorist organization with transnational connections and the assistance of an insider.

This was the scenario for NUWAIX 15 or Nuclear Weapons Accident/Incident Exercise, a full-scale national incident response exercise, executed at Naval Base Kitsap/Bangor near Silverdale, Washington, in May.

The goal of NUWAIX 15 was to enhance major commands’ and the installation’s ability to respond to-and mitigate the consequences of an attack involving a U.S. nuclear weapon in the Continental U.S., to build upon existing relationships between federal, state and local response communities and to refine expertise across the entire response spectrum.

Serving as the U.S. Department of Defense lead to plan nuclear weapon accident and incident exercises and link them to other national-level exercises, DTRA worked side-by-side with participants and observers from DOD, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Washington State National Guard, and Washington’s Kitsap County Emergency Services to execute the exercise objectives.

"The exercise participants tackled the most complex weapons incident exercise that DTRA has ever conducted - and they did extremely well,” said Exercise Director Brig. Gen. Greg Otey, Chief of the Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate, DTRA J10. “The partnership and professionalism demonstrated by these players during the yearlong planning and subsequent high-tempo execution of the exercise was a model of teamwork and cooperation - exactly what is needed when responding to these types of events. Not only did we learn some valuable lessons to refine our procedures, but we gained a strong confidence that this team is ready to tackle any accident or incident at any time, however remote the chance of such an event occurring.”

DTRA personnel established and maintained effective command, control, and communications throughout the event; and managed the timely and coordinated release of information among the interagency, the public, and the news media.

Of this effort, DTRA Director, Mr Ken Myers said, “I'm very proud of the DTRA team that planned and executed NUWAIX 15, integrating and managing over 1,500 participants who made up a whole of government response. Our lead, Maj Matt Kershner, and his team did an incredible job. DTRA’s motto is ‘Making the World Safer,’ and I guarantee that our world is a bit safer today because of the superb exercise this team developed and executed in Washington."

DTRA/SCC-WMD safeguards America’s interests from weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high explosives) by controlling and reducing the threat to the United States and its allies, and providing quality tools and services for the war fighter. This Department of Defense combat support agency is located at Fort Belvoir, Va. and operates field offices worldwide.

• Date Taken: 05.07.2015
• Date Posted: 05.15.2015 14:41
• Story ID: 163467
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VA, US