Grouville, Jersey (Channel Islands) Authorities are warning residents of the coastal town not to handle any ordnance items found along the shoreline. The stern warning came after pictures emerged on-line of metal detector enthusiasts handling a WWII era shell.

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Rome, Italy The Ciampino airport was evacuated and flights diverted after three WWII era UXO items were found during construction work. An Italian Army EOD team responded and safely disposed of the items. The airport was re-opened after about three hours with several flights being delayed or diverted.

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Devon, United Kingdom A student brought an ordnance item to school for 'show and tell' but concerns raised the following day lead to a response by the a Royal Navy EOD team. The item was in the student's house for decades as it once belonged to the student's great grandfather.

The student decided to bring in some his great grandfather's war medals and a few items of memorabilia, including the munition, to show the 9 and 10 year old classmates. After the item was brought home, the student's grandfather questioned if item was live. Concerned, he drove the device in the trunk of his car to the Barnstaple police station.

The police evacuated the area and called in the Royal Navy EOD team to dispose of the item. EOD disposed of the item in a controlled detonation.

A teacher at the school indicated in statement to the press that the school is reviewing its procedures for 'show and tell' In light of the incident.

Hong Kong A hand grenade was found among a shipment of French potatoes when they were unloaded at a food processing factory. Workers called the police who responded to the Calbee snacks factory with a bomb disposal team to dispose of the UXO.

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Washington, D.C. The Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) released Defense Explosives Safety Regulation (DESR) 6055.09, to replace DoD 6055.09-M, DoD Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards.

Changes to the old Volume 7, now titled UXO, Munitions Response, Waste Military Munitions, and MPPEH incorporates some interesting new requirements for DoD Components. Examples include:

• Notifying DDESB and the respective explosive safety offices of "repetitive explosives or munitions emergency responses to a discrete geographic area, where the circumstances surrounding the explosives or munitions emergency response are similar."
• Work "collaboratively with environmental regulators and safety officials toward resolving, in a mutually agreeable manner, any concerns with the planned disposition of UXO during a response action."
• Acknowledging that environmental regulators and safety officials "may challenge a DoD field expert's decision and seek to elevate their concerns to higher levels of authority for resolution."

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Garden City, South Carolina A homeowner almost went off the deep end when the construction crew building his new pool uncovered ordnance items on his property. Workers called the police who responded and contacted the Air Force for technical support.

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Randolph Air Force Base, Texas The Air Force Personnel Center announced a selective retention bonus program of up to $75,000 for Sr. level NCO EOD Airman. The offer applies to Master Sergeants and Sr. Master Sergeants but not Chief Master Sergeants with at least 20 years, but fewer than 25 years, of active duty service.

According to the announcement, eligible EOD specialists who sign up for three more years would receive $30,000, a four-year service agreement would draw $50,000, and airmen who sign up for five more years would receive $75,000. The bonuses could be payable in either a lump sum, or in periodic installments.

Position Title: Project Geophysicist

MMRP Project Geophysicist position oversees all geophysical operations at the various sites including digital geophysical mapping and analog sweep detection for the characterization and remediation of sites contaminated with munitions. Areas of responsibility include implementation/use of the geophysical instrument verification system (IVS) and Instrument Test Strips (ITS), review/testing/introduction of new detector technologies, and cooperative efforts with quality control to address detection oversight.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviews data;
• Monitors site-specific activities & progress of clearance;
• Addresses any identified problems;
• Manages the geospatial operations including GIS and site grid/boundary survey operations;
• Assists with project documentation and client reporting including work plans, final reports and progress submittals as required by the contract;
• Reviews and assists with business development;
• Responsible for geophysical survey design, dynamic data collection, cued data collection, development of a validation plan, and all other plans and reports supporting the Advanced Geophysical Classification process;
• Provide oversight and Quality Control review of subcontracted geophysics provider deliverables;
• May perform limited field data collection as part of independent Quality Control checks; and
• Writes proposals with emphasis on geophysical tasks and feasibility of technical tasks.

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Ocala, Florida Police responded to a call of a grenade at a Taco Bell restaurant prompting a response from the local bomb squad. The incident occurred when an unidentified man found the item while magnet fishing in Ocklawaha after which he put the grenade his trunk and drove to Taco Bell before he decided to call 911.

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