After nine years, four states and four assignments, a veteran has returned to Pueblo, Colorado, to coordinate the local Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP).

“John Riley’s 28 years of experience as an U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) staff officer has given him years of experience that will help him as the CSEPP coordinator,” said Mark Mears, bureau chief, Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Bureau.

“Having been the commander at Blue Grass and Pueblo, Riley is well-versed in the CSEPP program,” Mears said.

Riley and his family lived in Pueblo from June 2005 to July 2007, during which time he served as commander of the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD). As CSEPP coordinator, Riley will provide planning and coordination for emergency response and recovery efforts concerning the chemical stockpile stored at PCD.

“I have a broad range of experience in chemical operations, emergency preparedness and management, and community relations,” Riley said. He said his focus will be to ensure the community is prepared to respond in the unlikely event of a chemical accident or incident during operations at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

“As a former commander of PCD, a member of the community, and an environmentally- conscious citizen, I have a profound interest in ensuring maximum protection for this entire community,” Riley said.

Since leaving Pueblo, Riley acted as the CBRNE chief for U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii; attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; served as the operations officer for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and worked as the chief of protection and CBRNE for III Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas. Prior to his leadership of PCD, Riley was the commander of the Blue Grass Chemical Activity, located near Richmond, Kentucky.