The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) marked the destruction of all VX nerve agent munitions at its destruction sites on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008.
This milestone occurred with the destruction of the last land mine containing VX at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (ANCDF) in Anniston, Ala.
"I commend Anniston and all CMA destruction sites on this extraordinary achievement. By destroying the VX agent at each of CMA's destruction sites, you have made the world a much safer place," said Conrad Whyne, Director of CMA.
The ANCDF Site Project Manager, Timothy K. Garrett, declared, "We have reached a truly remarkable milestone following more than five years of deliberate, but careful operations. All nerve agent munitions -- those containing GB and those containing VX -- have been safely processed."
CMA personnel and contractors have destroyed the VX nerve agent munitions at six disposal sites: Anniston, Ala.; Umatilla, Ore.; Newport, Ind.; Pine Bluff, Ark.; Tooele, Utah; and Johnston Island approximately 800 miles southwest of Hawaii.
CMA continues to safely and securely store the remaining VX in the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Chemical Activity near Richmond, Ky. A separate Department of Defense organization, the U.S. Army Element Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, is charged with its destruction, with construction currently under way on a neutralization facility there.