Warning Issued after Suspected UXO Goes Missing

Dartford, Kent, UK Police issued a warning after a potentially dangerous ordnance item, initially found in a Kent river then left on a wall, disappeared before police arrived to inspect it. Police fear someone may have taken what is believed to be an explosive shell home with them after finding it on the wall.

The suspected UXO was found in the river by a fisherman who placed then left it on the wall for authorities. Kent Police Inspector Shona Lowndes said, "Explosives experts have not yet had the opportunity to inspect and assess whether this item is harmless or poses any dangers. We cannot discount that someone may have picked it up and perhaps taken it home or left it somewhere else. Anyone who has had contact with this item, or knows of its whereabouts, is urged to contact police immediately."

Live Howitzer Round Found on Arizona Construction Site

Yuma, Arizona A construction crew in southern Arizona discovered an unexploded howitzer round while working on a road. EOD identified the ordnance as a 155 millimeter howitzer used during WWII and the Vietnam War.

It was the second round found on the road improvement project that began in February. The first was found in April in the same location. The road was closed for several hours as experts safely removed the munition.

Officials say the area was once part of the Desert Training Center, also known as the California-Arizona Maneuver Area, founded in 1942 for desert warfare training. Both rounds "were found more than one mile outside of YPG's boundaries, and have nothing to do with the proving ground's present-day testing," said a Yuma Proving Ground spokesperson.

First Nation Settles Claim Over UXO

West Edmonton, Canada The Enoch Cree Nation reportedly agreed to a $91M settlement from the Canadian Government as compensation for the continued clean-up of UXO at the site; loss of the use of their land; trauma that band elders experienced; and for the loss of income from the golf course which was closed due in part to UXO hazards.

The military history of the approximately 1,280 acres of First Nations land, which includes Yekau Lake, dates back to the 1940s when the Canadian Government leased land from the Enoch Cree Nation for bombing and target practice. At the time, Band Elders agreed to donate the proceeds from the lease to the war effort as part of their allegiance to Canada. At the time of the lease, the Canadian military reportedly told the Band Elders that only practice or smoke rounds would be used.

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Take A Moment To Thank A Veteran

In these days where our country seems so divided on the political front, one thing we can and should all agree on as Americans is to appreciate the freedoms that veteran's have afforded us all. In the words of late President Ronald Reagan, "Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they've suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us" (1983).

Please take a moment to thank a Veteran for protecting what you hold dear; Tell them you are proud of them; Make it very clear.

Recreational Area Opened After UXO Removal Action

Lord Howe Island, Australia The Elizabeth Reef Recreational Use Zone of the Lord Howe Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) has been re-opened to marine park users, following a UXO removal action conducted by the Royal Australian Navy. The recreational area was closed last spring after UXO was found by recreational divers.

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Better Safe than Sorry When it Comes to UXO

Brighstone, United Kingdom The Needles Coastguard Rescue Team and bomb disposal experts were called in when a person reported what appeared to be a mine washed up on a beach in the West Wight. Local EOD were sent a photo of the object and confirmed that it was not a mine and was safe to remove.

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EOD Responds To Discarded Relic

The Newberry County Sheriff's Office reported a military ordnance which appeared to be a discarded military relic. According to the Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster, "the piece was a three-inch shell, the application of which is not known."

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Congressman Pushes For Demining and UXO Clearance Funding

Fresno, California Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) led 100 of his colleagues in issuing a bipartisan letter to U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Jim Costa Congressman California 16th district Administrator John Barsa, urging the agency to invest in demining and UXO removal activities to help address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Nagorno Karabakh."

The letter reads in part "It's clear that more needs to be done to protect the people of Artsakh and bring lasting peace to the region,...Demining efforts save lives and this conflict has put thousands at stake. The peace process must resume. I'm hopeful Administrator Barsa will act quickly to fund demining and UXO removal in Nagorno Karabakh to prevent avoidable casualties during and after the conflict."

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