Photo By Jessica Lewis | The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) leadership presents the awarded Joint...... read more read more
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By Jessica Lewis, DTRA Public Affairs
FORT BELVOIR, Virginia, – The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA), the second highest award a unit can receive, for efforts that enabled the Joint Force, Department of Defense, United States Government Agencies, International Organizations, and Partner Nations to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and Threat Networks, from Jun. 1, 2017, to Sep. 1, 2020.
DTRA Deputy Director Major General Antonio M. Fletcher said the award recognizes the exemplary performance of duty by the DTRA team and highlights the Agency’s ability to come together to execute a mission that truly makes a difference every day.
“This award recognizes our ability to solve some of the toughest operational problems and most complex research and development challenges to date,” he said. “That is a direct reflection of your hard work and dedication to our mission.”
Personnel assigned to the agency for at least 30 days during the award period are eligible to receive and wear the award. The award consists of service ribbons for military members, lapel pins for civilian employees and a unit streamer for the DTRA flag. Ribbons and lapel pins will be issued to current employees shortly, according to an email from the Agency’s Human Resource Directorate.
The award citation, signed by then Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller and dated January 11, 2021, highlights DTRA’s efforts to enabled the nuclear deterrent as the designated center of excellence for mission assurance assessments, supporting the Nation's Strategic Nuclear Forces with over 70 key assessments and related stockpile management activities.
Additional, the agency is recognized for significantly increasing U.S. and Allied biological defenses by delivering significant capabilities to combat disease including the deadly Ebola virus and Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Its research and development efforts resulted in U.S. Food and Drug Administration licensure of the first certified Ebola virus disease vaccine, which protected over 290,000 service members and health care workers.
The citation also makes note of the agency support to the Department of Health and Human Services and United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) by enabling the delivery of more than 500,000 coronavirus test kits to the U.S. in only 55 hours, and for the development and fielding of the Transport Isolation System (TIS) to be used for infected patients.
MG Fletcher called the award a clear reflection of the efforts he has seen firsthand, and he praised DTRA personnel for executing a mission that spans across the WMD-threat spectrum.
DTRA additionally supported USTRANSCOM with more than 15 missions employing the TIS, and transporting nearly 100 U.S. military and DoD COVID-19 positive patients from five countries to Germany for treatment. The TIS allows medical care to be provided to patients in-flight while protecting the aircrew, medical personnel, and the aircraft from contamination or infection.
The agency was also recognized for the threat network analyses to forward deployed Joint and Coalition Forces, significantly contributing to the fight against non-state and proxy actors.
Authorized by the secretary of defense on June 10, 1981, the JMUA is awarded to joint activities for meritorious achievement or service for actions in combat, a declared national emergency or extraordinary circumstances that involve national interest, according to DoD Manual 1348.33, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards.
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The Defense Threat Reduction Agency enables the Department of Defense, the United States Government and International partners to counter and deter weapons of mass destruction and improvised threat networks.
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2021 10:08 |
| Story ID: | 388061 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 618 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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