NATO CBRN Medical Symposium
Meet the CBRN Medical Symposium Organisers
LTC Tommy Rezentes (USA), US Army, 72A, MS Nuclear Engineering
US Army Medical Command Radiation Safety Staff Officer, Nuclear Medical Science Officer Deputy Consultant to The Surgeon General and Chair CBRN Medical Training Panel
LTC Tommy Rezentes joined the US Army in 1996 as a Combat Medic. In 2002, he commissioned as a 72A Nuclear Medical Science Officer in the US Army Medical Service Corps. Over the last 20 years of commissioned military service he has assignments focused on Radiation Safety, Radiation Accident Response and Casualty Management, Nuclear Disablement Team, and Military Executive Assistant to the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office in Washington, DC. During his assignment to the US Army Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG) he served as the US Head of Delegation to the NATO CBRN Medical Working Group and Bio Medical Expert Panel. At OTSG, he served as the US lead for the NATO Smart Defence 1.1045 project – NATO Bioresponsiveness becoming involved in leading events in NATO exercises across the Tactical, Operational, and Strategic Levels. Currently he serves as the Chair of the NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel where he continues to focus efforts on CBRN Casualty Medical Management through training and exercises.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Robbie Beech MBE, BSc (Hons), PGDip Med Tox, PGCE, Registered Nurse Tutor, FHEA, ACMI QARANC
Executive WO Defence School of Healthcare Education, Emergency Care Specialist Nurse, Defence Specialist Advisor CBRN Medicine and NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel Secretary
WO1 Beech joined the Army as a CMT in 1999. After completing Common Core, he transferred to the QARANC completing his undergraduate course and then specialising in Emergency Care. From here he has completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Toxicology and a PGCE. He has completed assignments at various Joint Hospital Groups and Field Hospitals and is currently both the Senior School Warrant Officer at the Defence Medical Academy and Defence Specialist Adviser CBRN Medicine having input into GBR and NATO Exercises, Training and Doctrine. He was the recipient of two national awards (2019 & 2020) for his work on initial post registration education and training for Registered Nurses and Allied Health Professionals and in 2020 was shortlisted for the Florence Nightingale Nurse of the Year Award. In his spare time, Robbie plays Drums in a covers band fully actualising the path of an aging rocker!!
Robbie was made Member of the British Empire (MBE) in June 23 on King Charles III Birthday Honours list, for services to CBRN Medicine.
Ms Julia Burr (USA)
Research Staff Member Institute for Defense Analyses and NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel
Julia Burr is a member of the research staff at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, a federally-funded research and development center providing objective, high-quality research and advice to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and Defense Agencies. Ms. Burr joined IDA in 1988 and has spent much of her career studying issues related to CBRN defense and CBRN medical support operations.
Mr James Blount (USA)
International Medical CBRN Defense Analyst and NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel
James Blount works for the Army Office of the Surgeon General as the International Medical CBRN Defense Analyst. He retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years of service as a Non-Commissioned Officer, 10 years as Combat Arms and 11 years as CBRNE Specialist. He served at the Pentagon as the Deputy of the Hazmat Response Division, activated after 9-11 and as the Special Events Unit Hazmat Team Leader on the Secretary of Defense’s protective detail. He has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan numerous times as a Technical Escort Unit Chemical Biological Response Team (C/B-RBT). Mr. Blount has a Bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management & Masters in Business Administration. He specializes in military tactical training, CBRN First Responder/Technician and escort/transport of CBRN, hazardous materials. Mr. Blount is a member of the NATO CBRN Medical Training Panel, the CBRN Med WG & the BioMed Panel.