In the scenic landscapes of eastern Kentucky, at the expansive Blue Grass Army Depot, a significant milestone in warfare history is on the horizon – the destruction of rockets filled with GB nerve agent, marking the final remnants of the United States declared chemical weapons, is nearing completion.
This achievement concludes a decades-long campaign aimed at eliminating a stockpile that once exceeded 30,000 tons at the height of the Cold War.
The impact of this weapons destruction extends beyond the military installations. Richmond, Kentucky, and Pueblo, Colorado, where the last chemical agents were eradicated last month, will forever be marked by this historic event.
Moreover, it signifies a defining moment in global arms control efforts.
The United States faces a crucial deadline of Sept. 30 to eliminate its remaining chemical weapons, as stipulated by the International Chemical Weapons Convention.
Adopted in 1997 with the participation of 193 countries, this treaty serves as a stern message to the few nations that have yet to join.
The weapons being dismantled in Kentucky are the final remnants of 51,000 M55 rockets, each armed with the lethal GB nerve agent, also known as sarin. These rockets have been stored at the depot since the 1940s.
By destroying these munitions, the United States unequivocally asserts that such weapons have no place on the modern battlefield.
Military experts emphasize the significance of this act, sending a clear message to countries that have not yet embraced the international agreement.
Kim Jackson, manager of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, expressed pride in the mission's successful conclusion, highlighting its lasting impact on the United States: "We're finishing it for good for the United States of America."
Chemical weapons first emerged during World War I, claiming the lives of at least 100,000 individuals.
Although their use was subsequently banned by the Geneva Convention, countries continued to stockpile these deadly weapons until the treaty demanded their eradication.
In southern Colorado, workers at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot embarked on destroying these weapons in 2016.
Their mission reached a significant milestone on June 22, as they neutralized an entire cache of approximately 2,600 tons of mustard blister agent.
These projectiles and mortars accounted for about 8.5% of the nation's original stockpile, which stood at 30,610 tons of agent.
For decades, the presence of these weapons sparked concerns among civic leaders in Colorado and Kentucky.
Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar emphasized that the weapons were never an imminent threat but acknowledged the underlying anxiety associated with their existence: "You always wondered what might happen with them."
In the 1980s, the community surrounding Kentucky's Blue Grass Army Depot voiced strong opposition to the Army's initial plan to incinerate the plant's 520 tons of chemical weapons.
This led to a prolonged battle over the disposal methods.
Eventually, the planned incineration plant was halted, and alternative methods were sought, thanks to the collaboration between residents, political leaders, and the military.
Craig Williams, a prominent voice against the incineration plan, later became an advocate for constructive engagement between the community, leadership, and the military.
Concerns about potential toxic pollution from burning the chemical agents drove their efforts.
While the military primarily destroyed the stockpile by burning weapons at remote sites such as Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean or a chemical depot in the Utah desert, the Kentucky facility's proximity to Richmond and Lexington necessitated a safer approach.
The Kentucky disposal plant, completed in 2015, employs a process known as neutralization to safely dilute the deadly agents for disposal.
Mustard agent, VX nerve agent and sarin nerve agents have been stored at this facility inside rockets and other projectiles since the 1940s.
Aside from fulfilling their mission, the destruction of these weapons has been a positive development for the communities involved.
Recognizing the eventual loss of thousands of workers, both Richmond and Pueblo are emphasizing the availability of a highly skilled labor force, presenting an attractive proposition for companies seeking to establish themselves in these regions.
At the Pueblo site, workers utilized heavy machinery to meticulously load aging weapons onto conveyor systems, which then transported them to secure rooms.
Remote-controlled robots were tasked with the dirty and dangerous work of eliminating the toxic mustard agent.
The agent was neutralized using hot water and mixed with a caustic solution to prevent any reversals.
The resulting byproduct underwent further breakdown in large tanks, aided by microbes. Mortars and projectiles were decontaminated at temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius) and subsequently recycled as scrap metal.
Faulty or overpacked munitions were dispatched to an armored, stainless steel detonation chamber, where they were destroyed at temperatures around 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Colorado and Kentucky sites represent the final locations where the United States stored and destroyed its chemical weapons. Other sites included facilities in Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon, Utah, and the Johnston Atoll.
Kingston Reif, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for threat reduction and arms control, emphasized that the elimination of the last U.S. chemical weapon would mark the closure of a significant chapter in military history, one that the nation eagerly anticipates concluding.
Officials consider the elimination of the U.S. stockpile as a significant advancement for the Chemical Weapons Convention. With only three countries – Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan – yet to sign the treaty, and Israel having signed but not ratified it, there is hope that this final step by the United States will encourage the remaining nations to join.
Additionally, proponents of arms control view this achievement as a potential model for eliminating other types of weapons.
Paul F. Walker, vice chairperson of the Arms Control Association and coordinator of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition, expressed optimism about the power of banning weapons of mass destruction: "It shows that countries can really ban a weapon of mass destruction. If they want to do it, it just takes the political will and a good verification system."
