Many of the positions at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) require the employee meet the highest standards of reliability, and the U.S. Army Chemical Personnel Reliability Program (CPRP) provides the policy and procedures that define those standards.

The CPRP is the Army’s security, medical and psychological evaluation program designed to permit only the most trustworthy individuals to access chemical weapons. Ordnance technicians, laboratory monitoring technicians and mechanical technicians are all positions for which the employee will need to meet and maintain PRP standards, said William “Bill” McCune, surety manager, PCAPP.

“Any PCAPP position which requires routine access to chemical munitions and/or agents is part of the CPRP,” McCune said.

Determining whether a person qualifies to work in a CPRP position includes initial evaluations at the time of hiring and regular evaluations once the person is employed. The CPRP process consists of an initial interview, and screening of personnel records and medical history. The applicant is subject to verification of training, medical evaluation and drug screening before a final interview, said McCune.

“As a certifying official for PCAPP, I make sure the personnel being considered for assignment to chemical agent duties meet the requirements of the CPRP,” said Debi Michaels, chemical operations manager, PCAPP.

The CPRP helps confirm the workers employed at PCAPP are reliable, effective and competent to perform the important mission of safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile, said Michaels.