Colonel Patrick Terrell

Mr. Patrick Terrell is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) at the National Defense University in Washington, DC.

Prior to joining the center, Mr. Terrell served in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps for 27 years. He culminated his service in the Army as the WMD Military Advisor and Deputy Director for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Policy in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering WMD. During that assignment he developed the U.S. Policy for the security and destruction of Libya's chemical weapons and coordinated the Department of Defense support for the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor response. Most recently, he provided technical and operations expertise on the removal and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, integrating national policy and strategy with operational plans and diplomatic efforts to include coordination with the United Nations, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, all assisting states, and the Syrian Arab Republic government.

During his military career he commanded the 22nd Chemical Battalion (Technical Escort) and the 44th Chemical Company, 2nd Armored Division (reflagged to the 31st Chemical Company, 4th Infantry Division).  He served in tactical CBRN defense staff assignments at the Battalion, Brigade, and Division levels and in strategic and operational level assignments that included Political-Military Planner on the Joint Staff, Chemical Organizational and Systems Integrator on the Army Staff, Chief Operational and Strategic Concepts at the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center, and Stability Transition Team Leader in Iraq.

Mr. Terrell has a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from New Mexico State University.