Chemical weapons employee says monitoring system was flawed
Associated Press
Thu, August 25, 2005

WASHINGTON -- An employee at an Army chemical weapons facility alleged Thursday his post failed to properly monitor its deadly nerve toxin cache for months, and took punitive action against him when he complained.

The commander of the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky would not comment on the allegations, but said the toxin is secure and his employees well cared for.

Donald Van Winkle, who operates air-monitoring units at the Richmond facility, said monitors the post uses to ensure its holdings of VX nerve toxin don't leak were incorrectly configured, threatening the lives of employees.

The allegations were made in a signed affidavit dated Wednesday.

When told of the problem in February, depot officials did not take immediate action, Van Winkle said.

He said he has since been denied overtime pay and had part of his security clearance revoked as a result of complaining openly about the security situation.

The depot did change its monitoring procedures of the dangerous weapon in March or April of this year based on the suggestion of an employee, post commander Lt. Col. George Shuplinkov told the Associated Press.

But that change was optional, he said."The previous method that we utilized is still a valid method," Shuplinkov said.

"They're serious allegations and based on information that's received they'll be looked into," said Lt. Cmdr. Joe Carpenter, a Pentagon spokesman.

Van Winkle's affidavit did not allege that anyone has been harmed by the weapons since they have gone unmonitored

.Employees learned of Van Winkle's allegations during a meeting with Texas-based manufacturer OI Corp. earlier this year, the affidavit said. Van Winkle set the date of that meeting as February or March.

An OI Corp. representative did not return a call on Thursday.VX, stored as an oily, amber-colored liquid, is a deadly agent developed for use in the Cold War. It can be absorbed by breathing, ingestion or skin contact and small amounts can be fatal.

The Army stores about 520 tons of chemical warfare agents at the Madison County depot. The U.S. Defense Department has slated the weapons for destruction.

Some 27,000 people live in nearby Richmond, according to the 2000 Census.Van Winkle called for the U.S. Defense Department's Inspector General to examine the depot's monitoring system and records.

The Inspector General's office received and is considering the request, said Inspector General spokesman Gary Cumerford.A depot employee since 2002, Van Winkle is represented by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a Washington-based advocacy group. He was at work on Thursday.