The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
The United States National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is part of the Department of Energy. NNSA maintains and improves the safety, reliability, and performance of the United States nuclear weapons stockpile. It is also responsible for many nuclear nonproliferation, counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, and radiological emergency response efforts, and for the nuclear reactors aboard U.S. Navy ships.
BUDGET: Approximately $12.5 billion in 2015.
The NNSA Operative at a Glance
POWERS OF ARREST? Generally, no. However, courier agents of the Office of Secure Transportation have a broad mandate under the Atomic Energy Act to use force to protect a nuclear asset.
EXPECTED TO CARRY A WEAPON? No, except for courier agents
ACCESS TO OFFICIAL FUNDS? Can be supplied with a credit line if traveling or on an investigation or mission, up to an Unusual expense without eliciting official review.
OPERATIONAL BUDGET/RESTRICTED ITEMS? On a requisition roll, the Agent can access advanced detection and analysis equipment including portable spectrometers, radiation and chemical sniffers, advanced optics, and atmospheric analyzers. An operative can also request personal protective equipment including HAZMAT and radiation suits, chemical/ biological/radiological resistant military uniforms, explosives-removal armor, rebreathers, and similar safety equipment, usually as a Standard expense. One may also request specialized vehicles such as hermetically sealed vans and SUVs with scientific and detection equipment, as a Major expense.
Courier agents have access to supply depots in every major U.S. city. They can access military grade weapons and equipment with a successful requisition roll as a Standard expense. They may also request armored vehicles, including specially-designed armored long-haul trucks designed to safely carry nuclear material, as a Major expense.
The Organization
NNSA operates specialized facilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility, and the Z-Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratory. Because international legislation prohibits nuclear detonations even for scientific research, NNSA uses an array of supercomputers to run simulations and validate experimental data.
NNSA is divided into a series of offices which manage aspects of the strategic use of nuclear power.
The Office of Secure Transportation (OST) provides safe and secure transportation of government-owned, DOE- or NNSA-controlled nuclear materials. Shipments are transported in specially designed containers and are escorted by armed courier agents.
The Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (ODNN) works to secure and dispose of nuclear and radiological material as well as related weapons of mass destruction technology.
The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) provides design, development, and operational support for the Navy’s aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.
The Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation (OCC) sponsors academic research into “threat devices” and foreign nuclear weapons.
The Office of Defense Nuclear Security (ODNS) designs and implements programs to protect the U.S. from hostile nuclear weapons. These programs include training protective forces in how to safely work around nuclear material or facilities, developing systems to promote nuclear materials control and accountability, and developing technical security programs for facilities or organizations that handle nuclear material. ODNS also handles the security operations, resources, engineering, and technical support to NNSA field elements and facilities.
Key NNSA Offices and Programs
» Office of Secure Transportation (OST)
Transportation and Emergency Control Center (TECC)
Secure Courier Program
» Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
(ODNN)
» Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST)
» Joint Technical Operations Team (NEST/JTOT)
Operatives
NNSA focuses on engineers and scientists with nuclear or physics specializations. Employees are expected to join NNSA with already established bona fides in nuclear science or engineering. Bureaucrats and support staff make up a large percentage of the NNSA’s ranks as well.
NNSA’s workforce has a reputation as a particularly rigid “old boys network.” This is a result of low turnover, particularly at the highest ranks. New employees, many of whom hold multiple advanced degrees, often find it difficult to get promoted.
OST employs about 350 courier agents to escort specially designed aircraft and tractor trailers to transport nuclear material. NNSA seeks ex-special-operations forces as courier agents. Besides irregular hours and significant risks, couriers may be called upon to use deadly force to prevent the theft, sabotage, or takeover of protected materials. Courier agents receive months of training as federal law-enforcement officers.
Authority and Mandate
NNSA’s primary mission is the security and effectiveness of the United States’ nuclear weapons stockpile. Part of that mission is protecting the public by providing expertise on radiological detection and emergency response.
NNSA may declare a temporary “National Security Area” (NSA) which gives DOE and NNSA administrative control of the area and ensures NNSA is the lead agency. The declaration of an NSA must be approved by the Office of the President shortly thereafter and always draws the attention of the media
Field Operations
NNSA is ready to deploy a variety of emergency response assets in the event of a suspected nuclear incident. Outside of these specialized teams, most NNSA employees work in technical or support roles that rarely require travel. Occasionally a specialist travels to consult with another agency or for a speaking event. For most, the best chance to travel on official duty is to become competent or senior enough to be selected for a deployable team (such as a NEST) and then travel as part of an exercise.
NNSA can co-opt personnel from throughout the Department of Energy, as well as request law enforcement or military personnel through the Secretary of Energy and the President. These ad-hoc task forces are usually created under the auspices of a Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST). A NEST task force includes select NNSA personnel from multiple offices and competencies, and provides technical assistance to other federal agencies in incidents that involve nuclear materials. A NEST deploys alongside federal agents or military personnel to assists identifying, characterizing, rendering safe, and disposing of radioactive devices. NESTs vary in size from a five-person technical advisory team to a deployment of dozens of scientists and medical personnel. NEST personnel are ready to deploy at all times, and have a small number of dedicated transport and detection craft to facilitate rapid travel.
A NEST is organized into three elements: a Nuclear/Radiological Support Team (NRAT), a Search team, and a Joint Technical Operations Team (JTOT). NRAT has domestic and foreign support teams which deploy from Washington, D.C., to advise local authorities and collect preliminary information for follow-on groups. The Search team deploys specialized equipment to find a radioactive threat device. JTOT deploys specialized technical capabilities, instruments, and people to render objects safe, analyze them, and dispose of them. The JTOT teams include DOE scientists and technicians and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts.
The Office of Secure Transportation maintains a fleet of more than three dozen armored, custom-built “safe and secure trailers” (SSTs) which are operated and staffed by courier agents. The SSTs are tractor trailers (semis) designed to carry large amounts of nuclear material safely. The SSTs have sleeping berths and usually hold at least four armed couriers. During a convoy run, an SST is escorted by at least two armored SUVs, each carrying at least three armed couriers. To get SST convoys to their destinations as quickly as possible, SSTs are directed to travel at maximum legal speed with minimum stops. Local law enforcement is usually informed in advance of the arrival of a convoy. On a convoy run, couriers are no-nonsense and quick to deploy their weapons, no matter how innocuous a situation appears. Courier agents are equipped with M4 carbines and MP5 submachine guns with low-light optics, body armor, flash-bang grenades, and sometimes with M4 Super 90 semi-automatic shotguns.
Areas of Friction
There is a wide disconnect between how NNSA’s leadership sees the agency and how it is viewed by outsiders. With its strong background in national security and a tendency to work with the military, NNSA has developed a reputation being aloof and snobbish when working with other DOE partners. Exacerbating the problem is a perception by other federal agencies that NNSA promotes an outmoded ”‘two-martini lunch” work environment. This leads to a reputation for completing projects late and generally being less effective than it should.
NNSA’s biggest area of friction is within its ranks. The old-boy network regularly leads to frustrated lower- and mid-level employees who enjoy their work, but see little chance for advancement. Morale in NNSA is not strong, and leadership seems oblivious to the problem.
Playing NNSA
You are highly educated and have a strong work ethic. You could have taken a better-paying job, but you want to work on the practical side of nuclear issues, and there is nothing more interesting than the security implications of nuclear material. Perhaps you get to work on the nuclear reactors on an aircraft carrier, or maybe access data generated by networked super computers, or help build projects for the advanced X-ray “Z machine” at Sandia. Whatever you do, it is exciting and highly technical.
Let the guys in the private sector work the crazy-long hours and wade through corporate subcultures. You get to work on your passion and get home at a reasonable hour. You likely had to put everything aside to get an advanced degree, and it can be a relief that NNSA promotes a strong work-life balance.
NNSA’s organizational culture leaves something to be desired. A Ph.D. in some highly technical field isn’t enough to get noticed when everyone else has one. Worse, promotions seem to be based on who you know and under-the-table favors more than actual merit. If not for the fact that there is no other job like yours that offers the personal time you need, you probably would have left years ago.
Suggested Professions
Office of Secure Transportation Courier Program (OST/Courier)
Courier agents escort nuclear materials. They are instructed to not allow anything to take control of the “goodies.”
PROFESSION: Special Operator.
SUGGESTED BONUS SKILLS: Alertness,
Drive, HUMINT, Law.
EQUIPMENT: Per TOOLS OF THE TRADE: SPECIAL OPERATOR on page 85 of the Agent’s Handbook, as well as radiological and chemical personal protective gear and access to specially hardened vehicles.
NEST Search Group (NEST/S)
Your day job is as a scientist or medical professional. When there is a suspected nuclear “threat device” in the area, you are called upon to staff NEST’s Search Group.
PROFESSION: Scientist or Physician.
SUGGESTED BONUS SKILLS: Awareness, Computer
Science, Science (Chemistry or Physics), SIGINT.
EQUIPMENT: Access to radiological protective gear as well as advanced detection and surveillance equipment, much of it man-portable or at least transportable on a plane.
Joint Technical Operations Team (NEST/JTOT)
When a suspected nuclear or radiological weapon or threat device is located, the JTOT is brought in to evaluate and neutralize the danger. JTOT works closely with the FBI to deploy trained personnel such as explosives ordnance disposal techs.
PROFESSION: Firefighter.
SUGGESTED BONUS SKILLS: Awareness, Craft (Electronics), Demolitions, Science (Nuclear Physics).
EQUIPMENT: Explosives and ordnance destruction
equipment, including body armor and remote-controlled robots that may be operated with the Demolitions skill.