Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show Colonel Christopher Grice - Acting Director, Joint Science and Technology Office, U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Colonel Christopher Grice is the Acting Director, Joint Science and Technology Office, of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency ( https://www.dtra.mil/ ), a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense (DoD), focused on countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosives) and their mission enables DoD and the U.S. Government to prepare for and combat weapons of mass destruction and improvised threats, as well as to ensure nuclear deterrence. Previous to DTRA, Colonel Grice was Director of Materiel for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA), as well as Division Chief for the Full Dimension Protection division. Prior to those assignments, Colonel Grice commanded the 69th Chemical Company in Hanau, Germany, the Blue Grass Chemical Activity at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky, and the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Pueblo, Colorado. Colonel Grice's other key assignments included Instructor and Chief of Officer Training at the CBRN School, Battalion Executive Officer and Operations Officer for 110th Chemical Battalion at Joint Base Lewis McCord, Washington, Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff and Counter-proliferation Branch Chief for the Joint Staff, Senior Strategic Planner, U.S. Plans for United States Forces Korea. Colonel Grice's other operational and support deployments include Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo as part of Task Force Falcon while the CBRN Officer for 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and Operation Iraqi Freedom as the company commander of the 69th Chemical Company. A native of Galesburg, Illinois, Colonel Grice enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1989. He earned a Biological Sciences Degree from Southern Illinois University and a commission as a Chemical Officer in 1995. Colonel Grice also earned a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management from Webster University in 2006 and a Master of Science Degree in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University (Joint Advanced Warfighting School) in 2015. Colonel Grice's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with OLC), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (with OLC), Army Commendation Medal (with OLC), Army Achievement Medal (with OLC), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 2), NATO Medal, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Senior Parachutist Badge. His foreign awards include the German Armed Forces Efficiency Badge.