The U.S. Army and its contractors use the utmost care when handling chemical weapons in order to protect workers, the public and the environment. A major part of this commitment to safety and security is the Army’s Personnel Reliability Program (PRP). The purpose of this program is to ensure that each person who performs duties involving chemical agents meets and maintains the highest possible standards of reliability.
Many of the workers who currently store and safeguard chemical weapons at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot are in jobs that require maintaining PRP standards. When the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant goes into operation to destroy Pueblo’s chemical weapons, many of the new employees who work in the plant will also have to meet the strict requirements of the PRP.
Determining whether a person qualifies to work in a PRP position includes the below prior to hiring and continuing evaluation once employed.
a. Initial interview by a government official
b. Government conducted background investigation
c. Medical and mental evaluation
d. Drug test
e. Reliability assessment by a government official
 | Because safety is the number one priority, chemical weapons workers require extensive training and must demonstrate the highest levels of personnel reliability.
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The Army uses the following standards and requirements to determine if an individual is suitable for the PRP:
• Physical competence, mental alertness, and technical proficiency commensurate with duty requirements
• Evidence of dependability in accepting responsibilities and effectively performing in an approved manner
• Flexibility in adjusting to changes in the working environment
• Evidence of good social adjustment, emotional stability and ability to exercise sound judgment in meeting adverse or emergency situations
• Positive attitude toward chemical duties and the PRP
 | Control room operators, like these at the Aberdeen Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Maryland, are responsible for safe operation of the plant and for monitoring personnel who work in hazardous areas. They must meet the high standards of the Army’s Personnel Reliability Program.
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To determine if an individual is suitable for the PRP, the Army looks for Potentially Disqualifying Information. This is any information regarding but not limited to a person's physical, mental, emotional status, conduct or character, on- and off-duty and at any time during employment, which may cast doubt about an individual's ability or reliability to perform chemical duties. Any of the following could disqualify individuals from the PRP. The list is not all encompassing and contains only examples of disqualifying factors.
a. Alcohol dependent/alcohol abuser
b. Alcohol-related incidents
c. Drug abuse
d. Negligence or delinquency in performance of duty
e. Conviction of, or involvement in, a serious incident (“Serious incidents”
include, but are not limited to, assault, sexual misconduct, financial
irresponsibility, inordinate number of traffic tickets, and child or spouse
abuse.)
f. Medical condition
g. Hypnotherapy
h. Serious progressive illnesses
i. Poor attitude or lack of motivation
j. Suicide attempt
k. Inability to wear protective equipment
The PRP helps ensure that workers employed at the chemical weapons destruction plant are reliable, effective and competent to perform the important mission of safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile.