One Third of the Nation's Chemical Agent Now Safely Destroyed

   U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency Reinforces its Position as the World
               Leader in Programs to Eliminate Chemical Weapons

EDGEWOOD, Md., Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Chemical Materials
Agency (CMA) today announced that it has safely destroyed 33.34 percent of the
nation's stored chemical agent.  CMA continues working toward fulfilling its
mission to enhance national security while meeting the destruction provisions
of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) treaty signed by the United States in
1997.
    
"The dedicated workers at all of our disposal facilities are making great
strides to eliminate these weapons and make our nation safer in the process,"
said Michael A. Parker, CMA director.  "We remain focused on our mission and
will use our expertise, experience and resolve to continue this work until the
last of this materiel is safely destroyed."
    
CMA protects and safely stores the United States' aging chemical weapons,
while employing technologies to safely and effectively destroy the nation's
chemical stockpile as well as recover, treat and ultimately eliminate other
chemical warfare materiel.  Thus far, the Army has destroyed more than
42 percent of the nation's chemical weapons munitions, and 10,503 tons of
chemical agent - representing one third of the total stockpile.
    
All of the chemical weapons on Johnston Island in the Pacific were the
first to be eliminated by the Army.  Currently, chemical weapons are being
destroyed in Tooele, Utah; Anniston, Ala.; Aberdeen, Md.; and Umatilla, Ore.
Operations to destroy chemical weapons are anticipated to begin within the
next year in Pine Bluff, Ark., and Newport, Ind.
    
The U.S. Army Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Program (NSCMP), another arm
of CMA, has also made substantial progress in destroying chemical materiel
considered separate from the chemical stockpile.  This materiel includes
former production facilities and recovered chemical warfare materiel.
    
NSCMP reached a key milestone in 2003 by destroying more than 80 percent
of the nation's original chemical weapons production capabilities 16 months
ahead of schedule.  In November of this year, NSCMP completed a major phase
in its ongoing demolition of a former production facility at Pine Bluff
Arsenal, Ark., one of the two still remaining (the other is at Newport
Chemical Depot, Ind.).  Both will be demolished by the April 2007 deadline
established under the CWC.
    
To learn more about the CMA's programs and activities, visit the agency's
web site at http://www.cma.army.mil.