Col. Sean Kirschner hasn’t had much time to catch his breath since taking command of Dugway Proving Ground on July 22.
In addition to educating himself on the various missions at the installation, Kirschner said his family has been keeping him busy with trips around Utah, their home for his two-year assignment.
“In the three weeks we’ve been here, there’s not an idle minute on the weekend,” he said. “My family, when I come home from a long day at work, they’re chomping at the bit to get out of the house and do things with me.”
The new commander describes his wife, Kristi, and four children as a “good Army family” for their ability to adjust to a constant change in locale. Kirschner said he’s moved 14 times during his career with the Army.
Before coming to Dugway, Kirschner has found himself in challenging situations throughout his career. His previous position, as deputy director of the Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, had him coordinate the Army’s response to the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014.
Kirschner said his office funded the research for ZMapp, an experimental drug used to treat Ebola patients and a transport isolation unit designed to move patients infected with a pathogen in a military aircraft. The isolation unit took only months to go from concept to a finalized design being used at the beginning of this year, he said.
Kirschner previously commanded a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) battalion consisting of 500 soldiers. He also worked on the development of IED deterrents as a part of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization in Afghanistan.
“I keep falling into these interesting problems,” he said.
Kirschner even worked in the Army’s human resources command at Fort Knox, where he assigned officers to new posts, similarly to how he was assigned to Dugway Proving Ground.
“I was the guy that made me move 14 times,” he said with a laugh.
Kirschner’s previous post was in Washington, D.C., but said that he put Dugway as his first option when he was up for command. He had visited Dugway while commanding the CBRNE battalion and said his familiarity with the facilities and workforce was one reason he wanted to come.
“I knew about a year ago that I was going to come out here,” Kirschner said. “You get to prepare and mentally steel yourself for what’s to come.”
One thing Kirschner had to prepare for was taking over Dugway Proving Ground in the midst of an ongoing Department of Defense investigation into inadvertent shipments of live anthrax from its labs. The improperly inactivated anthrax may have affected as many as 194 labs in nine countries, all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and three U.S. territories, according to the Pentagon.
“Is it a concern of mine?” Kirschner said. “Absolutely. Is there good that’s going to come out of it? Absolutely.”
Kirschner said Dugway’s employees are excited to improve as a result of the investigation and be able to learn and move on.
“We’re going to be better on the back end of this, that’s how I’m looking at this,” he said. “There was a scientific problem, it’s opened up a lot of science and a lot of questions that the community at large is investigating right now.”
Kirschner said taking over Dugway, which has a majority civilian population, is slightly different from previous commands where he had 500 soldiers and one civilian, but the objectives remain the same.
“Whether you’re a soldier or civilian, you’re still supporting that war fighter,” he said. “You still have the mantle of responsibility that if you don’t do your job right, that war fighter that’s in harm’s way isn’t going to have the best equipment.”
While Kirschner acknowledged the size and scope of commanding an installation like Dugway, he said he’s got a great crew to handle the mission.
“I recognize how complex and challenging it is, but I also recognize how exciting the mission is out here, how dynamic the mission out here is,” he said.
Less than a month into his two-year stint at the helm of Dugway, Kirschner has still had brief moments to appreciate the best parts of living and working at the remote installation, even if it’s at the end of the day.
“Probably 80 percent of the sunsets have been magnificent since I’ve been here,” he said.