Civilian scientists train at Tyndall

Nine government scientists traded test tubes for fighter jets and robots. They awoke on the first day to emergency drills vice coffee. They wore Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) suits and gas masks. For the scientists, training like a war-fighter gave them a larger understanding of battlefields, and provided insights into real world applicability. The week-long program is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Chemical and Biological Technologies Department’s Scientists in Motion (SIM) effort, which addresses knowledge gaps between scientists and the war-fighter on the front lines. SIM offers researchers on the forefront of product development a chance to experience a simulated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) operational environment to gain a deeper understanding of how war-fighters employ CBRNE defense products. Recently, DOD civilian scientists traveled to Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., to train with the Air Force’s Air Combat Command 823 RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers) Squadron for the collaborative event. DTRA CB has held 14 events since the program’s inception in 2015, providing more than 125 government program managers and lab technicians the opportunity to develop a stronger understanding of war-fighter-driven scenarios. (Source: DTRA CB 06/27/18)