Deborah Shuping, the CBRND Test & Evaluation lead in the Office of the DOD CBRND Test and Evaluation (T&E) Executive talks to Steve Johnson about how T&E Standards can provide huge efficiencies and improved data to decision makers
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Foreword
If you talk to any Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD) Program Manager, you’ll get the same story on T&E. It is necessary to ensure quality systems for the Warfighter, but it costs too much and takes too long. The testing of chemical and biological agent defence systems provides unique challenges. There are large costs associated with producing and safely handling and containing chemical and biological warfare agents. Add to this the design, development and sustainment costs for the highly sophisticated test infrastructure required to do the job, along with the professional workforce to operate it, and you have a major impact on an acquisition program budget. But that’s not all.
Once you get the data, it is not always understandable, because different labs are using different test methodologies, and the slightest differences in these methodologies can
produce very different results. Standardization of these methodologies is critical if CBRN test data is to be universally understood and shared. Evaluation of the strategic, life-cycle cost benefit and inherent value of an acquisition system, the ‘Big E’, is the ultimate goal of T&E and T&E Standards are the foundation of this process. The US DOD has been driving this concept forward for several years and now, under the auspices of the President’s May, 2011 National Strategy for Chemical Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) Standards, the effort is redoubled. We talked to Deborah Shuping at the DOD Office of the CBRND T&E Executive about this effort.
SJ: Have you been in T&E for a long period yourself?
I have been in the area for almost ten years and in this office for four years.
Prior to that I was a chemistry teacher, but before that I was the quality assurance supervisor at a large chemical plant here in the US. The importance of standards was really impressed upon me during that time. We produced a wide variety of organic and inorganic products and we had to answer to the EPA for our emissions, so standards were critical. When I came to the DOD, I was a little surprised that within CBRN Defence Program, there were so many ways to do testing, a range of test methods, and no single set of T&E Standards. I came to learn that the reason isn’t because of omission on anyone’s part, but because CB agent testing poses unique technical challenges that result in a lot of very smart people across the country developing lots of different test methodologies to overcome these challenges, with no consensus as to which methodology is best for a given test. Since very slight changes in a test methodology can result in very large differences in test data, T&E Standards are critical. Without them, data cannot be widely understood, shared, or accurately reproduced.
SJ: How is the DOD addressing the challenges of CBRN T&E and aligning with national efforts?
The good news is that T&E Standards are now being established through a DOD joint service effort, coordinated with federal interagency and international partners. In July 2010, a mechanism for a “Whole of Government” approach to CBRND T&E Standards development was implemented by Mr. James C. Cooke (CBRND T&E Executive), and now supports the President’s National Strategy for CBRNE Standards. The products of this mechanism, implemented through the T&E Capabilities and Methodologies Integrated Process Team (Tecmipt), are “best of breed” test methodologies that have been reviewed and concurred upon by the joint Services and interagency partners, as well as cost-effective, validated test infrastructure to perform the tests.
“Ahmed, it didn’t blow up last time. Shall I prod it again?” Standards inform everything ©DoD
SJ: Can you explain the TECMIPT’s role? The Tecmipt is comprised of DOD
CBRNe South America 2012, 13-14 March, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. More information on
www.icbrnevents.com 56 CBRNe WORLD February 2012
www.cbrneworld.com
CBRNeWORLD
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