In a post-9-11 WMD environmentThe world is changing, it seems to be getting smaller and more dangerous, and the events of September 11, 2001 brought a distinct reality. collapsing around us. The reality was that we might be hit on the home front after all. The determined enemy has absolutely no regard for the “rules of war” and will stop at nothing to inflict as much carnage and casualties as possible. As the government and Department of Defense work to adapt and respond, one Army occupational specialty has become increasingly relevant. This Army unit is known as a Technical Escort (TE). In today's era, our public officials and military commanders need assurances and rapid, real-time assessments of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), toxic and/or toxic waste, and special material installations affected by a natural disaster. As the battlefield becomes increasingly asymmetric, the capabilities that TE units can provide will become increasingly valuable and relevant to our nation's WMD defense. For most of the 20th century, the possibility of an attack on American soil involving weapons of mass destruction seemed unlikely to the majority of United States citizens. Almost all major conflicts took place far from the continental United States, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor being the closest geographical exception. The public's, and largely the armed forces', view of any WMD threat fluctuated between ignorance and skepticism. Aside from the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 1960s, most of the country has felt safe from any category of...... middle of paper ......naked to form our best CBRN soldiers to meet tomorrow's challenges with confidence and professional expertise. References Alibek, K. (1999). Biological risk. New York: Random House, Inc., 281-282Army, USA (2007). FM 3-11.20, Technical Escort Battalion Operations. Washington DC: USA., 1-1, 1-2Cordesman, A.H. (2002). Terrorism, asymmetric warfare and weapons of mass destruction. Westport: Praeger Publishers., 34Mauroni, A. (2003). Chemical demilitarization: public policy aspects. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers., 126-128Mauroni, A. (1998). Chemical and biological defense: American military policies and decisions during the Gulf War. Westport: Praeger., 2-3Mauroni, A. (2006). Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Annapolis: Naval Institute Press., 101, 152, 156, 230 Zilinskas, RA (2005). Encyclopedia of Defense Against Bioterrorism. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley and Sons, Inc..., 41-42