U.S. Chemical Weapons Stockpile Destruction Highlights over 30 years of IEM Support

Morrisville, NC, July 18, 2023 – The Department of Defense announced July 7, 2023 the final munition in the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile was safely destroyed at the Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky. The last M55 rocket containing GB nerve agent was punched and drained at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, which will continue to process the agent-contaminated secondary waste in rocket warheads through 2024. IEM has supported the U.S. Army by providing technical support to protect chemical weapons stockpile sites since the early 1990s.

“This is a momentous day for the nation,” said IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal. “IEM has proudly provided integrated technical and programmatic support to make the communities surrounding the stockpile sites safer for the past 30 plus years. It’s gratifying to know IEM delivered solutions to save the government millions of dollars, while fulfilling our mission to build a safe, secure, and resilient world.”

In 1998, IEM began supporting the Westinghouse-Anniston team, which operated the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile at the Anniston Army Depot, Alabama. IEM delivered 15 years of comprehensive automation systems support to this stockpile site, which completed destruction of more than 2,254 tons of chemical agent in 2011.

In 2010, IEM began providing public affairs support services to the Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, which is responsible for destruction of the stockpiles near Pueblo, Colorado, and Richmond, Kentucky. For more than a decade, IEM helped PEO ACWA inform, educate, and involve tens of thousands of stakeholders. IEM directly supported the PEO ACWA public affairs office during the timeframe it received awards in the Army’s Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Awards Competition, in the areas of “Outstanding Initiatives in New Media” and “Best Special Event.”

In 2018, IEM transitioned its public affairs support to PEO ACWA under a new Systemization, Operations and Closure Support contract managed by Leidos. In addition, IEM’s role added quality and safety engineering and intranet support of the destruction of chemical weapons in Kentucky. IEM’s support to PEO ACWA and Leidos continues as the Pueblo and Blue Grass sites go through closure.

“We have diligently served these vital programs throughout various milestones and look forward to the day the sites are closed, making the country and world safer for generations to come,” said Beriwal.

In addition, IEM continues to provide support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), including full scale exercise support. The firm has helped CSEPP standardize exercise documents, terminology, and doctrine to facilitate regulatory compliance.

Since 2005, IEM has provided contract support to FEMA and the CSEPP full scale exercises. The CSEPP exercises continue to be one of the largest FEMA sponsored exercises annually. Additionally, IEM helped integrate the CSEPP’s technology solutions; financial reporting; performance metrics and measurement; internal and external reporting; planning; communications; and exercises; which will continue until surety is met to safeguard the surrounding communities.