Army Chemical Review

SUMMER 2015

Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.

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21 Summer 2015 By Lieutenant Colonel John S. Leahy T he Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is now offering a distance learning graduate certifcate in Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy, and Proliferation (NWEPP). The education of the nuclear workforce is a top U.S. Air Force priority, and the Air Education and Training Command, U.S. Air Force, conceived of the program to reinvigorate nuclear-related education for the Air Force nuclear enter- prise. The frst class was welcomed in the fall of 2011. The NWEPP Program targets "nonquota," midcareer of- fcers, noncommissioned offcers, and government civilians who have current positions—or who may receive future as- signments—with the Department of Defense (DOD) nuclear enterprise and who would not normally have any other way to pursue a formal education in the nuclear weapons arena. The program is open to students in residence at AFIT and candidates who are nominated by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Offce (A10), Air Education and Training Command, in consulta- tion with the Air Force Global Strike Command. Interested students who are outside the Air Force Global Strike Com- mand must coordinate their attendance through AFIT and A10, Air Education and Training Command. U.S. Army nu- clear and counterproliferation (Functional Area 52) offcers coordinate through the U.S. Army Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency. All students must be U.S. citizens. However, the only academic requirements are the completion of an undergraduate degree with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher and a college algebra level mathematics course with a grade of C or higher. There is no requirement for a science or engineering background. There is also no residency or security clearance requirement. The NWEPP Program consists of three courses—each of which can accommodate up to 40 students, is 10 weeks long, and is worth 4 credit hours. Participants work indepen- dently and in groups to perform educational investigations of a broad range of topics encompassing weapon effects, nuclear technologies (including the fuel cycle), nonproliferation challenges, and the evo - lution of U.S. nuclear weapons policy since the Manhattan Project. 1 Students should plan to spend at least 16 hours per week on coursework. They will acquire the skills necessary to develop and provide advice on future nuclear strategy and policy. In addition, they gain an understand- ing of technical issues that will allow them to in- terface with the technical communities within DOD and the Department of Energy regarding the main- tenance of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. They also learn what makes nuclear weapons unique. Finally, they develop an un- derstanding for how these unique weapons have enabled the United States to deter war throughout the past 6 decades. Dr. John McClory, director of the NWEPP Program, sum- marized his experiences by stating, "I have been gratifed by the enthusiasm, knowledge, and dedication of our distance learning students as both an instructor and as the program director. Our students bring a wealth of knowledge on nucle- ar deterrence tactics, operations, and strategy—which they share and which elevates the level of discussion. Student contributions, along with our structured course material, make the program a valuable resource for those of any Ser- vice preparing for a position in the national nuclear enter- prise." The entire NWEPP Program can be completed in as little as 9 months, but must be fnished no more than 2 years after beginning the frst course. Those who complete the formal program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 receive the AFIT graduate certifcate. For more information about the NWEPP Program, please visit the AFIT Web site at or contact Ms. Amanda Zehring, AFIT contractor, at or (937) 255-3636, exten- sion 4706. Endnote: 1 The Manhattan Project was a 1940s, U.S.-directed research and development project that led to the production of the frst atomic bombs. Lieutenant Colonel Leahy is a nuclear weapons effects analyst with the Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He holds a bachelor's degree in Term Credit Hours Course Number Course Title Prerequisites Fall, Winter, Spring 4 NENG 500 Nuclear Weapons Strategy and Policy None; NENG 591 and NENG 596 recommended Fall, Winter, Summer 4 NENG 591 Nuclear Weapons and Proliferation None; NENG 596 recommended Fall, Spring, Summer 4 NENG 596 Nuclear Weapons Effects None Table 1. NWEPP Course Requirements

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