Premier all hazards command leverages expertise at U.S. Army’s oldest proving ground

Photo By Walter Ham | The U.S. Department of Defense’s premier all hazards command leverages the expertise at the U.S. Army’s oldest active proving ground to combat the world’s most dangerous hazards. Celebrating its 18th anniversary this month, the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command traces its roots to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and the units that have worked to combat Weapons of Mass Destruction there since they were first used on battlefields during World War I. U.S. Army photo by Walter T. Ham IV.  

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

10.28.2022

Story by Walter Ham 

20th CBRNE Command

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – The Department of Defense’s premier all hazards command leverages the expertise at the U.S. Army’s oldest proving ground to combat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.

Celebrating its 18th anniversary this month, the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command traces its roots to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and the units that have worked to combat Weapons of Mass Destruction there since they were first used on battlefields during World War I.

Located in the science, technology and security corridor in northeast Maryland, APG is the nation’s oldest active proving ground.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Department of Defense was tasked with finding and eliminating Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Since no combined CBRNE command existed, the 75th Field Artillery Brigade was selected to serve as the 75th Exploitation Task Force.

Recognizing the need for a combined CBRNE command, retired Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Richard A. Cody drafted the memo that led to the establishment of the 20th Support Command (CBRNE) when he was the deputy chief of staff of the Army for operations and plans.

The 20th Support Command (CBRNE) was established on Oct. 16, 2004, as part of U.S. Army Forces Command. The command was renamed the 20th CBRNE Command in 2013 to better reflect its multifunctional mission.

The command is home to 75 percent of the U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and three Nuclear Disablement Teams.

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command deploy around the world to take on all hazards.

“Where the command has gone today is remarkable, twice of what I dreamed it would be,” said Cody in an interview after his retirement from the U.S. Army. “In terms of relevancy, they are more relevant today than when we first stood them up.”

The 20th CBRNE Command recognized Cody with the first Defender of Liberty Award in 2019 for his role in creating this critical formation that enables military operations and safeguards U.S. troops and American citizens from CBRNE threats.

With over 90 occupational specialties, the command brings a wide variety of expertise to the fight. The one-of-a-kind formation also 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 one of many examples, Maj. Gen. C. V. Clifton, the military aide to President John F. Kennedy, recognized Soldiers from Aberdeen Proving Ground for providing detection equipment and protective clothing to support U.S. military operations during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

During the Global War on Terrorism, U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians from the 20th CBRNE Command defeated hundreds of thousands of Improvised Explosive Devices, also known as IEDs, working with U.S. Navy EOD technicians.

The command received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for the management, repackaging and transport of Saddam Hussein’s nuclear program out of Iraq as Task Force McCall from August 2007 to May 2008.

In support of Operation Dragons Egg in 2008, the command sent the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity to Fallujah, Iraq, to analyze the contents of a buried tanker truck.

Today, the 20th CBRNE Command continues to support military operations around the world and domestic authorities across the nation.

Franz J. Amann, the director of the CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity (CARA), previously served as the commander of the U.S. Army Technical Escort Unit (TEU), one of the first two units assigned to the 20th CBRNE Command.

When the 20th CBRNE Command activated, the Technical Escort Unit was reflagged to the 22nd Chemical Battalion. The battalion was manned by both Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians.

In 2007, CARA was established with the civilians from the 22nd Chemical Battalion. This allowed the battalion to focus on specific Soldier missions while CARA assumed responsibilities for the non-standard missions.

U.S. Army civilians at CARA tackle many unique and challenging missions, from supporting the remediation of Formerly Used Defense Sites and characterizing Weapons of Mass Destruction to conducting emergency response missions for Recovered Chemical Warfare Material and providing technical escort of surety and non-surety chemical material.

Amann said CARA and 20th CBRNE Command have deep roots on APG and strong ties to the research, development and technical organizations that serve there.

“We have an enduring connection to Aberdeen Proving Ground that goes back to its foundation,” said Amann, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and retired U.S. Army Chemical Corps colonel. “That strong bond of service and partnership continues today with the brave, smart and tenacious Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians who serve here and uphold the legacy of TEU, this command and the installation.”

CARA routinely has open job announcements for many of its occupational specialists from Explosive Safety Specialists and Chemical Engineer Technicians to Microbiologists and Chemists. The announcements can be found on USAJobs.gov by searching APG.

• Date Taken: 10.28.2022
• Date Posted: 10.28.2022 14:39
• Story ID: 432229
• Location: ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, US
• Hometown: SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA, US