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CONTENTS CECOM Showcases 6 A.I. Flow

10 Connected 18 Extraordinary 28 People First 36 Ready 46 Installation Guide 54 Puzzles 56 MWR 58 Puzzle Answers 4

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND APG Senior Commander Maj. Gen. James D. Turinetti IV APG Garrison Commander Col. Philip J. Mundweil The Proof is collated, compiled, and edited by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command’s G-9/Strategic Communications Team, the APG Garrison Public Affairs Team, and with the assistance of public affairs offices from tenant commands throughout APG, APG South, and Adelphi.

DC Military/ APG Media Regional President Orestes Baez Executive Editor Eli Wohlenhaus ewohlenhaus@dcmilitary.com 240-801-2258 Account Executive Ryan Ebaugh David Murch Jason O’Neill Kim Spencer Designer Steve Baird

The Proof magazine is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The Proof magazine are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or Aberdeen Proving Ground. The content of this publication is the responsibility of the CECOM Strategic Communications Office and editorial staff from APG Media of Chesapeake, LLC. Ideas and news items for The Proof magazine can be sent to usarmy.apg.imcom.mbx.apgpao@mail.mil The Proof magazine is published by APG Media of Chesapeake, LLC.APG Media of Chesapeake, LLC is located at 29088 Airpark Drive, Easton, MD 21601.

Telephone (301) 921-2800. Commercial advertising should be placed with the printer. APG Media of Chesapeake, LLC Publications is a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, to include all inserts and supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser shall result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

APG FMWR Has Banner Year!

Joseph Moscone It wasn’t that long ago that the Family and Morale, Welfare, Recreation (FMWR) program was in the midst of the COVID period, dealing with facility closures, depleted customer base, labor shortages, and deep financial losses which placed services for the APG community at significant risk.

In keeping with the Command intent to expand food options on the installation, the first TOB Quarterly Community Luncheon was held this year, and based on positive feedback, will continue into 2025. New operations such as Mission Barbeque at Ruggles Golf Course, Eat Like A Greek Café at the Bowling Center, and the new TOB Bay Breeze Food Truck were all introduced this year to expand food offerings. Plans are also underway to host a Community Farmers Market at the installation in 2025, another initiative to expand food offerings.

However, those times appear to be behind us, as the 2024 calendar year reflected continued expansion in our programming, increased facility usage, and strong financial performance and profitability. In 2024, overall weekly usage in our facilities averaged 10,000 patrons, the highest level in many years. Use of virtually all categories of FMWR facilities, including the Shore Park Pool, Gyms, Lodging, Youth, Food, Outdoor Recreation, and Golf continue to climb, which is great for our business. The current strong footing FMWR is on now is due to the unwavering dedication of its workforce, and the loyalty and commitment of its customers, for which FMWR is extremely grateful.

Of all the achievements in 2024, nothing was more important than the quality of care provided at the Child and Youth Services (CYS) facilities. 2024 brought FMWR an unannounced Army Higher Headquarters Inspection (AHHI), a very intense, detailed, and comprehensive assessment of all CYS programs to validate compliance with DOD Certification/National Accreditation standards. Needless to say, APG received outstanding results, showing the true caliber and professionalism of the CYS team. That same team continues to increase, as three very successful Job Fairs were held in 2024, which will help expand the capacity in our CYS Centers to support more patrons.

In 2024, FMWR was proud to deliver a broad range of special events and programs to the APG community to foster morale and quality of life for our patrons.

And speaking of quality, the APG Army Community Service (ACS) program has continued to be recognized as the first ACS of IMCOM-Sustainment receiving an on-site inspection to achieve full DOD Certification on their very first attempt. From Family Advocacy to Financial Readiness and Relocation Assistance, ACS continues to support those in need; the 2024 Operation Holiday Cheer program helped support 72 families with over 38 sponsors contributing, the most since this program’s inception.

APG Director, FMWR

For starters, the 2024 special Run to Honor, in support of our wonderful Gold Star Families, was the first FMWR-sponsored live/on-site run held since pre-COVID, and was also the first run conducted in concert with our new partner, Blue Cheetah.

Speaking of partnerships, the year also brought APG youths a successful Tell Me a Story event, a program highlighting literacy and involving a myriad of community agencies, and held in conjunction with another great partner of FMWR, the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).

Record numbers attended this year’s Fall Fest and Haunted House festivities at the APG Recreation Center, which included an expanded Trunk or Treat vehicle production from various units and organizations from across APG. The Fall Fest has grown into an exciting event involving not only FMWR, but numerous other partners and volunteers.

Frigid temperatures and high winds didn’t stop APG residents, Santa, his elves, and even the Grinch from kicking off the holidays with FMWR and attending a very successful 2024 Tree Lighting event, held this year in a new location and with a new tree! And a freshly renovated Top of the Bay (TOB) Club facility wrapped up the year with several holiday events, not the least of which was Breakfast with Santa, a sell-out.

Several other events were held throughout the year which have become best practices, including the Spring Kick-Off/Commanders Cup Golf Tourney, the first-ever Parent-Child Ball, hosting of the County Bowling Championships, and a special Wounded Warrior Skeet Shooting display involving a wonderful group of Warriors from Walter Reed Medical Center, which is now an annual event. And ITR (Information-TicketingRegistration), in addition to expanding its inventory of discounted tickets to record levels, re-instituted a series of bus trips and tours to places like NY City and Washington DC, all with sell-out results. Separate from these events, our Recreation Center began a range of instructional classes, including aerobics, spinning, and yoga, all with renewed support of community well-being and fitness.

FMWR’s business operations continued its strong momentum in 2024, with overall profitability reaching the top echelon of Army-wide FMWR Funds. As a result, over 40% of these funds are being re-invested into facilities and capital purchases to increase customer satisfaction.

Upgrade of Lodging rooms; new Golf Carts; new Outdoor Recreation rental products from pontoon boats to bouncy houses; Marina repairs; new Gym equipment; and food service equipment replacements are examples of how increased funds are being used to improve services.

New Physical Fitness center scanning systems have also been purchased and installed, making both Gym facilities accessible for patrons around the clock.

Yes, 2024 was certainly a banner year for FMWR and has set the trend for a successful 2025. There is more work to do however, as customer satisfaction remains a top priority. To that end, feedback from customers is vital to ensure their desires are being addressed. Reaching out through FMWR social media links shown below, and attendance at the quarterly APG Community Exchange (ACE) are good ways to foster feedback and information. In the meantime, FMWR remains proud to be serving the APG community and appreciates the support of all patrons.

Website: https://aberdeen.armymwr.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APGMWR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apgmwr/ X: https://twitter.com/APGMWR YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCoAiEcpqoXL0HcDPdau-d-w Flicker: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apgfmwr/albums

5

CECOM Software Engineering Center Showcases A.I. Flow Austin Fox CECOM Public Affairs

In a sea of cubicles on the fifth floor of the Communications-Electronics Command headquarters building, Frank Frisby readies himself for an afternoon meeting. Frisby’s space is nondescript, a typical corner of the Software Engineering Center’s Technical Services Directorate. There’s heavier than normal traffic throughout his space, but only because his office neighbor, roughly an arm’s length away, offers an impressive spread of candy and snacks.

Frisby’s desk is about as normal as an office space can be: barely legible notes on the whiteboard behind him, a notebook next to his keyboard, and a mug with worn lettering from his son that reminds Frisby that he’s a superhero.

As he settles in just before 2 p.m., he stares into the distance. His gaze is toward his monitors, but he is not focused on anything. At the moment, he’s relying more on sound than vision. He listens as his colleague, Scott Tobias, gives introductions for the virtual meeting that will start in a moment. Tobias begins to discuss what Frisby will present over the next hour.

Frisby, a data scientist with CECOM SEC, has given this presentation over a dozen times within the last few months, and over a dozen more are scheduled.

For this meeting, Frisby and his team will provide a demonstration to representatives from U.S. Army Futures Command.

A few minutes after the meeting starts, Frisby gets himself set as Tobias finishes his introductions. His right leg, grounded by his foot that is planted like an anchor on the seabed, bounces in place. He rubs his hands together in his final few seconds before pressing the microphone on his screen to unmute himself.

Frisby is at the helm of the CECOM SEC team that is responsible for A.I. Flow, an application built organically within the center that delivers artificial

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Frank Frisby, a data scientist with the U.S. Army CommunicationsElectronics Command Software Engineering Center, stands in front of a server stack at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland |Ann Gonzalez, CECOM

intelligence capabilities to customers throughout the Army.

Since October 2024, A.I. Flow has matured exponentially. The A.I. Flow team has doubled in size, adding engineers and specialists focused on stakeholder engagement. The user base is larger and more diverse, up from a few dozen to over 600 throughout various Army organizations.

“It’s amazing to see a product where you start with ‘file—new’ and has the potential to have thousands of users,” Frisby said. “It does feel like a bit of a dream.”

The time is now 2:05 p.m., and Frisby prepares to take over. He shifts his weight in his chair and rubs his chin. He unmutes his microphone, begins sharing his screen, and thanks those on the call for their interest in A.I. Flow.

This demonstration, like most in recent weeks, was scheduled after the team received a request to talk about their product. Leaders in the AI space from across the Army are interested in A.I. Flow and the team behind it.

Frisby is presenting to Army Futures Command, one of the Army’s leaders for innovation and new technology.

Other AI leaders to whom A.I. Flow has been showcased include the office of the United States Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology; Project Linchpin; and the U.S. Army Program Executive Office—Intelligence, Electronic Warfare & Sensors.

These meetings vary in focus; some are more technical, usually involving engineers or specialists who are interested from a professional viewpoint, while others watch the demonstration to consider bringing the platform into their organization.

Jesse Lefever, a business management analyst with PEO IEW&S, has been using the platform in his dayto-day work following a demo provided by the A.I. Flow team.

“I personally have started incorporating the capability but feel I have only begun to scratch the surface of what the tool could provide in the future,” Lefever said. “The advanced capabilities make it a valuable addition to our toolkit.”

Frisby is now a few moments into his presentation.

The AFC representatives on the line are seen only as squares in a Microsoft Teams meeting, but the venue is peripheral for him. Frisby’s passion for AI and the product his team has built radiates through every presentation he gives, virtual or in person.

Frisby is uploading sample documents to demonstrate the power of A.I. Flow. Schematics and drawings of a military vehicle pop into his dashboard as he narrates his work. With several documents uploaded, Frisby gives his agent a command.

“Come up with the total cost of parts, total cost of labor, and total time to build,” Frisby says as he types.

The program thinks for a few seconds, sifting through the documents uploaded and processing his request.

After about 15 seconds, the A.I. agent produces a response. Given the parameters of this request, the user, in this case Frisby, is given the costs of parts, labor, and a proposed timeline.

With technical support from Microsoft Azure Government OpenAI infrastructure, A.I. Flow can produce content in a few seconds that could take a team of people days or weeks.

CECOM SEC Director Garrett Shoemaker appreciates the impact of what the team has done.

“It’s something we’re very proud of,” Shoemaker said. “We’re able to build AI agents to do specified tasks.”

Shoemaker’s pride in A.I. Flow is especially apparent when discussing CECOM SEC’s partnerships with other agencies. Citing A.I. Flow’s work with the U.S. Army Contracting Command—Aberdeen Proving Ground, he notes the program’s success in supporting ACC-APG with military contract writing, a process that is often meticulous and interminable.

“We can provide information to the AI agent, and the agent can produce those documents much quicker than a human can at a very high confidence percentage.” Shoemaker said.

Frisby is nearing the end of his demonstration, and to leave the group with a forward-facing finale, he spotlights a new tool that A.I. Flow offers: Team Flow.

A.I. Flow provides users with their own agents, a tailored, individualized approach for each user that is siloed. However, inclined to offer an experience that maximizes efficiency for entire organizations, A.I. Flow also allows teams to post work in a collaborative space.

For example, a team of software engineers could use Team Flow to support a project that relies on group work. Specifically, if a new teammate onboards the project, they have a searchable repository with the team’s work to get caught up.

As Frisby explains this function to the group, he’s 7

noticeably proud. He executes example searches to demonstrate the tool’s ability.

At the end of his presentation, he asks the group if they have any questions. The squares on his screen representing the people in the meeting begin to light up, virtual hands in the air across the checkerboard of the MS Teams meeting.

Scott Tobias, the CECOM SEC project lead working with the A.I. Flow team to support strategic engagement, understands that a sustainable path forward is key as interest grows in the program.

“The short-term goal over the next month is to finalize the rollout to [CECOM] SEC,” Tobias said, referencing A.I. Flow’s new availability to the entire CECOM SEC workforce.

“I think the goal after that is to continue stabilizing the application, making sure the guardrails are in place for the subscription plan, and then starting to onboard customers.”

Tobias added that throughout this short term, A.I. Flow continues to give demonstrations across the Army.

As the meeting concludes and the team answers any final questions, Frisby is already thinking about how to improve A.I. Flow. He took notes during the meeting, jotting down anything he noticed that might need attention.

Several well-known AI services exist throughout the DOD, and more are on the way. The tricky balance to strike is building something that is secure, reliable, and user-friendly. The reception has been resoundingly positive for the A.I. Flow team following demonstrations and limited pilot programs to other organizations.

CECOM SEC is working to deliver a service that is tailored for each user, cost-effective, and consistently reliable.

“What has me really excited is the possibilities for what others can do,” Frisby said. “When you have a tool like this, it can allow people to really test their boundaries.”

“It supports the Army in transforming over the next few years, and we’re really excited to be a part of that.”

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Dragon Soldiers enhance CBRN defense knowledge through professional development visit

By Matthew Gunther JPEO-CBRND Public Affairs

On Oct.11, 2024, officers from the 3rd Chemical Brigade based at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, visited the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Joint Science and Technology Office, components of the DOD’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program, to learn more about their programs and how science and technology and advanced development efforts are keeping warfighters protected in CBRN contested environments. The engagement at Aberdeen Proving Ground exposed unit leaders to the Army capability development and modernization enterprise through a series of discussions and hands-on demonstrations of leading CBRN defense equipment. To kick off the event, Deputy JPEO Nicole Kilgore welcomed the group and briefed the Dragon Soldiers on the JPEOCBRND’s programs, focusing on ways the organization is modernizing to meet warfighter needs.

The group visited the Washington, D.C., area to participate in the Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition and run the Army 10-miler race. In the spirit of leadership development, the JPEO-CBRND invited the unit’s Soldiers to APG to learn more about the many opportunities that exist within the DOD CBRND

The 3rd Chemical Brigade get a hands-on tour of the Stryker Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade. |Matthew Gunther, JPEO-CBRND

Deputy Joint Program Executive Officer Nicole Kilgore overviews the process of advanced development for the chemical officers from the 3rd Chemical Brigade and shares how JPEO-CBRND is modernizing our capabilities to meet the joint force’s CBRN defense needs. |Matthew Gunther, JPEO-CBRND

enterprise. Specifically, how defense acquisition, S&T, and advanced development combine to deliver the equipment the joint force will use in the future fight.

Following Kilgore’s opening remarks, JPEO-CBRND and JSTO program managers and subject matter experts presented specific programs within their lines of effort. A highlight of these sessions was a live demonstration of the CBRN Support to Command and Control which displayed how real-time data gathered from sensors and diagnostic equipment deployed during a CBRN event is integrated within various layers of other operational data to allow leaders at all levels to make informed decisions regarding their units.

Finally, the event wrapped up with an overview and tour of JPEO-CBRND’s Stryker Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade, led by Assistant Program Manager Nicole Goetze and the Joint Project Manager for CBRN Sensors Tim Tharp. The officers observed how the NBCRV is changing the CBRN battlefield using its integrated autonomous sensors.

Not only did the visit provide a professional development opportunity for the chemical officers to explore the many paths their career might take, but it also provided the JPEO with valuable end-user feedback. The engagement introduced the chemical officers to the innovative ways JPEO-CBRND is modernizing its portfolio. JPEO-CBRND continues to lead the way for CBRN Defense by building and strengthening communication and collaboration with warfighters through these visits.

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Chemical officers from the 3rd Chemical Brigade meet with staff from the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The 3rd Chemical BDE junior officers, based at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, were invited to APG to learn more about science and technology and advanced development in hopes of furthering their understanding of the defense acquisition process for their Army careers and beyond. |Matthew Gunther, JPEO-CBRND

Soldiers provide input on microsensor tech developed in partnership with ROK Martin Parker DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center hosted a Soldier touchpoint event at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Edgewood, Maryland, to test out new unmanned drones equipped with a set of microsensors developed in conjunction with the Republic of Korea’s Agency for Defense Development. Soldier touchpoints are one of the first major milestones in testing a potential technology to be fielded.

The microsensor effort began as a partnership between the Center and ROK ADD in 2018 to successfully meet the stringent form-factor requirements set forth by the customer. Kevin Wan, a DEVCOM CBC chemical engineer and project manager for the microchemical sensor effort, called in ROK ADD for assistance with the three-gram sensor size requirement while his team focused on suitable use cases. Both 12

centers pushed to complete their collaborative effort in time for this upcoming user assessment.

“The design space was quite limiting to begin with, so we worked with our Korean partners to get this working on a three-gram payload,”Wan said.“The hornet drones are great at intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, but adding chemical-sensing capabilities would further its use cases – this is what we primarily wanted to focus on.”

The effort came to a head on July 31, 2024 when the Center hosted Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve’s 455 Chemical Brigade, headquartered in Sloan, Nevada, as well as their partners from ROK ADD, which serves as their DEVCOM equivalent, in an exercise where all participants could give concerted feedback on the drones and sensors.

Initial funding for the project came from DEVCOM Soldier Center in Natick, Massachusetts, which had the need for a sensor weighing no more than three grams.

This form factor would specifically fit on the Black

Hornet III, a currently fielded minuscule drone platform weighing in at 38 grams. The project received funding from the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy International Cooperation Office’s Coalition Warfare Program and other organizations.

Wan and his team shifted their focus on the sensor’s early warning detection capabilities against a chemical threat – whether it may be a nerve or blister agent.

They then focused their efforts on redundancy and reliability to increase detection. “Having two independent sensors provide the same response would increase the confidence of detection,” said Wan. “That redundancy and reliability coupled with a low limit of detection for early warning is critical to us and our Soldiers.”

To test their prototypes, DEVCOM CBC invited CBRN specialists to learn how to fly these drones and run a simulated scenario involving piloting the Black Hornets into various tents in an enclosed space with one of the tents housing a simulated agent. Cpl. Brittney Batimana, one of the Soldiers involved, said that the new drones would increase Soldiers’ safety and mission success.

“It’s pretty simple – once you get comfortable with

the camera’s point of view, it’s easy to identify your targets,” Batimana said. “Our job is to identify and decontaminate hazards: this is just another way for us to always stay prepared if a situation were to ever turn chemical.”

The collaborative effort between the two centers was evident throughout the Soldier touchpoint and mirrored the success of this joint development process.

“We love to work together with our partners,” Wan said. “Highly competent and highly intelligent. What we both want to see going forward are more use cases and increasing the library of threats that can be detected.”

This sentiment was further echoed by Dr. Myung Kyu Park, Wan’s ROK ADD counterpart and micro chemical sensor project manager: “We do very well together – [they] worked very hard to see that these sensors work.”

Increasing the library of substances to detect would include various explosives, narcotics, or industrial chemicals, furthering the drone’s use cases significantly beyond the ISR realm. With the success of the Soldier touchpoint exercise, Wan and his team know that the form factor lends itself to an even wider variety of scenarios.

A chemical specialist from Nevada’s 455th Chemical Brigade operates a Black Hornet drone during a chemical agent detection exercise at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The Soldier touchpoint event utilized the prototypes in a scenario where operators had to detect simulated chemicals with the drone’s onboard sensors. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

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Premier U.S. Army CBRNE Command hosts South Korean counterparts for exercise

The U.S. Army’s 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command hosted the Republic of Korea Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Defense Command for Exercise Liberty Shield. Leaders from the 20th CBRNE Command welcomed their South Korean counterparts to their headquarters on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Sept. 25, 2024. |Marshall R. Mason, U.S. Army

Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

American and South Korean military leaders held a tabletop exercise to strengthen their combined counter Weapons of Mass Destruction posture, Sept.

25, 2024.

The U.S. Army’s 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command hosted the Republic of Korea Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Defense Command for Exercise Liberty Shield.

Leaders from the 20th CBRNE Command welcomed their South Korean counterparts to their headquarters on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in Northeast Maryland’s science, technology, and security corridor.

American Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states 14

to confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations.

The 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army’s CBRN specialists and Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams (Infrastructure).

Established in 2002, the ROK CBRN Defense Command incorporates personnel from all branches of the South Korean Armed Forces.

The ROK CBRN Defense Command and 20th CBRNE Command routinely train together in the U.S. and South Korea.

From peninsula-wide exercises in South Korea to field training exercises at the National Training Center on Fort Irwin, California, the allied commands have forged an enduring partnership, much like the enduring alliance they support.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general for 20th CBRNE Command, met with her counterpart, ROK Army Brig. Gen. Jaehoon Yoo, the commanding general of the ROK CBRN Defense Command.

Yoo said the relationship between the two highly specialized commands continues to strengthen the counter Weapons of Mass Destruction posture on the Korean Peninsula.

Bochat emphasized the importance of the annual meeting to the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the CBRNE forces that serve in it.

Bochat previously served as the first female chief of staff in the 107-year history of the storied South Korea-based 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division.

“The relationships that I have had personally and professionally both on and off the peninsula cannot be overstated,” Bochat said.

The ROK-U.S. Alliance was officially established by the Mutual Defense Treaty that was signed on October 1, 1953.

The ROK-U.S. Alliance has provided the security on the Korean Peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia that enabled the meteoric rise of South Korea from the ashes of war to become one of the world’s leading economic and cultural powers.

Premier U.S. Army CBRNE command trains with interagency partners during exercise Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

The U.S. military’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command trained Sept. 16–20, 2024, with nearly 300 personnel from 52 federal, state, local, and private industry partners during “Exercise Toxic Buckeye” in Ohio and West Virginia.

Army civilian employees from the U.S. Army 20th CBRNE Command conducted an accident-response exercise with partners from Battelle, FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia National Guard during the full-scale Chemical Incident or Mishap Response and Assistance exercise.

“Exercise Toxic Buckeye” simulated responses to a trio of emergencies, including a U.S. Army helicopter crash, an airplane crash, and an accident involving a ground convoy carrying Schedule 1 chemical surety material.

The Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty allows state parties, such as the United States, to use Schedule 1 chemicals “for research, medical, pharmaceutical or protective purposes.”

Highly trained U.S. Army civilian employees from the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity are the designated professionals in the U.S. Department of Defense authorized to transport chemical surety material off military installations.

The CARA also supports remediation of formerly used defense sites and conducts emergency responses – both overseas and stateside – to identify and assess Recovered Chemical Warfare Materiel. CARA is part of the U.S. Army’s 20th CBRNE Command.

CARA civilians who escort and transport surety materials are armed and trained to respond to incidents or mishaps. CARA maintains organic airlift capabilities to support missions with U.S. Army civilian pilots who are dual rated to fly both UH-72 helicopters and C-12J2 aircraft.

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In addition to responding to the simulated helicopter crash, the exercise included transportation of a laboratory worker with a simulated injury to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Dr. Nicholas E. Kman, the medical team manager for FEMA Search and Research Ohio Task Force 1, one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams, said the exercise enabled the different organizations to increase their collective readiness.

“It was pretty realistic. I was impressed with how long people wore full facepieces on a relatively hot day,” Kman said. “At the Ohio State University, we had our nurses, doctors, and pharmacists all work together to discuss the care of the patient. We talked through our treatment and disposition of the patient.”

A graduate of the Ohio State University medical school who completed his residency training in emergency med-

icine at Wake Forrest University, Kman joined Ohio Task Force 1 in 2009 because he wanted to be a physician first responder to disasters.

As a part of Ohio Task Force 1, Kman has deployed for Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Hurricane Dorian in 2018, and Hurricane Laura in 2020 as well as Hurricane Ida in 2021 and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Kman said the exercise enabled the interagency partners to forge stronger ties.

“The highlight for me was seeing all the civilian and military resources convening to respond to the incident.

It was great to see Columbus Fire Hazmat, Ohio National Guard’s 52nd Civil Support Team, U.S. Army, and the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center all participating with Battelle,” Kman said. “It is good for these organizations to learn each other’s processes prior to an actual event.”

The U.S. military’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command trained Sept. 16–20, 2024, with nearly 300 personnel from 52 federal, state, local, and private industry partners during “Exercise Toxic Buckeye” in Ohio and West Virginia. Army civilian employees from the U.S. Army 20th CBRNE Command conducted an accident-response exercise with partners from Battelle, FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia National Guard during the full-scale Chemical Incident or Mishap Response and Assistance exercise. |Maj. Steven M. Modugno, 20th CBRNE Command

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At Aberdeen Proving Ground, we create barrier-shattering innovations that forged our Nation’s history and guide our present day advancements to keep pace with emerging 21st century threats.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND | WINTER 2024

Identifying pathogens in the field with F-FAST

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Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology team outside the Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory permafrost tunnel near Fairbanks, Alaska during Arctic Edge 24. |Courtesy photo, DEVCOM CBC

Martin Parker DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs

Future battlefields require an on-the-go approach to the identification of whatever biological threat our warfighters may come across. One such approach – Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology, or F-FAST – uses rapid DNA and RNA sequencing systems for biothreat identification in far-forward environments.

While these types of tests normally require a degree of scientific know-how, researchers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center are working to make F-FAST’s rapid testing methods quicker and simpler than ever to address all potential biothreats – including those that are emerging and genetically modified.

As opposed to the previous forms of assays (e.g.,

COVID-19 type tests), there is a need for DNA/RNA sequencing capability – the next frontier in pathogen identification – as the threat of modified pathogens can obfuscate traditional methods. According to CBC Research Biologist Dr. Cory Bernhards, F-FAST’s technology to perform rapid sequencing in the field, reach-back genome assembly can then be the catalyst to create countermeasures such as therapeutics or vaccines.

“The big thing is that most operators are not laboratory trained,” Bernhards said. “We’ve greatly simplified the sample preparation process for DNA and RNA sequencing in the field. We’ve moved to using syringes instead of pipettes, scaled up liquid volumes and reduced time and steps that are needed. As a result, we have developed the fastest DNA and RNA sequencing systems in the world, where military operators can go from sample to result in under 30 minutes.”

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F-FAST is sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the program recently transitioned the warfighter-focused systems to the Far-Forward Biological Sequencing Program of Record at the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense.

Other F-FAST partners include the Naval Research Laboratory and United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. While these partners focus on targeted sequencing, DEVCOM CBC have their sights set toward untargeted, whole genome sequencing.

“We obtain direct feedback from military operators during field tests on all aspects of our sequencing systems,” Bernhards said. “Then we immediately incorporate the feedback to develop the next iteration of the system. Using this approach, frequent field testing has enabled rapid development of these sequencing systems which are specifically designed to meet operator needs.”

F-FAST’s “quick and dirty” method of sequencing is its biggest attractor – good enough to identify a biothreat while also generating the sequencing data for further

analysis. Getting warfighters the information they need quickly is critical in a field/combat setting.

“Even though we’ve simplified the sample preparation process for DNA/RNA sequencing drastically, operators would still prefer an automated sample preparation device to reduce their burden in the field,” Bernhards said.

“So, this is what we are currently working toward.”

The F-FAST team has participated in field exercises as often as every three months during development, with each new challenge breeding even more innovation.

F-FAST has been pushed to show its prowess in harsh environmental conditions such as Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, in the summer, up to 100 ºF, and Fairbanks, Alaska, in the winter, down to 0 ºF. In the few months left of the F-FAST program, the team is looking forward to additional field experiments at Beholder’s Gaze 24 in Oahu, Hawaii, and Dragon Spear RDAX 24 in Perry, Georgia.

After F-FAST was tested at a prior exercise, United States Special Operations Command operators were asked what was further needed. Their response was simple: “We want F-FAST tomorrow.”

United States Special Operations Command operator using Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology in the dark during Arctic Edge 24 inside a permafrost tunnel near Fairbanks, Alaska. |Courtesy photo, DEVCOM CBC

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20th CBRNE Command Defenders win championship during APG Turkey Bowl

Soldiers from the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives command won the championship during the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Turkey Bowl, Nov. 25, 2024. The 20th CBRNE Command “Defenders” outlasted the defending champions from the Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications – Network during the flag football championship game and came away with a 12 – 7 win. |Marshall R. Mason, U.S. Army

Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

Soldiers from the U.S. military’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives command proved their grit on the gridiron by winning the championship during the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Turkey Bowl, Nov. 25, 2024.

The 20th CBRNE Command “Defenders” outlasted the defending champions from the Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications – Network during the flag football championship game and came away with a 12 – 7 win.

The 20th CBRNE Command Defenders defeated four teams to take top honors on the nation’s oldest operation proving ground.

1st Sgt. Christopher D. Holmstadt, the senior enlisted leader for the 20th CBRNE Command Headquarters and Headquarters Company, said Spc. Keon Forbes saved the game for the Defenders with an end zone interception that led to their winning score.

“The team camaraderie was excellent,” said Holmstadt, a Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician from Lake City, Michigan, who has served in the U.S. Army for 18 years.

Holmstadt also credited 20th CBRNE Command Coach Sgt. Traci A. Bennett for shepherding the team to victory in the APG competition.

In the annual intra-command 20th CBRNE Command Turkey Bowl, the noncommissioned officer team went from being down 8 – 6 at halftime to 21

quadrupling the officers’ score 32 – 8 and winning their second consecutive championship title, Nov. 27, 2024.

The 20th CBRNE Command Communication Directorate (G6) took home the trophy during the intra-command field goal kicking contest.

Maj. Steven M. Modugno, the public affairs director for the 20th CBRNE Command, said the 20th CBRNE

Command Soldiers came together for the annual Turkey Bowl in the spirit of friendly competition.

“The 20th CBRNE Command Defenders are always a smart, tough, and tenacious team, both on and off the gridiron,” said Modugno, a native of Santa Clarita, California. “From confronting and defeating the world’s most dangerous hazards to winning championships on the gridiron, our team always brings a winning attitude to the fight.”

20th CBRNE Command marks 20 years of defeating world’s most dangerous hazards Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

The U.S. Department of Defense’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives command marked 20 years of countering the world’s most dangerous hazards on Oct. 16, 2024.

The 20th CBRNE Command held a series of celebratory events over the week to commemorate 20 years of defending liberty.

Established in 2004 to consolidate the U.S. Army units that tackle weapons of mass destruction and explosive hazards across the nation and around the world, the 20th CBRNE Command is headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, to leverage the CBRNE expertise in Northeast Maryland’s science, technology, and security corridor.

The deployable formation relies on the technical reach back capabilities of many commands on Aberdeen Proving Ground, including the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity and Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense.

From World War I through the Global War on Terrorism, units from Aberdeen Proving Ground have helped to safeguard U.S. forces and enable mission readiness.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the Army recognized the

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need for a standing operational command to oversee homeland and worldwide CBRNE response and technical exploitation missions and that led to the establishment of the one-of-a-kind command.

Retired Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Richard Cody drafted the memo that charted the course for the establishment of 20th CBRNE Command when he served as the deputy chief of staff of the Army for operations and plans.

The command recognized Cody with its Defender of Liberty Award in 2019 for his role in creating the critical command.

The multifunctional command was activated as part of U.S. Army Forces Command on Oct. 16, 2004, and originally called the 20th Support Command. It was renamed the 20th CBRNE Command on Oct. 16, 2013, to reflect its mission more accurately.

The 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the Active-Duty Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear units, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams.

With more than 90 occupational specialties, the 20th CBRNE Command brings a wide variety of expertise to the fight.

From serving with conventional and Special Forces to teaming up with federal, state, and local law

Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 181st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Company (Hazardous Response) “Double Dragons” served alongside the 23rd CBRN Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and Eighth Army during a nine-month rotational deployment to South Korea. The Double Dragons served with many American and South Korean units and trained for many missions, including sensitive site exploitation. |Courtesy photo, 20th CBRNE Command

enforcement agencies, highly specialized units from the 20th CBRNE Command support military operations around the world and domestic authorities across the nation.

American Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations.

After confronting and defeating hundreds of thousands of improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan,

the 20th CBRNE Command is focused on preparing to support maneuver formations during large-scale combat operations.

“The 20th CBRNE Command stands ready to face any CBRNE challenge with unmatched technical skill, unwavering dedication, and a relentless drive to protect our nation,” said Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general of the 20th CBRNE Command. “That’s how we defend our nation and take care of our people. We, as a military, succeed through teamwork.”

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Army Reprogramming Analysis Team: understanding threats, protecting the warfighter

By Austin Fox CECOM

Every year, the Director of National Intelligence, with support from the entire U.S. intelligence apparatus, publishes the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. The report outlines the most serious and direct threats to the interests of the United States. The most recent report, published in February 2024, outlines a world that is increasingly uncertain. Defined by a global order that is as fragile as it is nuanced, the annual threat assessment weaves a seemingly insurmountable web of global threats.

According to the assessment, “The convergence of these emerging technologies is likely to create breakthroughs, which could lead to the rapid development of asymmetric threats—such as advanced UAVs—to U.S. interests and probably will help shape U.S. economic prosperity.”

Not surprisingly, understanding the threat environment is a foundational effort for the Army, and as the world continues to advance technologically, electromagnetic warfare is front and center.

The challenge of providing warfighters the capabilities necessary to overcome EW threats is met, day in and day out, by a team at Aberdeen Proving Ground that has been charged for over three decades with overmatching adversarial EW.

The process The Army Reprogramming Analysis Team is a program office within the Communications-Electronics Command Software Engineering Center that is tasked with providing the Army EW mission software across a range of systems.

ARAT works with partners in the defense intelligence community to identify and analyze EW threats and reprogram functions of the systems on which warfighters rely.

For Eric Bowes, the ARAT program officer, an appreciation of the threat landscape is crucial in providing Soldiers with reliable mission software for EW systems.

“At the end of the day, the threat is the threat, and that’s what drives this mission,” Bowes said. “It really comes down to what threats are out there and what threats are we trying to identify, detect, degrade, deny, and defeat.”

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Sgt. Jacob Butcher, a squad leader for Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, troubleshoots the DUKE version 3 system, Sept. 11, 2024, during the testing portion of the Counter Radio-Controlled IED Electronic Warfare Specialist Certification, or CREW, training course at the Tactical Support Center on Fort Riley, Kansas. Butcher was one of more than 50 “Dagger” brigade Soldiers to successfully pass the 40-hour, two-week course. |Staff Sgt. Tamika Dillard, U.S. Army

As program officer, Bowes oversees the entire ARAT office. Composed of roughly 183 personnel, 75 of whom are Department of the Army Civilians, ARAT is the sole organization responsible for the Army’s EW software reprogramming.

“I think first and foremost, we are protecting them [Soldiers] so that they can conduct the mission,” Bowes said. “We accurately identify and account for the threats that are most lethal to their particular air or ground platform.”

Bowes added that when accounting for the threats within the EW realm, ARAT considers the varying environments in which Soldiers operate. Someone leading a convoy in the Middle East faces a very different threat than a helicopter pilot operating in the Pacific.

Reprogramming is a cyclical process, and the ARAT mission requires expertise, fluidity, and feedback from the field. Though the work and requirements are extremely complex, the general process is defined by four primary steps.

The first step is to determine the threat, which usually occurs in one of two ways and can be applied to either a new threat or a modification of something known.

ARAT works closely with partners in the intelligence

Two UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters from Company B, Task Force Attack, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, attached to 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, “pop flares” while flying over Afghanistan to transport personnel July 20, 2024. Flares are deployed from the aircraft as a safety measure in order to confuse possible incoming enemy fire. |Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs

community and with users on the ground to understand threats.

Bill Hersey, the Aviation EW branch chief, said the initial determination is made through a multi-agency analysis.

Intelligence centers provide data, such as threat systems within a particular country, coupled with information from defense service intelligence production centers, such as specific weapons used by adversaries.

“We get the laydown from the DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency], and then we get the threat parametrics or signatures from the service production centers,” Hersey said. “That gives us the information we need to do the reprogramming.”

With an understanding of the threat, ARAT then determines the appropriate response.

During the second phase, the experts within ARAT balance Army priorities, user feedback and input, and any limitations of friendly systems to detect and counter the threat.

After determining their response, ARAT executes the third phase of the process, creating the reprogramming mission software. During this step, ARAT keeps warfighters on the ground at the forefront of what they do.

Whether it’s Soldiers on patrol using the Counter Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare System, commonly known as the Duke, or a helicopter pilot relying on threat detection systems, the step of creating the reprogramming mission software is paramount.

ARAT Terrestrial EW Branch Chief Demetrios Gourgoulianis, who leads the team responsible for systems like the Duke, believes one of his organization’s strongest assets is its relationship with end users.

“There are task forces out in the CENTCOM area of responsibility that go out on patrols all the time,” he said. “We have really great working relationships with them.”

Gourgoulianis added that the ability to interface with the Soldiers on the ground is incredibly useful, especially as ARAT works to keep them safe.

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A CH-47 Chinook helicopter, operated by Soldiers assigned to the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, fires flares on Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Aug. 4, 2021.

Soldiers assigned to 1st CAB from Fort Riley are currently on rotation in Germany to prepare for Saber Junction 2021. |Pfc. Jacob Bradford, U.S. Army

With the threat determined and the response identified and created, the final step is distribution.

There are several avenues to get the product to the warfighter, and depending on the system and other variables, ARAT securely pushes reprogrammed products all over the world via the ARAT Army distribution portals. As the warfighter executes missions and uses the newly implemented mission software, they maintain contact with ARAT to offer anomaly reports and feedback.

This loop, between the ARAT team and Soldiers on the ground and in the air, allows for the continuous delivery of mission software threat updates, which enables Soldiers to stay safe while accomplishing their mission.

the air safe from enemy fire. From experts in the ARAT Signals and Intelligence Branch to specialists in the Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Branch, the breadth of impact for warfighters is tangible.

With layers of expertise and a variety of roles, it could be easy to interpret ARAT as a compartmentalized organization with different people working on different things.

This interpretation lacks an understanding of the driving force that binds ARAT, which is support for Soldiers.

The ARAT team has an incredibly profound mission, and they know it.

For Eric Bowes, the ARAT program officer, that mission is always at the forefront.

The people “It is completely inspiring and motivating to know that Within ARAT, there are a myriad of specialized roles; you can wake up and go to work every day and have an from Gourgoulianis and the Terrestrial EW Branch immediate impact on the Soldier,” he said. “We are very prepared to support Soldiers on the ground, to Hersey directly saving lives by the quality of our organization’s and the Aviation EW Branch helping to keep Soldiers in output.”

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Rachel Ponder CECOM Public Affairs

On Sept. 11, 2001, the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history occurred when 19 members of the extremist group al-Qaida hijacked four commercial planes, crashing them into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Another plane headed for the U.S. Capitol crashed in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On Patriot Day, we reflect and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost. We also honor the first responders who heroically rushed into harm’s way to save others.

After 9/11, many Americans were unified and eager to find ways to help with recovery efforts and to rebuild what was destroyed. This year, on the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, we look back to see how technologies developed by the U.S. Army CommunicationsElectronics Command were used during the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

Using state-of-the-art technology to locate hazards, rebuild Engineers with CECOM’s Research, Development and Engineering Center, then headquartered in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, provided the world’s smallest infrared camera. The camera was attached to PVC pipe and used to search unstable piles of rubble for air pockets, or “voids,” at the World Trade Center site, commonly referred to as Ground Zero.

Army Maj. Gen. William H. Russ, then the commanding general of CECOM, discussed the command’s involvement in the rescue and recovery efforts during an interview conducted by the CECOM History Office in July 2003. Russ described the sensory capabilities provided by CECOM, including cell phone location devices, which helped the recovery workers find people trapped under debris.

“We found almost 400 people under the rubble, but I remember it was two days later, and by that time, unfortunately, no one was found alive,” he said.

Russ said CECOM team members also brought seismic equipment to Ground Zero to help determine the stability of the rubble.

“The firefighters were going up on the rubble and all of a sudden, they would have to sound the sirens for everyone to move off because it would appear to be unstable,” he said. “Well, we found with our seismic equipment we could determine the real stability of those piles and where those problem spots were.”

CECOM also provided a laser doppler vibrometer, 28 28

which was used to judge the integrity of the buildings.

Additionally, hyperspectral imaging was conducted to monitor and control recovery operations from the air. Sensors used were able to geolocate hazards, including the location of fires and gas tanks buried underground.

At the Pentagon, CECOM deployed a quick reaction task force to install a communications infrastructure for more than 4,500 displaced workers. CECOM teamed with the Pentagon to execute the Phoenix Project, which was the name given to the reconstruction efforts at the Pentagon. CECOM contributed engineering and integration support to renovate the Pentagon’s command and control infrastructure.

Building partnerships After 9/11, there was a need for increased security.

On Nov. 10, 2003, then-New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey designated Fort Monmouth as the New Jersey Center for Defense Technologies and Security Readiness.

“The United States will never have a shortage of brave Americans who are willing to go into harm’s way, but it has been our technological superiority that has made our Armed Forces the most advanced and superior military force in the history of warfare,” McGreevey said. “Much of today’s modern weaponry depends upon software and electronics developed and supported at Fort Monmouth.”

In an end-of-tour interview conducted by the CECOM History Office on June 24, 2004, Russ noted the effective teamwork demonstrated after 9/11.

“Increasing the teamwork has allowed our community to have a greater effect in terms of supporting New York City and the Pentagon after they had that terrible terrorist attack on 9/11,” he said. “The teamwork between our community, as well as with industry, I think, was significant.”

Piecing together passion and purpose

Deputy Chief Engineer for JPEO-CBRND’s Office of the Chief Engineer, Courtney Conner, and her Women’s Masters Field Hockey teammates during the WMH World Cup, October 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. |Courtney Conner, JPEO-CBRND

Vashelle Nino JPEO-CBRND Public Affairs

Balancing life and career is like assembling a puzzle.

Piece by piece, it gradually comes together to reveal a complete picture. For one dedicated Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense professional, putting the pieces together is both an instinctive and conscientious effort.

Finding the first piece As a child, Courtney Conner wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up. While she did not end up spearheading conservation efforts for sea turtles or helping Nemo find his father, she did not wander far from her scientific leanings. Her need to learn, problem-solve, and make connections between things in the world persevered.

Later, as a pre-med student at Davidson College, Conner discovered puzzle pieces do not always fit

as effortlessly as one expects. Her commitment to field hockey and admitted lack of enthusiasm for the pre-med track led her to scratch the science itch in a different capacity rather than becoming a medical doctor. She went on to major in chemistry and upon her first summer out of college she began applying for laboratory jobs.

However, in a turn of fate Conner ran into a relative who was employed with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center. He asked about her career plans, and when she mentioned that it was still very much a work in progress, he encouraged her to consider working at a place like DEVCOM CBC. Conner was offered an internship at that very organization and eventually became a full-time employee matrixed to the JPEO-CBRND as a chemist in 2005. What seemed like a random puzzle piece at the time turned out to be the framework of a nearly 20-year career in the CBRN defense space.

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Building out the framework Today, Conner is matrixed from DEVCOM CBC and serves as the deputy chief engineer for JPEOCBRND’s Office of the Chief Engineer. OCE advises the entire JPEO-CBRND organization (including its six joint project managers/leads) on matters related to science, technology, experimentation, engineering, CBRN threats, and technical security and protection across the portfolio. The office ensures adherence to sound engineering practices and effective management of technical risks through comprehensive strategy, policy, direction, oversight, and assessment. OCE is also responsible for ensuring design-related decisions align with strategic objectives, as well as fostering connections with academia, industry, and other capability development partners.

“I think of myself as a connector,” Conner said.

Conner’s role is connecting the JPEO-CBRND and other groups throughout the U.S. Army and Defense Department just like puzzle pieces to track initiatives across the landscape of their programs and efforts.

Similarly, Conner serves as an informal liaison for DEVCOM CBC and provides oversight for other CBCmatrixed employees, advocating for their needs so they can best support the CBC mission of providing innovative CBRN defense capabilities to help protect Joint Force warfighters.

It is no surprise that helping others is an integral piece of Conner’s professional life. She asserts that the CBC and JPEO-CBRND missions are both about helping people, whether it is the warfighter or colleagues, and she is happy if she is doing just that. She attributes this quality to her parents, especially her mother who is a retired schoolteacher and administrator, who encouraged self-sufficiency while also being incredibly helpful to others.

No missing pieces Another life quality she attributes to her parents is her athleticism and competitiveness. This past October, Conner represented the U.S. in the Masters Women’s Field Hockey World Cup hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, where she helped the U.S. place seventh overall out of 16 countries.

The most aged group in the Master’s League stands at 75+ years old. For Conner, the thought of playing 30

Courtney Conner is the deputy chief engineer for JPEO-CBRND’s Office of the Chief Engineer. |Matthew Gunther, JPEO-CBRND

the sport for that long and benefiting from the joy it brings is a great source of inspiration. She notes the unparalleled passion of the players and the sense of community.

“Being around so many women and men who love the sport in every sense—from sportsmanship to camaraderie—and the positive environment of playing the sport with a community of friends, it was powerful,” Conner said.

Conner was originally selected as an alternate, which meant she would not travel with the team— or so she thought. The league invited her to represent the U.S. in South Africa only one month before the competition. While she had no doubts that JPEO-CBRND and DEVCOM CBC leadership and colleagues would support this endeavor (a circumstance she does not take for granted), as the parent of a young son, she questioned if she would be able to get her personal affairs in order in time to travel internationally and compete for three weeks.

Ultimately, she decided she would regret it if she did not add this once-in-a-lifetime piece to the puzzle of her life.

“Sometimes you just have to take the leap and do it,” adding that investing in her role and current team is a Conner advised, encouraging other professionals to priority. seize opportunities that ignite their passions.

Conner understands that prioritizing a balanced career A puzzle still in progress and personal life requires a conscientious effort, and, When asked what her next career move will be as she sometimes, a leap of faith. When she’s not tackling a continues to progress, Conner admits to struggling work project or making connections within the larger with this question.

CBRN defense community, she enjoys traveling, going “I feel like I still have so much to learn and grow into in to Bethany Beach every summer to spend quality time my current role. I have not moved around a lot career- with her family, playing field hockey, and you guessed wise. I like the area I’m working in,” Conner said, it—working on puzzles.

Adjutant General lieutenant colonel retires from premier U.S. military CBRNE formation Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

A U.S. Army Adjutant General Corps lieutenant colonel completed her career at the headquarters for the U.S. military’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives command on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Nov. 22, 2024.

Lt. Col. Valerie Knight, the former Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel (G1) and Secretary of the General Staff for the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, was recognized for her 21 years in uniform during a widely attended ceremony.

Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general of the 20th CBRNE Command, hosted the retirement ceremony.

Bochat said retirement ceremonies recognize not only the military retirees but also the many people who supported them throughout their career.

“The retirement ceremony is not only about you but also about everyone who invested in you and believed in you,” said Bochat. “Less than one percent of the nation has served or is serving and that is a really big deal.”

A native of Sumter, South Carolina, Knight was commissioned into the Adjutant General Corps through the Reserve Officers Training Corps in 2003

after earning her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Newberry College.

Knight earned her master’s degree in human resources from Oklahoma University.

During her last assignment, Knight managed personnel plans, programs, and policies for the multifunctional and deployable 20th CBRNE Command that has units on 19 bases and 16 states.

She then served as the Secretary to the General Staff where she coordinated command group operations and administrative actions for the command.

Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear specialists, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams.

Soldiers and Army Civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations.

Knight is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

From Fort Stewart, Georgia, to the Supreme 31

Lt. Col. Valerie Knight (center) poses with her family and friends at the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command Headquarters on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Nov. 22, 2024. Knight, the former Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel and Secretary of the General Staff for the 20th CBRNE Command, was recognized for her 21 years in uniform during a widely attended retirement ceremony. |Marshall R. Mason, U.S. Army

Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium, Knight served in a wide variety of Army formations across the nation and around the world during her more than two decades in uniform.

Knight thanked her family and friends in attendance

for their support throughout her career.

Knight said it was an honor and privilege to wear her nation’s uniform and to have the opportunity to write her own chapter in the storied history of the U.S. Army.

APG Soldiers and civilians discuss careers with AVID students

By Rachel Ponder CECOM

Soldiers and civilians from Aberdeen Proving Ground discussed career opportunities with students in the Advancement Via Individual Determination program during a guest speaker event at Aberdeen High School Jan. 16, 2025.

The AVID program is an elective course emphasizing college and career preparation. Students in grades nine through 12 learn study skills, note-taking strate32

gies, and critical thinking during class. AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

Guest speakers from APG included John Whitt, the Modeling Simulation and Software Test Division chief with the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command; Daniel Phillips, a research biologist with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center; Army Lt. Col. Melissa Munro Boyd, the deputy chief of the Behavioral and

Lt. Col. Melissa Munro Boyd, the deputy chief of the Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Practice, with the Defense Centers for Public HealthAberdeen, discusses her career path and professional opportunities during a speaking event for students in the Advancement Via Individual Determination program at Aberdeen High School Jan. 16, 2025. |Rachel Ponder, CECOM

Social Health Outcomes Practice with the Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen; and Army Maj. Shay Lopez, a physical therapist and chief of Injury Prevention Division with DCPH-A. During the presentations, discussion topics included potential salaries, work-life balance, paying for higher education, job requirements, and career growth.

Students had the opportunity to ask specific questions based on their interests.

Boyd said her father encouraged her to join the military, and she attended college on a ROTC scholarship. Boyd, a subject matter expert in applying evidence-based clinical practice in garrison and deployed military settings, said psychology is a broad field. She advised students interested in this field to shadow a psychologist or a social worker and consider volunteering.

Boyd shared that in addition to serving as a Soldier, she is also the author of a series of children’s books on healthy coping skills.

Lopez said she joined the military for the educational benefits, adding that physical therapy is also a broad field in the Army. Stressing the importance of education, she added that there are also options within the federal government that will pay for school.

Phillips told the students he uses synthetic biology to engineer new detection systems and biomaterials. He advised the students to be intellectually curious and to pursue a career that aligns with their interests.

For example, Phillips said that due to his scientific background and work experience, he is drawn to learning more about incorporating products with artificial intelligence technology into his home.

“Being a scientist is being curious; you will always be tinkering with something,” he said.

Phillips also told the students about the Army Educational Outreach Program internships, which offer paid, hands-on research opportunities with real-world science, technology, engineering, and mathematics experiences alongside renowned scientists and engineers.

Whitt talked about how he supports the military by testing various pieces of equipment for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. Whitt said he enjoyed talking to the students and was impressed by the depth of their questions.

AVID Coordinator Lorraine Nau thanked all the guest presenters and said she hoped the students learned more about making informed decisions about college and how to prepare for the future.

For more information about the AVID program, visit https://www.avid.org/. For more information about AEOP, visit https://www.usaeop.com/.

For more photos, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/ usagapg/albums/72177720323373158/.

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Top 20th CBRNE Command chief warrant officer promoted during ceremony on APG

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Victoria RamageGarcia, the command chief warrant officer for the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, is promoted to her current rank during a ceremony on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Nov. 15, 2024. A native of Pioneer, California, RamageGarcia is only the second Soldier in 20th CBRNE Command history to hold the position. |Marshall R. Mason, U.S. Army

Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

The command chief warrant officer for the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives command was promoted to chief warrant officer 4 on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Nov. 15, 2024.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Victoria RamageGarcia pinned on her current rank during a widely attended ceremony at the 20th CBRNE Command Headquarters.

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Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general of the 20th CBRNE Command, hosted the promotion ceremony.

A native of Pioneer, California, RamageGarcia has served in the U.S. Army for almost 20 years.

RamageGarcia became the second command chief warrant officer in the 20-year history of the 20th CBRNE Command during a ceremony where she assumed the charter from Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jesse S. Deberry, who took an assignment at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

RamageGarcia became the command chief warrant

officer after serving as the CBRN technician for Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Team 1 in the 20th CBRNE Command.

WMD Coordination Teams provide combatant commanders, lead federal agencies, and support commanders with specialized support and subject matter expertise for overseas and stateside CBRNE and counter-improvised explosive device operations, accidents, and incidents.

She has served around the world in a wide variety of staff and leadership positions.

RamageGarcia previously served as the division CBRN technician for the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. She deployed to Mosul, Iraq, with the 1st Cavalry Division in 2008–2009.

RamageGarcia earned her bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health with an emphasis in environmental science from Columbia Southern University and her graduate certificate and master’s degree in strategic studies with an emphasis on weapons of mass destruction from the National Defense University CWMD fellowship program in coordination with Missouri State University.

As executive level professionals, warrant officers provide the U.S. Army with specialized technical and tactical expertise to advise the command.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear warrant officers’ area of focus is on the world’s most dangerous hazards.

The 20th CBRNE Command enables military operations around the world and supports domestic authorities across the nation.

Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in the science, technology, and security corridor of northeastern Maryland, the multifunctional and deployable 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the activeduty U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and CBRN specialists, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams, and Nuclear Disablement Teams (Infrastructure).

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations around the world.

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DEVCOM CBC innovates and integrates through autonomous technologies

Dr. Patricia McDaniel, the Army’s senior research scientist for chemistry at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, has led the microsensors program for the Center, focused on enhanced hazard detection capabilities and integration with other autonomous technologies. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

Patrick Rodeheaver DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center is paving the way and helping the Army transform into a multidomain force through its modernization and priority research efforts that are linked to the National Defense Strategy and nation’s goals.

DEVCOM CBC continues to lead in the development of innovative defense technology, including autonomous chem-bio defense solutions designed to enhance accuracy and safety to the warfighter.

Protecting the warfighter Having successfully developed new versions of military assets, including a biological sensor integration

project for unmanned aerial vehicles in 2018, DEVCOM CBC has become a reputable leader for the Army’s large-scale technology integration efforts. The addition of sensors and in-house engineering innovations applied to the UAV allowed rapid detection of airborne biological threats through remote operations and real-time communication between the payload and drone operator.

The addition of autonomous capabilities paired with other advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence also improves warfighters’ decision-making capabilities.

“Broadly, we’re in a digital world now,” said Patrick Riley, a research chemist and machine learning advisor to the sensors program at DEVCOM CBC. “Information is constantly being generated. The integration of AI/ML 37

compiles the most pertinent information to warfighters faster,” he noted. “Warfighters are still making decisions, but this capability allows them to make them more quickly without having to filter through every aspect of information.”

Technology leaders such as DEVCOM CBC play a key role in providing the tools that allow troops to readily adapt based on the conditions and threats in specific domains at any given time.

“The application of AI/ML supports a lot of projects we do, with the number one goal of protecting warfighters and reducing exposure to hazards,” Riley said.

Pairing AI/ML with technology that has already been developed and tested at CBC can further reduce hazardous chemical and biological exposures to the warfighter while improving decision-making and readiness.

The Center is using advanced tools like sensors and data-driven algorithms to create detailed maps and develop a greater understanding of the environment to which various technologies can be applied. These useful tools are being incorporated into advanced technologies like robots, drones, bio-printing, and high-tech manufacturing and adhere to responsible AI ethics principles.

Reducing warfighter burden In a prototype of the Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System, DEVCOM CBC demonstrated the future of decontamination technology. The concept of the AED System combines unmanned systems, AI/ML, and autonomous behaviors to identify, map, and decontaminate military combat vehicles on the battlefield.

The Center has spearheaded the project, combining its specialization in the development and advancement of robotics, AI/ML, and sensors along with industry partners to provide advanced solutions for the Army’s missions.

The system reduces the burden for warfighters and enhances mission readiness on the field by using robotic platforms, autonomous behaviors, and other advanced technologies to reduce the time, logistics, and personnel required to conduct decontamination operations. It includes remotely operated robotic systems configured with sensors to identify and map chemical and biological contamination and precisely apply an advanced decontamination solution to only the contaminated areas of a military vehicle.

Supporting multi-domain operations All of this is helping the Army move into a new era of 38

The Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System has been demonstrated at several exercises, including the recent Maneuver Support Protection Integration Experiments at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in May 2024 and Chemical Biological Operational Analysis event held at Camp Dawson, West Virginia in August 2023. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

chem-bio defense for multi-domain operations and the Center has recently unveiled several innovative capabilities in support of this transformative effort.

The MDO approach is pushing the defense sector to think critically about new ways to apply tools and technology to work in specific situations, while also enabling systems to switch between different functions and environments smoothly. The need for military assets to be versatile is becoming increasingly important as the battle domain quickly changes.

“We must be able to fight and win in different situations, considering the environment, rules, conditions, sizes, formations, and places,” said David Glynn, DEVCOM CBC liaison officer to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

As DEVCOM CBC continues to develop these advanced systems, it is critical to meet these needs.

The Center is supporting this effort by integrating its current capabilities throughout its project portfolio to support the U.S. Army in its vision to develop the fighting force of the future and applying it to other organizations as well.

“We are having collaborative discussions to identify where a demand lies,” Glynn said. “We’re taking components from one military branch and integrating them into other branches so we can bring these solutions into the realm of possible.”

Collaborations among partners and the Center’s sister organizations have also been beneficial in creating and refining systems.

to deploy the CBRN microsensors and establish mesh network communications.

The microsensor program has proven to be successful, becoming an officially recognized program in September of 2023, creating an opportunity for the Center and other joint partners to implement microsensors into various project areas.

“The solutions do not lie in a single sensor or single type of sensor,” said Dr. Patricia McDaniel, the Army’s senior research scientist for chemistry at DEVCOM CBC.

Patrick Riley (left) research chemist at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, and Ruth Dereje (right) computer scientist, are working on cutting-edge capabilities that integrate artificial intelligence/machine learning into the sensors program and offer enhanced threat detection and reduced burden to the warfighter. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

“We develop various partnerships in the industry including academia, businesses, and other government entities to help facilitate solutions,” Glynn said.

“Communication is the most critical component of any development capabilities.”

Continued collaboration will provide the Center with greater capability to accelerate technology advancements and support to defend the warfighter.

Seeing the battlefield through microsensors In a proof-of-concept study, scientists at DEVCOM CBC have been working to miniaturize sensors so information can be provided to Soldiers and equipment on a universal interface. These microsensors would allow users to select and customize capabilities for each unique mission. Project researchers envision stealth microsensors that can be used for deployment that are also cost-effective enough to discard after use.

This new development has been applied to various prototypes, with the most recent deployment of the microsensor application taking place at Rio Robotico in April of 2024. The demonstration used a robotic dog

Instead, the microsensors, which are essentially a “system within a system,” will allow for greater continuity amongst Army functions.

“The microsensors will help us develop a deeper understanding of our environment and various detection capabilities,” McDaniel said. “We will be able to utilize a variety of sensor modalities to query an area and determine if there is a threat without having to place our warfighters in harm’s way.”

The addition of this program opens new avenues for functions of military assets by enhancing and exploring new use cases for current capabilities. It also aids in the development of other autonomous technologies that are being harnessed throughout various projects at the Center.

Developing critical solutions DEVCOM CBC is a key player in supporting the U.S. Army’s mission to capture and implement cutting-edge science and technology capabilities that align to priorities identified in the Department of Defense’s National Defense Science & Technology Strategy. With a team of experts at the forefront of innovation and a wide range of capabilities that span across various domains, the Center has supported the Army in developing mission critical solutions designed for integration across the board. DEVCOM CBC is harnessing its specialization in research and development of chemical and biological protection for warfighters to counter emerging threats and navigate a new era of the battlespace.

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‘Glove as a glove,’ the new way to get hands-on with testing

Jennifer Hughes, a U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center lab manager at Aberdeen Proving Ground South (Edgewood), administers droplets of chemical testing agent on a glove to test its permeation capabilities for the “glove as a glove” initiative. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

Martin Parker DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center Public Affairs

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center has developed a new technique for testing gloves worn by warfighters to ensure that they provide full protection from chemical agent.

Dubbed “glove as a glove,” the technique involves using special equipment developed by DEVCOM CBC engineers and using well-worn gloves to ensure realism when testing the entire glove as if it were a full system.

“With the massive dependence on our hands – and by extension, our gloves – we figure ‘why not test them as such?’ as opposed to using multiple swatches,” said Jennifer Hughes, a lab manager for CBC’s Engineering Directorate. “When striving for mission success, DEVCOM CBC has decided it 40

is more important than ever to ensure our Soldiers’ gloves are thoroughly and strenuously tested for their durability and permeation protective capabilities against a chemical threat.”

Traditionally, a Soldier’s uniform and other synthetic materials are tested on a smaller scale.

Swatches are cuts of fabric taken from a full article of clothing that are meant to be samples for design or testing purposes. But gloves are not so simple, since their complex seams and multiple materials lend themselves poorly for the swatch method of permeation testing. Features such as leather palm reinforcements and plastic knuckle armor make traditional testing on gloves a challenge in the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear realm.

Thomas Hughes, a chemist at DEVCOM CBC and principal investigator for the glove as a glove program, had guidelines for the gloves being tested

to be field-worn. According to Hughes, cutting a swatch is impossible for a worn glove because their dimensions do not line up for the Center’s previous fixtures.

A worn glove conforms to the contours of the hand over time, stretching in some areas more than others, said Hughes. Wear and tear are best collected as data points when not simulated, so the gloves being tested have seen 504 hours of use – dirt, sweat, and all.

“The three-dimensionalness of a hand is complex and can’t be captured in a swatch. Hence the need for a new testing capability,” Hughes said.

The glove as a glove initiative was specifically requested by the Joint Project Manager for CBRN Protection, a component of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense. Their request was for a method that tests a complete system – the entire glove – at one time. There can be no margin for chemical agents to penetrate what is essentially the first line of defense for Soldiers and scientists in the field.

Since a flat, worn combat glove is not possible for testing, Hughes got to work back in November 2022 creating a testing methodology called Verification and Validation. It is composed of two foam molds that distribute even pressure across the glove, thus ensuring consistent results for measured permeation. According to Jennifer Hughes, V&V for initiatives like glove as a glove can be just as intensive and thorough when compared to the actual tests.

“Our process is to have multiple pads inside the glove that are meant to absorb chemical agents if they seep through,” Hughes said. “Our other fixtures have a contact pressure of 1 PSI [pounds per square inch] for the swatch. We want to have consistency to compare previous results. Swatches are tested one way and whole gloves are tested another. Using similar dosing amounts and pressures links the glove method back to the accepted swatch methods. We used the same test plan from the swatch

Tanner Fuselier, a U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center chemist at Aberdeen Proving Ground South (Edgewood), sets up one of the hand molds used for the “glove as a glove” initiative, preparing a mold that will accommodate multiple pads to be used for measuring permeation testing of a Soldier‘s battle-worn glove. |Ellie White, 20th CBRNE Command

method for Verification and Validation, then said we will test under these conditions, so that when we’re done it will be approved under the same program of record.”

Development of the prototype system was done by DEVCOM CBC’s Advanced Design Manufacturing facility. They completed the 3D-modeling, engineering and working from concept, to prototype, to final capability. V&V for glove as a glove was completed in January 2024.

“The results we generate have to be accepted by all the different agencies under our joint services program,” said Thomas Hughes. “There are many stakeholders that need to know we have the test infrastructure needed to generate consistent data.

There’s no point if we can’t do it consistently or without it being accepted by a stakeholder. This is the only place that is validated for the glove as a glove testing.”

“The demand signal from customers is that they may want us to do this for a boot at some point,” said Thomas Hughes. “There is a potential for a mannequin to look at everything as an ensemble, boots, uniform, mask, hood – we may move forward with that in the future.”

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Deployable medical unit officially changes name to 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory

Soldiers from the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory attend a training session on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Oct. 23, 2024. To better reflect its global mission, the 1st Area Medical Laboratory was renamed the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Oct. 16, 2024. |Marshall R. Mason, U.S. Army

Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

A deployable U.S. Army medical laboratory officially changed its name to reflect its global laboratory mission.

The 1st Area Medical Laboratory was renamed the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Oct. 16, 2024.

The name change coincided with the 20th anni42

versary of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, which has training readiness authority for the 1st GFML. The Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland-headquartered 1st GFML is part of the 44th Medical Brigade and 20th CBRNE Command.

Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command routinely deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to confront and defeat the world’s most

dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations.

Soldiers from the 1st GFML perform surveillance, laboratory testing, and health hazard assessments of environmental, occupational, endemic disease, and CBRNE threats to support force protection and Weapons of Mass Destruction missions.

Activated in 1942, the 1st GFML has served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Soldiers from the 1st GFML deployed to help contain the Ebola outbreak in Liberia in 2014–2015.

The 1st GFML also served in seven different overseas locations to support the COVID-19 response, including U.S. military hospitals in Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

During numerous overseas missions, Soldiers from the 1st GFML have forged partnerships with many nations, including Australia, Germany, Poland, South Korea, Romania, and Ukraine.

Col. Dubray Kinney Sr., the commander of the 1st GFML, said the name change better reflects the global mission of the 1st GFML Soldiers who save lives and enable mission readiness on the frontlines of freedom.

“Our Lab Dragons make a difference around the world,” said Dubray, a graduate of the University of Maryland at Eastern Shore from Washington, D.C., who has deployed to Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. “Our new name represents the important mission that our Soldiers accomplish every day in defense of our nation.”

Top U.S. Army EOD technician: Only bomb techs should take on unexploded bombs Walter T. Ham IV 20th CBRNE Command

The senior Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician in the U.S. Army encourages anyone who discovers something that might be an unexploded bomb to call in the bomb squad.

Command Sgt. Maj. Dave Silva, the senior enlisted leader for the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command and the senior EOD tech in the U.S. Army, has responded to hundreds of unexploded ordnance calls during his 28 years as an EOD tech.

From Civil War-era cannon balls to potentially explosive items from foreign battlefields, unexploded ordnance, also known as UXO, comes in all shapes and sizes, said Silva.

“Most people don’t realize just how prevalent the UXO problem is globally. Unexploded ordnance is most often discovered in former war zones. Artil-

lery, mortar, and aerial bombardment produce unexploded munitions that are often slightly or deeply buried,” Silva said. “Years later through either natural earth movement or often construction, UXO is unearthed.”

Silva said unexploded ordnance is frequently discovered at home and abroad.

“A large-scale source of UXO outside of the United States are minefields. Once emplaced for area denial, long after a war concludes, minefields remain hazards forever,” Silva said. “Here at home, we find UXO in former training areas, in people’s residences that they kept after wars, and occasionally we still dig up Civil War-era cannonballs.”

Explosive remnants of war continue to live on long after the guns fall silent during battles studied in history books.

“We still discover World War II bombs all over Europe and the Pacific,” Silva said. “The United States 43

supports Humanitarian Mine Action missions. The State Department, along with the Department of Defense, assist nations to rid UXO saturated areas, most often land mines, so that their citizens can live safely. All around the world U.S. EOD techs teach partner nations how to safely render safe and dispose of UXO that would otherwise kill or maim.”

As the senior enlisted leader for the 20th CBRNE Command where most of the U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians are assigned, Silva travels across the nation and around the world to meet CBRNE Soldiers and see them in action.

Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in Northeast Maryland’s science, technology, and security corridor, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army EOD technicians and Chemical, Bio-

logical, Radiological, Nuclear specialists, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams.

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency, and multinational operations.

The 20th CBRNE Command has two U.S. Army EOD groups, five EOD battalions, and 32 EOD companies that enable military operations around the world and support domestic authorities across the nation.

As the U.S. Army’s explosives experts, EOD Soldiers take on dangerous and complex explosive devices that harm people and hinder missions.

A U.S. Marine Corps 155-mm high-explosive artillery round sits at a construction site in Joshua Tree, California, Jan. 4, 2024. Marine Air-Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, explosive ordnance disposal, partnered with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to destroy the unexploded ordnance found at a construction site in a residential area. Due to the volatile nature of the artillery shell, EOD safely detonated the round on site in accordance with authorized procedures. |Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty, U.S. Marine Corps

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EOD units support all combatant commands during deployments and exercises.

EOD techs from the 20th CBRNE Command also conduct Very Important Person Protection Support Activity missions, providing protection to the president, first lady, vice president, and foreign heads of states.

Since civilian bomb squads are not authorized to work on military munitions due to the Military Munitions Rule in the Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. military EOD techs are called when old military munitions are discovered off base. Per DOD Directive 3025.18, DOD Instruction 3025.21 and Joint Publication 3-42, EOD technicians are the only Department of Defense personnel authorized to respond and render safe unexploded munitions and ordnance.

During the past two years, EOD techs from 20th CBRNE Command have responded to an average of 1,500 discovered military munitions a year off-post and on-post.

EOD units from the 20th CBRNE Command respond to UXO almost weekly when old munitions are either dug up or discovered somewhere.

In support of federal, state, or local public safety bomb technicians, fire departments or hazardous material response teams, U.S. military EOD techs are called in to support civil authorities, Silva said.

The closest Department of Defense EOD unit typically responds to domestic missions.

“Our military EOD are trained and equipped to handle literally every form of explosive hazard, be it ordnance, commercial or homemade explosives, or improvised explosives,” Silva said.

“We spend a lot of time training and working with our civilian counterparts and during those engagements they are made familiar with who their DOD responding units are,” Silva said. “Some of our re-

sponse areas are vast. Our unit [the 53rd EOD Company] at the Yakima Training Center in Washington, for example, covers halfway through Montana.

A Master EOD technician who has deployed seven times and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Silva said UXO can be found just about anywhere.

Silva has seen a wide variety of different kinds of UXO during his career.

“I’ve responded to everything from dynamite and cannonballs to stolen hand grenades. I’d say the most unusual response was when the ATF was serving a warrant and their Radiac alarms went off, so they backed out and requested support,” Silva said. “DOD EOD techs are trained and equipped to respond to chemical and radiological hazards.”

After performing reconnaissance, his EOD team discovered that the radioactive hazard was not explosive at all but rather an instrument cluster from an L39 Albatross aircraft.

“We also found a Jet Assisted Take Off bottle on the same incident,” said Silva. “You never know what you’ll come across, so we take every precaution until we are sure what we’re dealing with.”

Silva said that only professional explosives experts should deal with anything that resembles an unexploded munition.

He encouraged anyone who discovers something to immediately contact local authorities.

“Leave it where you found it, don’t touch it and notify local law enforcement. In every case, it’s important to note, ordnance doesn’t get ‘safer’ over time.

So just because it hasn’t detonated, doesn’t mean it can’t,” Silva said.

“Lots of explosive hazards aren’t obvious, so if there’s any suspicion at all, call it in,” Silva said.

“We don’t mind coming out. We would rather respond to 100 false alarms than one post-blast where someone was hurt.”

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INSTALLATION GUIDE C5ISR – COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTERS, CYBER, INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE – MEDICAL

U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command CECOM delivers integrated C5ISR-M weapon systems, business systems, and medical sustainment to enable full spectrum combat operations at the point of need.

For more information, visit: https:// www.army.mil/cecom.

POC: Chief of Public and Congressional Affairs Amburr Reese; amburr.j.reese. civ@army.mil; usarmy.apg.cecom.mbx. cecom-pao@mail.mil; 443-861-6756

Command and Control Cross Functional Team The C2 CFT drives requirements and transitions across four lines of effort.

C2 has become the CFT’s main effort, with increased focus on the Common Operating Environment and Joint Interoperability in order to better enable all warfighting functions while supporting leaders at all echelons including joint and coalition partners.

For more information, visit: https://www.army.mil/futures.

POC: Chief of Operations Bill Babauta; william.h.babauta.civ@army.mil; 301-752-6974

Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications and Network PEO C3N delivers a unified network that addresses the most critical operational CECOM Integrated Logistics Support needs and supports the Army of 2030.

Center Critical to supporting the Army of 2030 ILSC provides global C5ISR-M logistics and pivoting to the Army of 2040 is a support to the warfighter and coalition forces in a timely, cost-effective manner. less complex network that can support large-scale combat operations by ILSC prepares and sustains equipment for combat and resets its forces for enabling formation mobility, providing combat readiness following deployment. assured voice communications, a dataThis mission is accomplished through enabled common operating picture rapid acquisition, maintenance, and digital fires and resist cyber and production, fielding, new equipment electronic warfare attacks. training, operation, and sustainment of For more information, visit CECOM equipment. https://peoc3n.army.mil/.

For more information, visit POC: Public Affairs Specialist Danielle https://cecom.army.mil/ILSC. Kress; danielle.b.kress.civ@army.mil; POC: Executive Officer to the Director of Public Communications Director Jonathan Brennan; Chanel Weaver-Folami; chanel.s.weaverjonathan.r.brennan3.ctr@army.mil; folami.civ@army.mil Executive Assistant to the Director Willis Akers; willis.b.akers4.ctr@army.mil; Program Executive Office Intelligence, 443-861-6092 Electronic Warfare and Sensors PEO IEW&S delivers sensors as well CECOM Software Engineering Center as Processing, Exploitation, and SEC ensures operational readiness by Disseminations systems dedicated to developing, providing, integrating, and affording decision dominance. maintaining Army C5ISR-M, logistics, PEO IEW&S develops and integrates and business software. sensors and sensor data across multiple For more information, visit: technologies ensuring warfighters https://cecom.army.mil/SEC. have a complete understanding of the POC: Stratcom Specialist Kevin Deegan; battlefield. This is achieved through kevin.m.deegan.ctr@army.mil; their ability to assimilate sensor Communications Branch Chief Lt. Col. information into relevant, timely Jennifer Vogel; jennifer.l.vogel11.mil@ products that can be used for targeting, army.mil; 520-671-1129 46

situational awareness, force protection, cyber warfare and Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition. By providing systems that cover the full spectrum of warfighters’ needs, PEO IEW&S impacts virtually every mission from providing a persistent view of the battlefield to protecting aircrew from enemy threats. The team at IEW&S is dedicated to delivering systems that will ensure Soldiers have the decisive edge by delivering modernized equipment at the right time in the right place and at the best value for the nation.

For more information, visit: https://peoiews/army.mil/.

POC: Public Affairs Officer Brandon Pollachek; 443-619-0672 Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office RCCTO will rapidly and efficiently research, develop, prototype, test, evaluate, procure, transition, and/ or field critical enabling technologies and capabilities that address nearterm and mid-term threats. The Office will produce or acquire material solutions consistent with the Army’s modernization priorities that maximize Soldiers’ capabilities to deploy, fight, and win on future battlefields.

For more information, visit: https://www.army.mil/rccto.

POC: usarmy.pentagon.hqda-rcctombx.external-affairs-office@army. mil; https://www.army.mil/rccto#orgcontact-us

TEST & EVALUATION

U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command ATEC provides direct support to Army Futures Command and relevant, timely information to senior Army leaders to make future force decisions enabling multi-domain operations through rigorous developmental testing and independent operational tests and evaluations.

For more information, visit: www.atec.army.mil/.

POC: Public Affairs Office; usarmy.apg. atec.mbx.atec-hq-pao@army.mil; 443-861-9500

The U.S. Army Evaluation Center The U.S. AEC produces unbiased, independent safety, and operational evaluations to enable the Army to dominate in the multi-domain operational environment.

For more information, visit: www.atec. army.mil/aec/.

POC: Public Affairs Office; usarmy.apg. atec.mbx.atec-hq-pao@army.mil; 443-861-9500 U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center The U.S. Army ATC plans, executes, and analyzes tests and test simulations across a full spectrum of environments, validating the safety and performance of new material. Ensuring research and development programs can successfully transition to operational testing, delivering combat capabilities with a decisive edge to our warfighters.

For more information, visit: https://www.atec.army.mil/atc/.

POC: Public Affairs Officer Deirdre Cascardo; deirdre.s.cascardo.civ@ army.mil; 520-713-6485

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command DEVCOM accelerates technology and delivers next-generation Soldier capabilities across the lifecycle to ensure overmatch for a lethal Army.

For more information, visit: https://devcom.army.mil/.

POC: usarmy.apg.devcom.mbx.publicaffairs-office@army.mil DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory DEVCOM ARL is the Army’s research laboratory. Nested strategically within DEVCOM and the Army Futures Command, ARL’s mission is to operationalize science. A hallmark of ARL’s mission is collaborative partnerships to broaden Army access to expert talent and accelerate transitions of science-enabled capabilities.

DEVCOM ARL executes intramural and extramural research organized by 11 competencies that provide the Army with foundational expertise and specialized capabilities grounded in

scientific excellence and driven by unique Army challenges. Our disruptive scientific research coupled with collaborations and prioritized funding to the worldwide scientific community, both academic and commercial, create and harness scientific knowledge in the competencies that are leveraged to develop new opportunities, build programs, align people and funding, and advise on future operational concepts. We also seek to dynamically and continually reshape these competencies by creating and directing new scientific discoveries to redefine the frontiers of the possible.

For more information, visit: https://arl.devcom.army.mil/.

POC: DEVCOM ARL Public Affairs Office; public_affairs@arl.army.mil DEVCOM ARL Contact Us Page: https://cftste.experience.crmforce. mil/arlext/s/contact-us DEVCOM C5ISR Center DEVCOM C5ISR Center enables the networked warfighter by identifying, developing, and rapidly integrating innovative technologies that enable decisive lethality through information dominance in Multi-Domain Operations.

For more information, visit: https://c5isrcenter.devcom.army.mil/.

POC: Justin Eimers, justin.w.eimers. civ@army.mil, 253-686-7351; Dan LaFontaine, daniel.e.lafontaine2. civ@army.mil, 443-655-6403; Edric Thompson, edric.v.thompson.civ@ army.mil DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center DEVCOM CBC provides innovative chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive defense capabilities to enable the joint warfighters’ dominance on the battlefield and interagency defense of the homeland.

For more information, visit: https:// www.cbc.devcom.army.mil/.

POC: Public Affairs Officer Strategic Initiatives Group Richard M. Arndt; richard.m.arndt.civ@army.mil, 410-436-1479

DEVCOM Analysis Center DAC informs Army transformation and readiness decisions across the life cycle through objective integrated systemslevel analysis, and development of credible data and analytic tools.

For more information, visit: https://devcom.army.mil/.

POC: Kyle Bond; kyle.w.bond.civ@ army.mil Firing Tables and Ballistics Division, DEVCOM Armaments Center FTaB is responsible for ballistic characterization of munitions and the development of aiming data and ballistic fire control information for all unguided (and certain guided) combat weapon systems in the U.S. Army inventory, select tri-service systems, and select foreign military sales cases.

This includes small caliber infantry systems, tank fired munitions, artillery, mortars, and rockets.

For more information, visit https://ac.ccdc.army.mil/ organizations/wsec/fctsd/ftab/.

POC: Competency Manager Jason Fonner; jason.a.fonner.civ@army.mil; 401-278-4515

CHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL

20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command The 20th CBRNE Command exercises mission command over assigned U.S. Army Forces Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Ordnance Disposal forces.

On order, the 20th CBRNE Command provides CBRN and EOD forces to Army, joint, interorganizational and multinational headquarters and deploys a Joint Task Force headquarters in support of combatant command requirements.

The command also directs and integrates the missions of two specialized units—the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory and the CBRNE Analytical Remediation Activity.

For more information, visit: https://www20cbrne.army.mil/.

POC: usarmy.APG.20-cbrne.list.cbrnepao-distro@army.mil; 410-306-2718; 47

INSTALLATION GUIDE 410-306-4100 (24-hour Operations Center) 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory The 1st GFML deploys worldwide as a unit or by task-organized teams to perform surveillance, confirmatory analytical laboratory testing, and health hazard assessments of environmental, occupational, endemic and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear threats in support of force protection and counter weapons of mass destruction missions.

For more information, visit: https://www.20cbrne.army.mil/ UNITS/1st-GFML/.

POC: Sgt. Maj. Nikolay Kirillov; nikolay.o.kirillov.mil@army.mil; 410-278-3246 CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity On order, the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity deploys and conducts operations in support of combatant commanders or other government agencies in order to counter CBRNE and weapons of mass destruction threats in support of national countering WMD objectives.

For more information, visit: https://www.20cbrne.army.mil/ UNITS/CARA/.

POC: usarmy.APG.20-cbrne.list.cbrnepao-distro@army.mil; 410-278-3246 U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity CMA assesses and destroys chemical warfare material, complies with the chemical weapons treaty, and protects people and the environment.

For more information, visit: https:// www.cma.army.mil/.

POC: Public Affairs Specialist Karen Nikol; karen.j.nikol.civ@army.mil; 410436-4292 Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Provide integrated layered Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense capabilities to the Joint Force 48

across warfighting functions and Combined Joint All-Domain Operations.

For more information, visit: https://www.jpeocbrnd.osd.mil/.

POC: usarmy.apg.dod-jpeo-cbrnd.mbx. jpeo-cbd-public-affairs-office@army. mil; 410-436-9000 U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense To discover and develop medical solutions for chemical, biochemical and other emerging threats via medical research, clinical training and education, and consultation.

For more information, visit: https://usamricd.health.mil/.

POC: usarmy.apg.medcom-usamricd. mbx.ccc-mail@health.mil; 410-436-2230 Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives The PEO ACWA was responsible for the safe and environmentally compliant destruction of the remaining U.S. chemical weapons stockpile, completed July 7, 2023.

PEO ACWA completed destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot, now known as the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity-West, in Colorado in June 2023 and at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky in July 2023.

PEO ACWA is now responsible for the closure of the Pueblo and Blue Grass plants.

For more information, visit: https://www.peoacwa.army.mil/.

POC: Katherine DeWeese; katherine.b.deweese.civ@army.mil; 410-436-3398

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL

Defense Center for Public HealthAberdeen DCPH-A supports our nation by improving health and building readiness-making extraordinary experiences ordinary and exceptional outcomes routine. DCPH-A also supports the Defense Health Agency vision, which is the unrelenting pursuit

of excellence as we care for our joint force and those we are privileged to serve. Anytime, Anywhere-Always.

For more information, visit: https://ph.health.mil/Pages/default. aspx.

POC: Public Affairs and Marketing Division Doug Holl; douglas.r.holl.civ@ health.mil; 410-652-4319 U.S. Army Dental Clinic Command The APG Dental Clinic provides warrior-focused oral healthcare with a team of professionals dedicated to excellence and unified in service to active duty, National Guard and reserve Soldiers who are on orders for more than 30 days at APG. The APG Dental Clinic provides dental care to support a medically ready force of strong individuals able to engage in combat operations and support Army missions.

For more information, visit: https://kirk.tricare.mil/HealthServices/Dental POC: Information Receptionist Janira Atkinson; Janira.d.atkinson.civ@ health.mil; 410-278-1795 Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic As part of the Defense Health Network – National Capital Region, Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic is proud to serve TRICARE-eligible beneficiaries, which include active-duty service members, retirees, and their families in the greater APG community. Kirk is an ambulatory care facility that is committed to providing high-quality, high value health care that is responsive and respectful of patient needs and choices. Services promote resilience, conserve the fighting strength, and ensure a medically ready force. For appointments, call 410-278-5475 or book through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal.

Emergency services are not available.

Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and holidays. For more information, visit: https://kirk.tricare.mil/; https:// www.facebook.com/KUSAHC 410-278-5475

APG Veterinary Clinic The APG Veterinary Clinic provides veterinary support, including Military Working Dog and Privately Owned Animal (pet) care, veterinary food inspections, and zoonotic disease management, in support of DOD operations. Clinic services are provided for eligible beneficiaries (active-duty service members, retirees, and their families) at APG. The clinic is open on Mondays and Tuesdays.

POC: Staff Sgt. Ariel Pryor; ariel.d.pryor. mil@health.mil; 410-278-4604 203D Military Intelligence Battalion (Technical Intelligence) On order, 203D MI BN (TECHINT) directs operational technical intelligence activities and conducts expeditionary development operations at the battalion level in order to provide intelligence derived from the exploitation of enemy weapons, equipment, and other materiel found, captured, or acquired within a theater of operations.

POC: usarmy.usarc.mirc.list.203hq-s3@army.mil U.S. Army Audit Agency As an integral part of the Army team, we serve the Army’s emerging needs by helping Army leaders assess and mitigate risk, and by providing solutions through independent internal auditing services for the benefit of Army Soldiers, civilians, and families.

For more information, visit: https://www.army.mil/aaa.

POC: usarmy.pentagon.hqda-aaa.mbx. acfo@army.mil Army and Air Force Exchange Services AAFES provides quality merchandise and services to customers at competitively low prices and generates earnings which provide a dividend to support Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. At APG, AAFES manages the Exchange, Express (Shoppette) locations on APG North (Aberdeen) and APG South (Edgewood), Tropical Smoothie Cafe and multiple Subway locations.

For more information, visit: www.shopmyexchange.com.

POC: Store Manager Angelica Guerrero; guerreroa@aafes.com; 410-272-6828 Ext. 240 Army Contracting Command-APG As a Contracting Center under the U.S. Army Contracting Command, we are the Army leader in acquiring superior equipment and services in the quickest time for our warfighters while obtaining best value for the American taxpayer. We are a full service, lifecycle acquisition organization that is an expert in market research, award and administration of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions. We are also home to the Army’s Digital Capabilities Contracting Center of Excellence.

ACC-APG closed out FY24 with over $870M in negotiated savings and completed more than 21K contract actions valued at $15B; 8K of which were awarded to small businesses at $3.2B. For more information, visit: https://acc. army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-apg/.

POC: Senior Operations Specialist John Thompson; usarmy.apg.acc.mbx.paomailbox@army.mil; 520-671-2486 Clothing and Heraldry Division The Clothing and Heraldry Division is part of the Integrated Logistics Support Center under U.S. Army Tankautomotive and Armaments Command, headquartered at the Detroit Arsenal, Michigan. The Clothing and Heraldry Division supports the military through the acquisition, systems integration, sustainment, and fielding of clothing and individual equipment for Soldiers around the globe.

POC: Division Chief John Galimore; john.t.galimore.civ@army.mil; 410-436-0695 Civilian Human Resources Agency The CHRA is the organization in the Department of the Army that provides the full range of human resources services to support a highly skilled and

ready professional civilian workforce that supports national defense. As a Direct Reporting Unit under the Department of Army G-1, CHRA is part of the Army’s initiative to mold human resources functions into a corporate structure, enabling equitable, efficient, and effective management of Army civilians worldwide. The Agency manages all aspects of the human resources lifecycle for civilians – from recruiting to retirement.

POC: Shama Crumes, shama.y.crumes. civ@army.mil Defense Commissary Agency, Aberdeen The APG Commissary delivers a premier commissary benefit to the armed services community that encourages an exciting shopping experience, satisfies patron demand for quality grocery and household products, delivers exceptional savings while enhancing quality of life, fostering recruitment, retention, and readiness and supporting warfighters’ peace of mind, knowing their families have secure and affordable access to American and international products.

For more information, call 443-360-9826 or visit https://pprd.commissaries.com/ shopping/store-locations/aberdeen-pg.

POC: APG Commissary Office; Aberdeen-PG.commissary@deca.mil.

Army Military Pay Office The Army Military Pay Office at APG provides military pay operations to Army Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Service members. Our goal is to pay for Soldiers what they are entitled to timely and with accuracy. We are a fully integrated financial service provider here to support and serve the brave men and women who serve our country and protect our way of life.

For more information, visit: https://home.army.mil/apg/my-fort/ all-services/ampo.

POC: Director of AMPO-APG/Fort Dix Niketa L. Wise; Niketa.l.wise.civ@army. mil; 410-306-2363/2367 49

INSTALLATION GUIDE U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground We provide responsive installation services to our military and those who enable them.

For more information, visit: https://home.army.mil/apg/about/ Garrison.

POC: APG Garrison Public Affairs Office; AMC-IMCOM-ID-SustainmentUSAGPAG-PAO@army.mil; or Public Affairs Specialist Hannah Miller; 410-278-9036 Garrison Housing Office The APG Housing Division and Corvias Military Living welcomes you, and we look forward to assisting you and your family in your transition to your home in the Aberdeen community. Whether you choose to live on or off post, the housing office is here to provide assistance.

For more information, visit https://home.army.mil/apg/about/ Garrison/garrison-housing-office.

POC: usarmy.apg.usag.mbx.dpwhousing-office@army.mil; 410-306-2011 APG Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Fusion Directorate The SHARP Fusion Directorate is part of the Army’s broader effort to prevent sexual assault and harassment, promote a culture of respect and inclusion, and ensure that victims receive the support and resources they need. We combine efforts of prevention and response to centralize policies, programs, and training. The SHARP Fusion Directorate enhances the Army’s ability to respond to incidents by improving coordination between different branches and stakeholders, including legal, law enforcement, and medical professionals.

To report an incident of sexual harassment/assault, contact the APG SHARP Hotline at 410-322-7154 or the DoD Safe Helpline at 1-877-995-5247.

For more information, visit: home.army. mil/apg/about/Garrison/SHARP. 50

POC: usarmy.apg.cecom.mbx.sharpfusion-directorate@army.mil

MWR COMMUNITY RECREATION DIVISION Auto Crafts Center Bldg. 2379 410-278-5178/5789 Self-help facility with lift bays, flat bays, bodywork bays, tire change station, and paint room.

Outdoor Recreation Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Manages registration for picnic and recreational areas, swimming pool passes, RV storage, for sale lots, equipment rental and MWR boat launch and marina activities.

RV Storage Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Storage space for recreational vehicles on APG North (Aberdeen) and APG South (Edgewood) Equipment Rental Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Offers a variety of rentals including party equipment, yard games, watercraft, and trailers.

Campgrounds Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Shore Park Travel Camp offers cabins and RV sites, as well as laundry facilities and bathhouse. Other campsites include Marylander RV Campground on APG North (Aberdeen) and Skippers Point Primitive Campground on APG South (Edgewood).

Picnic Areas Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Manages reservations for Shore Park on APG North (Aberdeen) and CAPA Field Picnic Areas on APG South (Edgewood).

Marinas Bldg. 2184 410-278-5789/4133 Boat storage registration. Boat ramps available at Spesutie Island Marina and Gunpowder Neck Marina.

Skeet & Trap Bldg. E4737 410-278-5789/4133 Special outings are available by request.

In accordance with APG regulations, all guns must be registered with the Directorate of Operations law enforcement.

Hunting & Fishing (managed by the Directorate of Public Works) Bldg. 4304 410-278-9774/5789/4133 Manages hunting permits, safety classes and archery & shotgun proficiency qualifications. Manages and issues recreational and commercial fishing areas and permits.

APG North Rec Center Bldg. 3326 410-278-2432/4011 Hosts special events. Offers free Wi-Fi internet access; library, Tickets office, pool tables & 1SGT BBQ. APG South Rec Center Bldg. E4140 410-278-4011/2432 Hosts special events. Offers free Wi-Fi internet access.

Ticket Office APG North Rec Center-Bldg. 3326 410-278-4011/2432 Discounted tickets for local, regional, and national travel destinations and recreational activities.

Library Bldg. 3326 410-278-3417 Offers following items: fiction & non-fiction books, children’s section, magazines, newspapers, and military periodicals; 4,000+ DVDs, PS3, Xbox and Wii video games; public access

computers w/CAC readers and printing capability, wireless internet, and more.

APG North Athletic Center Bldg. 3300 410-278-7933/7934 Facilities have fitness areas, free weights, cardiovascular equipment, locker and shower rooms, saunas, and more. For information about 24/7 fitness, call 410-278-7933.

APG South Hoyle Gym Bldg. E4210 410-436-7134/3375 or 410-278-7934 Facilities have fitness areas, free weights, cardiovascular equipment, locker and shower rooms, saunas, and more. For information about 24/7 fitness, call 410-278-7933.

Shore Park Swimming Pool Shore Pool-Bldg. 2031 410-278-5789 Pool open Memorial Day to Labor Day

MWR BUSINESS OPERATIONS DIVISION Ruggles Golf Course 5600 Maryland Blvd.

410-278-4794 Offers 18-hole regulation course, driving range, putting green, short game chipping area, pro shop, cart rental, and golf lessons.

Exton Golf Course E1260 Selenodesy Road 410-436-2213 Offers nine-hole regulation course, putting green, cart rentals, and pro shop.

APG Bowling Center (Brewner Lanes) Bldg. 2342 410-278-4041 (business hours) 410-278-4794 (outside business hours) Open bowling, bowling leagues, and other group events.

Top of the Bay Bldg.30 6817 Plumb Point Loop 410-278-5915/2552/3062 Conferences and catering available for small and large-scale parties and events including conferences, retirements, weddings, military balls, birthday parties, and more. Full-service wedding venue.

First Sergeant’s Smoked Barbecue APG North Rec Center-Bldg. 3326 443-752-4642 Eat in and carry-out menus include pulled pork, ribs, chicken, hot dogs, burgers, desserts, sandwiches, and more. Catering also available.

Eat Like a Greek APG Bowling Center-Bldg. 2342 443-528-1990 Eat in and carry-out menus include Greek Specialties: gyros, rice bowls, lamb, burgers, Greek tacos, fries, desserts, breakfast, and more.

MWR CHILD & YOUTH SERVICES

School Liaison-School Support Services Bldg. 2522 410-278-1917 School Liaison services (K-12) provide a communicative link between the military community and local publicschool systems. Tutoring information is available.

Aberdeen Area CDC – APG North Bldg. 2485 410-278-5748/3487

Edgewood Area Youth Services - APG South – Summer Only Program Bldg. E1902 410-436-2862/2098 Youth Sports Bldg. 2503 410-306-2297 Youth Sports and Fitness program provides support for children 3 to 18 years of age to encourage health and life-long habits.

Army Community Service Bldg. 2503 410-278-7572 Army Community Service has a wealth of resources for Soldiers, families, reservists, retirees, and DOD civilians.

The programs offered are designed to enhance the quality of life, promote resilience and self-reliance, and provide stability during war and peace.

Adelphi Laboratory Center Provide valuable support services and infrastructure to enable scientific research, development, and the wellbeing of the workforce.

For more information, visit: https://home.army.mil/apg/index. php/about/ALC POC: APG Garrison Public Affairs Office; AMC-IMCOM-ID-SustainmentUSAG-APG-PAO@army.mil; or Public Affairs Specialist Hannah Miller; 410-278-9036

Bayside CDC – APG North Bldg. 2521 410-278-4683 Edgewood Area CDC – APG South Bldg. E1901 410-436-2077/2692 Aberdeen Area Youth Services - APG North Bldg. 2522 410-278-9061/4995

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ISSUE 55 • AUGUST 2023

At Ease M I D - AT L A N T I C

M I L I T A R Y

L I F E

JAY BRYANT

62-year-old Air Force veteran competing at a high level

CURATION

Program helps veterans find their future by preserving the past

FIELDS FOR VALOR Vets growing food for other vets through clean farming

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Base Guide 2024

Fort Myer Henderson Hall Fort McNair 2024 BASE GUIDE AND PHONE BOOK

1

RYAN EBAUGH

443-963-6013 rebaugh@chespub.com

NAVAL AIR STATION

PATUXENT RIVER

2023-2024 Newcomer Guide with Installation Map Center of Excellence for Naval Aviation • www.cnic.navy.mil/patuxent

52

ELI WOHLENHAUS

240-801-2258 ewohlenhaus@dcmilitary.com

VOLUNTEERS & Drivers Needed!

Our mission at Cook For Vets is to provide food security for Veterans and their households through the distribution of healthy meals and groceries for balanced, sustained nutrition.

Be part of the growing movement of

Souls Feeding Souls

53

Puzzles Artificial Intelligence Rachel Ponder, CECOM

Test your knowledge about artificial intelligence with this trivia puzzle.

Across 2 The 2023 science fiction horror film “M3Gan” featured an artificially intelligent _______ who becomes hostile.

4 This popular streaming service uses AI and ML to deliver

Down

1 The Casio ___________ is a furry pet robot that uses AI to express a range of emotions.

personalized content recommendations.

3 In 2011, IBM’s Watson DeepQA computer defeated two

6 _______ is a voice-activated digital assistant, available on

___________ champions, Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings, by a significant margin.

7 ____________ are images, videos, or audio that are edited or

5 Data _________ is the process of sorting through large datasets to identify patterns that can improve models or solve problems.

9 This British mathematician and computer scientist, Alan

7 The field of AI research was founded at a workshop at this

Apple devices.

generated using AI tools which may depict real or non-existent people. ________, influenced the development of AI and ML with his research.

12 In 2018, _________ CEO Sundar Pichai said, “AI is one of the most important things humanity is working on. It is more profound than, I dunno, electricity or fire.”

13 ___________ LLC, formerly known as the Google self-driving car project, is an American autonomous driving technology company headquartered in Mountain View, California. This company uses AI and ML to calculate a safe route in real time.

16 Email services use AI to filter out this type of unwanted message.

18 ____________is a function in electronic devices that tries to correct what a user is typing as they type.

21 The Center for AI Safety is a nonprofit organization based in

Hanover, New Hampshire, Ivy League university in 1956.

8 In 1997, IBM’s Deep ______ became the first computer system to defeat a reigning world chess champion in a match under standard tournament controls.

10 ___________ provides free AI writing assistance.

11 _________ was a virtual assistant developed by Microsoft that used the Bing search engine to perform tasks.

14 Voice ________ technology deciphers the user’s message and delivers appropriate responses.

15 _______________property infringement is one of the risks associated with the AI boom.

this state that promotes the safe development and deployment of AI.

17 Logic __________, developed in 1955-1956, is considered

22 “Portrait of Edmond _________” was the first artwork made

the first AI program. This program demonstrated that a machine could solve mathematical problems like a human mathematician.

entirely by AI to go up for sale at a major art auction. It sold for $432,000 at the Christie’s Prints and Multiples art auction in New York in 2018.

23 ______________ commonly use AI to clone the voice of a loved one to trick a victim into sending them money.

19 According to IBM, ____________ is the application of technology, programs, robotics, or processes to achieve outcomes with minimal human input.

24 A __________ is a software application or web interface designed to have textual or spoken conversations. This software application is used in customer service and support.

20 The director of the 2001 movie “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.”

25 An AI _________ is a period of reduced funding and interest in

writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system.

AI research. This term first appeared in 1984.

26 According to IBM, ____________ learning is a subcategory of ML and AI that involves training algorithms on labeled datasets to classify data or predict outcomes accurately.

27 This famous English theoretical physicist warned that AI “could spell the end of the human race.”

28 Artificial__________ is a response generated by AI that contains false or misleading information presented as fact.

54

27 In this 2013 comedy-drama starring Joaquin Phoenix, a lonely

WORD SCRAMBLE

FLEAWF AKEMR _____________________________

In the kitchen This word scramble features utensils and gadgets that are frequently found in the kitchen.

ACLGRI PRSSE _______________________________

OVWICRMEA ________________________________

LPEIPNAEP OERCR ___________________________

IZPAZ RECUTT _______________________________

OTEMOHSI LNDRBEE _________________________

NCA ERNEOP ________________________________

FODO CLESA _________________________________

TUALAPS ____________________________________ EALEVEGTB CROEPPH ________________________

55

U.S. Army MWR The Top of the Bay is AFFORDABLE ELEGANCE

A Beautiful Indoor & Outdoor Venue! Overlooking the Waters of Chesapeake. Please have your holiday events, weddings, and all types of parties.

FMWR Friendly Reminder: Please Reserve/Book Your Parties/ Holiday Events/Birthday Day Celebrations!

Have your event at the APG Bowling Center Brewer Lanes/Eat Like A Greek, Top of the Bay, 1SGT BBQ located in AA Recreation Center and Whatever the event! Top of the Bay Can Ruggles Clubhouse. Book today for 2025 and 2026. Accommodate. We would like to take this Some dates are already filling up. opportunity to thank you for considering us for your special event. Whether you are planning a birthday party for a loved one, retirement for your boss or co-worker, or celebration of your new life together as a married couple, we are prepared to offer you the highest quality food and service. Here at the Top of the Bay, we can provide you with everything from elegant sit down served dinners and delicious buffets to casual hors d’oeuvres receptions. We offer a premier conference location, wedding venue, offsite catering, banquet hall, and special events space; plus, the meeting facilities and catering capabilities that your event needs. Top of the Bay is fully equipped and ready for corporate, offsite, government, and family functions for groups. No matter the size. Our amazing catering team created their original menus for any meeting or occasion APG Bowling Center/Strike Force Cafe from formal plated dinners to happy hours, cocktail Strike Force Café. Parties at the APG Bowling parties, galas, and festive parties. The extremely Center! We also host office and Organization Day affordable meeting space with a beautiful waterfront parties and meetings, retirement events, office location is an ideal for government work functions, team building, birthdays, church and civic groups, training, conferences, and commemorations. sports teams, and tournaments/leagues.

Call Michael Artus-Cooper or Karen Rice Call Ted Dolzine at 410-278-4794 at 410-278-3062/2552/5915 or work cell 443-910-5937 56

WELCOMING NEW BUSINESS!

First Sergeant’s BBQ Bldg. 3326 AA Recreation Center 410-278-0534 or 443-752-4642

Golf Program (Ruggles & Exton) Call Ted Dolzine at 410-278-4794 or work cell 443-910-5937

Need a place to host your party?

We got you covered!

Rental Fee $150 -includes cash bar when requested Make a reservation soon!

Party platters and buffet options are available.

Top of the Bay, First Sergeant’s BBQ, Eat Like a Greek, Mission Barbeque

Easy as one, two and three. Please Scan QR code, load to your cell phone and pick Aberdeen Proving Ground. Done.

This gives you a new way to get up to date information on what’s happening on the installation. Please check it out.

57

PUZZLE ANSWERS Crossword

ANSWER KEY:

SPATULA

MICROWAVE

VEGETABLE CHOPPER

PIZZA CUTTER CAN OPENER

58

PINEAPPLE CORER

WAFFLE MAKER

SMOOTHIE BLENDER

GARLIC PRESS

FOOD SCALE

ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS & BUSINESS FRIENDS WORKING FOR THE FUTURE OF ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND

CORE COMPENTE NC IES Commercial/Industrial Construction, Renovation, New Construction, Design-Build, Rough Carpentry, Drywall, Painting, Doors, Frames, Hardware & Installation, Concrete, Paving, Excavation/Site Work, Snow Removal, Generator Install/Maintenance, and a Variety of Specialty Services.

Cage: 6YKW6 | DUNS: 079093007 | UEI: XHDBKA151ZA9 LG Co n s t r u c t i o n I n c .

6 3 6 B r oad S t reet , Suite 107 P O BOX 25 8 Pe r r y v ille, M D 219 0 3

Plumbing - Mechanical - Utility Contractors Commercial - Industrial - Institutional

Visit our Webpage @ www.gamechanicalinc.com Universal Fabric Structures, Inc. 3115 State Rd. Telford, PA. 18969 USA Ph: +1.267.377.6127 WWW.UFSINC.COM CAGE: 0WTN8

Phone: 443 -966 - 5006 Alt: Phone: 410 -937-1259 E- mail: mike@lgci-md.com Alt Email: lgcidarr yl@gmail.com