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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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Pueblo Plant, Depot Personnel Share Spotlight

Published: August 19, 2022 | Category: PCAPP News, People
  • Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc., and Todd Ailes, project manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team, present a certificate of appreciation to Andy Shaffer, test coordinator, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, accepting on behalf of the PCAPP environmental team. The certificates were presented July 27 at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event in Pueblo.

    Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc., and Todd Ailes, project manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team, present a certificate of appreciation to Andy Shaffer, test coordinator, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, accepting on behalf of the PCAPP environmental team. The certificates were presented July 27 at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event in Pueblo.

  • Representatives from nine workforce departments from the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant and the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot accepted certificates of appreciation at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

    Representatives from nine workforce departments from the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant and the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot accepted certificates of appreciation at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

  • Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, congratulates Darren Mitani, maintenance technician specialist, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, who accepted a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the PCAPP maintenance team. The certificates were presented at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

    Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, congratulates Darren Mitani, maintenance technician specialist, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, who accepted a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the PCAPP maintenance team. The certificates were presented at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

  • Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control, congratulates Jose Cornejo, munitions transporter, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, who accepted a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the PCAPP operations team. The certificates were presented at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

    Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control, congratulates Jose Cornejo, munitions transporter, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, who accepted a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the PCAPP operations team. The certificates were presented at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event July 27 in Pueblo.

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant and U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot workforce were recognized for their roles in completing the 105mm projectile destruction campaign in July.

“It’s a fitting time to reflect, take notice and thank the people who have eliminated hundreds of thousands of weapons in a manner that is safe to the workforce, the local community and the environment,” said Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.

Officials recognized six PCAPP and three PCD departments at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event, held July 27 in Pueblo. PCAPP representatives accepting certificates on behalf of their departments included: director of compliance Mike Strong, government field office team; munitions transporter Jose Cornejo, operations team; maintenance technician specialist Darren Mitani, maintenance team; cognizant engineer Celina Quintana, engineering team; warehouse manager Darby Yosinski, project support team; and test coordinator Andy Shaffer, environmental team. PCD representatives included Casey Eikenberg, toxic materials handlers team; Brian Mills, inventory management team; and Will Penrod, ammunition surveillance team.

Presenting certificates at the event were Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives; Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc.; and Todd Ailes, project manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team.

“I’m extremely proud,” Abaie said. “The men and women who come to work every day truly are great Americans and great heroes.”

Related Posts

  • A pallet of previously rejected 155mm projectiles awaits destruction. Approximately 200 of the 155mm projectiles were rejected by the plant’s automated robotic destruction systems. The rejected munitions have been re-introduced into the system, now upgraded with the devices.

    Safe Destruction of Previously Rejected Projectiles Moves Forward in Pueblo Plant

    Published: September 13, 2022
  • The Improved Cavity Access Machine was proposed to safely destroy 4.2-inch mortar rounds in the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant automated process. Based on existing Cavity Access Machine technology, the ICAM uses a vacuum-powered probe to remove agent.

    Improved Equipment Could Accelerate Destruction at Pueblo Plant

    Published: July 5, 2022
  • After a chemical weapon is drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water, Agent Washwater Separator tanks collect fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has two tanks, providing the plant with redundancy when neutralizing agent.

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Published: March 28, 2022
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant maintenance technician dons and escape breathing apparatus during backup rescue training exercises in 2020.

    Pueblo Plant Safety Rates Exceed Industry Standard

    Published: August 17, 2021
  • Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Entry Support Area tender Ezra Maldonado is outfitted with the Demilitarization Protective Ensemble prior to completion of the 10,000th DPE entry at PCAPP.

    Pueblo Plant Workers Achieve Safety Milestone

    Published: May 12, 2021
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician dons a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

    Repurposed Safety Equipment Used for Training

    Published: May 4, 2021
Pueblo, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant

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