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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
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      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

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      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

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Depth of Experience Critical to Operations Training

Published: January 23, 2018 | Category: BGCAPP News, People, Safety
  • Carl Reagan, toxic entry supervisor, watches as a toxic area entry trainee performs a task. Training tasks are designed to familiarize workers with wearing protective suits while performing their duties in areas of the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant that will be contaminated during operations.

    Carl Reagan, toxic entry supervisor, watches as a toxic area entry trainee performs a task. Training tasks are designed to familiarize workers with wearing protective suits while performing their duties in areas of the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant that will be contaminated during operations.

  • A toxic entry supervisor looks through piping during specialized training at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    A toxic entry supervisor looks through piping during specialized training at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

A toxic entry supervisor with 25 years of experience assisted with training and procedures that led to the Blue Grass plant’s first Toxic Area Training in November.

“I like the fact that I can put people at ease during potentially dangerous situations and bring them out safe and clean,” said Carl Reagan. “I am fortunate to be part of a team of supervisors with experience from the other chemical demilitarization sites, as well. Our level of expertise and diverse knowledge has been helpful in getting the training going.”

Reagan and his team work with maintenance and support personnel to train them to be comfortable and familiar with the equipment, protective gear and procedures for toxic area entries before operations begin.

Reagan said his experience with toxic area entries, where suited personnel access contaminated areas of the plant for maintenance or other duties, is long. He quickly found his niche early in his career as a supervisor of the Demilitarization Protective Ensemble Support Area and the Toxic Maintenance Area.

“He made me feel very comfortable about getting into the suit,” said Roemetta Gelhaus, Instrumentation and Controls technician, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “Knowing he and the other supervisors have such a depth of experience made my first-time training easier for me.”

“With 15 years doing chemical and nuclear work in the Army, then almost 25 years in this field, I’ve been called a forefather of the chemical demilitarization program,” Reagan said. “I started on the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Destruction System and was there about 10 years. I spent 10 years at the Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Destruction Facility and three at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, before moving here. I enjoy being in a position where I can apply lessons learned from each of these sites.”

BGCAPP People Articles

  • Kingston Reif, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control, second from left, listens as program and project officials explain the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Dec. 14.

    Key Defense Official Tours Blue Grass Plant

    Published: December 21, 2021
  • Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs Deborah G. Rosenblum (center) observes the M55 rocket destruction process on screens in the Control Room at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant on Oct. 12. (A portion of this photograph has been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines.)

    Pentagon Official Visits Blue Grass Plant

    Published: October 14, 2021
  • Col. Stephen D. Dorris, left, assumed command of the Blue Grass Army Depot July 9. Lt. Col. Edward E. Williams, right, assumed command of the Blue Grass Chemical Activity July 1

    Blue Grass Welcomes New Commanders

    Published: July 27, 2020
  • Karl Slaughenhaupt was named the first principal deputy at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in November.

    Project’s First Principal Deputy Named

    Published: December 20, 2019
  • Recycling facility workers remove brass rotating bands from scrap 155mm projectiles previously processed at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant and delivered to the recycling facility for smelting. This material is considered clean of chemical agent per U.S. Army standards and is acceptable for recycling.

    Processed Munitions Bodies Delivered for Recycling

    Published: November 21, 2019
  • Three members of the Environmental Action Group Led by Employees, or EAGLE, team pose with team shirts at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The EAGLE team was created when employees saw an opportunity to focus on potential environmental issues.

    Sharp Eyes Assist Environmental Efforts

    Published: September 24, 2019
  • Dr. Candace Coyle

    Program Head Introduces New Site Project Manager

    Published: June 26, 2019
  • (Inset) Jeff Brubaker, site project manager, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) as an intern with the Program Manager for Chemical Destruction around 1988. Brubaker explains the Munitions Washout System to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell at BGCAPP in 2013.

    Project Lead Began Demilitarization Career as Intern

    Published: August 13, 2018
  • Col. Joseph R. Kurz, left, assumed command of the Blue Grass Army Depot July 10. Lt. Col. Rodney D. McCutcheon, right, assumed command of the Blue Grass Chemical Activity June 14.

    New Commanders Welcomed at Blue Grass

    Published: July 23, 2018
  • A safety team member hands an employee a pin reflecting a safety-culture belief at the first Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant safety fair.

    Blue Grass Embraces Workplace Values

    Published: April 24, 2018
BGCAPP Training

More BGCAPP Training Articles

  • Kentucky Team Trains for Toxic Entries

    Kentucky Team Trains for Toxic Entries

    May 4, 2018
  • Partners Practice Response in Integrated Spill Drill

    Partners Practice Response in Integrated Spill Drill

    February 14, 2018
  • Technicians Use Mist and Light to Test Filters

    Technicians Use Mist and Light to Test Filters

    February 7, 2018
  • Protective Suit Sealer Ready for Operations

    Protective Suit Sealer Ready for Operations

    December 28, 2017
  • Specialized Suits Protect Workers from Chemical Agent

    Specialized Suits Protect Workers from Chemical Agent

    December 21, 2017

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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)