/EINPresswire.com/ -- FORT BELVOIR, VA--(Marketwired - March 23, 2017) - Acting Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ms. Shari Durand, testified before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities today. Ms. Durand stated that DTRA is a unique organization with a broad portfolio accomplished by an incredibly capable and talented workforce.

She went on to say, "We are a "one-stop-shop," open 24 hours a day to support the Department's functional and geographic combatant commands, the Military Services and the interagency."

She added that over the past three years DTRA moved to a regional vice programmatic approach against Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). "This allows us to support warfighters and allies with more comprehensive and integrated methods that are better aligned with the combatant commands. Likewise, our regional approach ensures a more holistic prioritization of the science and technology DTRA pursues and a better understanding of how we transition those capabilities to the Warfighter and Military Services."

She went on to state that the recent addition of the Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) to the Agency expanded DTRA's mission to include countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other improvised threats. Durand also highlighted the accomplishments of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program, which celebrated its 25^th anniversary last December, and the 70^th anniversary of the Defense Nuclear Weapons School at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, this April.

Durand concluded by acknowledging, "I am proud of what our team has accomplished this past year and believe that we serve as good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. As we look toward the future, I am confident that we are prepared to address future WMD and improvised threats around the world."

DTRA is the U.S. Department of Defense's Combat Support Agency for countering weapons of mass destruction, addressing the entire spectrum of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive threats and countering improvised threats. DTRA's programs include scientific research and development, operational support to U.S. warfighters on the front line, and an expertise that spans the full WMD threat spectrum. We work with the military services, other elements of the United States government, and partner countries to prevent acquisition, contain and reduce threats and respond to crises with a singular goal in mind: Making the World Safer.