integral part of the work force at the U.S. Army, Pueblo Chemical

Depot. Women were employed in everything from the labs to

secretarial work to medicine. The depot's mission has been the

safe and secure storage of a chemical weapons stockpile of mustard

agent. Today, we're planning on one final mission: the complete

destruction of those weapons in the Pueblo Chemical Agent-

Destruction Pilot Plant, or PCAPP, which is currently under

construction. And once again, women perform a crucial role in our

workforce. "I'm Sandy Romero, and I work at PCAPP as the

communications manager for the Bechtel Pueblo team. Today, I'm

going to show you just how crucial women really are to this

project."

"Hi my name is Jessica Smith, I'm an electrician, I'm a foreman

out here, and I've been doing this for 13 years. My typical day

for me out here is to get my guys started on laying out conduit

runs, and piping all the electrical systems. We're running cable

tray, we're putting all the alarm systems on the air sys doors."

"MY name is Shaye Donohue, I've been a pipe fitter for 30 years

in the union. I've been at PCAPP for about 2 years. I'd always

been interested in construction since I was a little kid. What

prompted me to get into this line of work, I went down the hall

and they said 'Oh no, this work would be too hard for you to do'

and I said 'Ok then sign me up'."

"My name is Gloria Murphy. I am the materials foreman for the

PCAPP area, for all the pipe fitters. I've been at PCAPP for 28

months, and I have been a foreman for almost a year now."

"My name is Valerie Isley, I am an electrical field engineer,

I've been with the engineering department for about 3 months."

"My name is Theresa Rasmussen, I'm out of Local 58 - a pipe

fitter. I'm currently the job steward on the PCAPP project, I've

been in the trade for 15 years now."

"Hi my name is Laurie Riddock, I am a training specialist at the

PCAPP Project. I started out as an iron worker and I welded for

the PCAPP project since 2007, I just became a training specialist

just this February."

"The challenges are sometimes physical. A lot of physical

challenges for a woman in this trade. Mentally, I'll say that we

are women. A little bit more prepared most of the time for the

challenges that come up."

"When I first became an apprentice it was difficult. Men don't

see women in the workforce. It's gradually becoming better and

better all the time. We've had to actually probably work three

times harder than a male of our same level in an apprenticeship

program just to prove and gain the respect of the fellow

pipefitters that we work with every day."

"If anything these guys completely look out for me, I'm one of

them, you know, we all work together side by side, they don't

treat me like I'm a girl."

"You know we stand on the shoulders of the people who have come

before us, and those women did great things under many obstacles

and as we go forward then our daughters and our sons can see what

potential for human beings there is."

During the peak of construction in 2011, PCAPP employed 1,079

workers. Of that total workforce, 167 were women working in non-

manual jobs, and 21 were women working in craft positions. That

means women made up 21% of the PCAPP workforce. Many of these

women were working in jobs that traditionally were held by men.

Whether they are scientists, engineers or craft workers, women

continue to play a vital role in the American workforce. And so,

the Rosie the Riveter tradition continues. Women are still

working at the Pueblo Chemical Depot and the PCAPP project, to

keep America strong and safe.

Well, what do you think ladies? Are we up to the task?

[All] "We are doing it!"

"You know we stand on the shoulders of the people who have come

before us, and those women did great things under many

obstacles."