Welcome to UXOInfo.com's free monthly E-Newsletter on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). UXOInfo.com is the largest site on the Internet for UXO related news and information. If you have not checked out the UXOInfo.com website, we encourage you to do so at www.uxoinfo.com. In addition to bringing you the latest UXO news and information, the UXOInfo.com website also provides the following:

• UXO Resume Response Line
• Ordnance / UXO Photo Gallery
• Documentation Sharing

• UXO News Wire Service
• UXO Site Inventory
• Questions and Answers

The UXO E-Newsletter is issued monthly to provide the industry with important news and information related to UXO. For information on how to advertise in future UXO E-Newsletters please email the UXOInfo.com Marketing Coordinator, Ms. Jenna Coven at jenna@uxoinfo.com.

If you do not wish to receive the UXO E-Newsletter in the future, simply use the un-subscribe link provided at the bottom of this newsletter. If you have any questions or comments on UXOInfo.com or the UXO E-Newsletter please email them to information@uxoinfo.com. The UXO E-Newsletter and UXOInfo.com are the copyright of Focus and Leap, Inc. This UXO E-Newsletter may be copied and distributed.

Munitions Database - Beta Version Release

Last month I announced that UXOInfo.com was working on a munitions database for the UXO industry. In this month's UXO E-Newsletter we have an article about the release of the Beta Version of the database. The Beta Version is still a work in progress but does have over 350 munition items loaded into it. UXOInfo.com is seeking your comments and input on the system. We are also asking for donations of unclassified reference material to add to the database including any documents, reports, or images related to ordnance. The article below has more information about the database and a linkn to access the Beta Version of the system.

Last month (September 2008) proved to be another outstanding month for UXOInfo.com is terms of website traffic. Total user sessions exceeded 14,000 for the month (a new high record) with over 8,000 of those sessions from unique visitors. This means that over 8,000 people accessed the website during the month (over 250 users per day on average) to view the latest news and information related to UXO. I would like to thank our users and our Corporate Sponsors for their interest and support of UXOInfo.com. I would also like to remind everyone that we always welcome any feedback or comments you have on the website as well as any articles or information you have to share with the industry.

Please stay safe out on the range.

UXO and IED 2009 Earmarks For Hawaii

Washington, D.C.Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) Hirono's efforts has resulted in over $24M worth of earmark funding for 2009 for various programs in Hawai'i's 2nd Congressional District. The appropriations include $9.8M in funding related to munitions and IEDs including the following three defense appropriations:

• $4 million to continue funding for research, development, and improvement of technology to search for munitions dumped into the ocean offshore around the island of Oahu (Ordnance Reef). This builds on $5.5 million secured by Congresswoman Hirono for this purpose, last year.
• $1 million for research on detection and classification of UXO in volcanic soil native to Hawaii.
• $4.8 million to expedite research and development of a new generation of sensor technologies for IED standoff detection and forensic tracing. The research is being conducted by the University of Hawaii in cooperation with Florida A&M and Arkansas State University.

Country Wide Plan to Address UXO Concerns

Amman, Jordan NATO is sponsoring a project to address UXO concerns across the country of Jordan. The first phase of the project (planning and logistics) began last month. Jordan's UXO problem dates back to 1970 when a civial war broke out in the country. UXO is suspected to be scattered throughout the country but authorities believe the bulk of suspected UXO is concentrated in the north around Ajloun and North Shuneh in the Jordan Valley.

Over the past three years alone, 28 injuries and 12 deaths linked to UXO have been reported. The majority of the injuries and deaths were linked to scrap metal recycling incidents where citizens were illegally removing scrap metal from ranges for recycling purposes. Other incidents involved civilians supposedly unknowingly entering into military ranges during active maneuver activities.

Actual UXO removal work will not begin until approximately a year and half from now during subsequent phases of the project.

Live Grenade Found Near Embassy

Washington, DC a live grenade was found in a recreational field across the street from the Egyptian Embassy. The D.C. police bomb squad responded to the call near 16th street in NW Washington to retrieve the grenade. Nearby homes were evacuated during the removal process. Authorities are investigating the incident but so far have stated that there is no known terrorist connection. The exact type of grenade found or its condition was not reported.

WWII Era Bomb Found in Lake Safely Detonated

North Karelia, Finland Finnish military defense forces found a live 250kg WWII era bomb on the bottom of lake near the town of Liperi. The bomb was found within the wreckage of a WWII era bomber that crashed into the lake back in 1944. The bomb was safely detonated in place after the area surrounding the lake was evacuated. Military officials have issued warnings about the potential for more UXO to be in the lake form the wreckage due to the fact that the bomber was capable of holding over two tons of munitions.

Warren Grove Gunnery Range To Resume Training

Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey The New Jersey Air National Guard managed Warren Grove Gunnery Range is schedule to re-open for training. The range was closed for training last year after a pyrotechnic incendiary munition dropped by an aircraft sparked a 17,000 acre forest fire back in May 2007. The range will be open for both ground and air training but munitions use will be temporarily banned. When munitions use resumes in the future, incendiary devices and pyrotechnics will be not be authorized.

Schonstedt Instrument Company is the world's leading manufacturer of hand-held Fluxgate magnetometers for UXO and weapons detection. Schonstedt magnetic locators find ferrous metal targets used in landmines, buried ordnance, other munitions and explosives of concern (MEC), and hidden weapons. They have been tested and proven by the US military, private contractors and NGOs in military and humanitarian de-mining operations around the globe. For a 1-page overview of the company's magnetic locator product line, go to www.findordnance.com

Schonstedt Instrument Company
100 Edmond Road
Kearneysville, WV 25430
USA
Contact: Tylee Ulmer

CH2M HILL is an industry leader providing munitions response services for planning, compliance, investigation and removal or remediation services. CH2M HILL provides the full scope of services required to support mission goals at sites suspected or known to have Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) contamination, from environmental management and permitting to regulatory site closure and property transfer.

CH2M Hill is the only company that has a transportable Controlled Detonation Chamber (CDC) technology approved by the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) for destruction of munitions, explosives, and energetics. CH2M HILL provides the following munitions response services:

• Characterization Services
• Removal/Remediation Services
• Digital Geophysical Mapping (DGM) Surveys
• Explosives Risk Assessments
• Regulatory Compliance
• Air Monitoring
• Chemistry Services
• Controlled Detonation Chamber (CDC) Technology

USA Environmental, Inc. provides Munitions Response Services including characterization and remediation of federal and non-government sites that are contaminated with Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).

MEC/UXO Services:
• Characterization
• Remediation and Disposal
• Range Maintenance
• Avoidance
• Consultation

Related Services:
• Digital Geophysical Mapping (DGM
• GPS Surveying and GIS Mapping
• MEC Underwater Capabilities
• Range Reconnaissance
• Preliminary Assessments/Site Inspection (PA/SI)
• Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS)

• Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA)
• Technology Evaluation
• Demining
• Cost, Schedule, and Risk Controls
• Archival Searches and Cultural Compliance

For more than 20 years, EOD Technology, Inc. (EODT) has provided UXO removal and disposal services for the U.S. military and commercial clients in locations worldwide. EODT is the only company to have been awarded three consecutive contracts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Worldwide Military Munitions Response Program.

Our UXO professionals have extensive experience providing safe, quality clearance services on projects, regardless of size, scope, contamination level, or complexity. As part of our Munitions Response program, EODT also offers geospatial services, ordnance scrap processing, military range sustainment services, and risk mitigation services.

Information on Corporate Sponsorships can be found in the UXO Opportunities Brief. If you have any questions on Corporate Sponsorships or want to sign up, please contact the UXOInfo.com Marketing Coordinator, Ms. Jenna Coven at jenna@uxoinfo.com or 267.295.8010.

Public Advisory Notices Issued After Munitions Find

Ventura, California advisory notices and warnings have been issued within the Los Padres National Forest to warn visitors about the potential for UXO. The area where the projectile was found was reportedly a WWII era training range. The warnings were issued after a recent visual survey of the area was completed where a 105mm projectile was found on the ground surface. The U.S. Forest Service was surprised by the find because they had no idea that the area was once a former range.

Article continued on the UXOInfo.com website - UXO Public Warnings Issued.

Mulvaney's Ordnance Technical Information System (MOTIS) Beta Release

UXOInfo.com is developing an on-line ordnance database for the UXO industry known as "Mulvaney's Ordnance Technical Information System" or MOTIS. The database, named after the famous EOD cartoon character created by Sergeant Robert Vittur (a cartoonist for the bomb disposal school newsletter at the Bomb Disposal School located at American University in Washington, DC during the 1940s) will be populated using unclassified source material and documents related to ordnance such as Technical Manauals and various Field Manuals. The ultimate goal is to build a comprehensive database of munitions from the civil war through today with a capability for users to be able to upload images and source material to create a robust data sharing environment.

MOTIS is a work in progress and new munitions and system features / capabilities will be added on a regular basis. The Beta Version with over 350 munition items is avaialble for UXOInfo.com users to review using the link below. UXOInfo.com is seeking comments and feedback on the system in terms of usability and level of detail included. The data uplaod feauture is still under construction and is expected to be completed in the near future. If you have any unclassified source material such as reports, manuals, documents or images to donate to the MOTIS database please email to UXOInfo.com at information@uxoinfo.com. A link to the MOTIS will be included on the UXOInfo.com homepage after updates are made based upon comments received.

View the Beta Version of MOTIS.

Airbag Handing and Disposal, An International Explosive Safety Issue

Christchurch, New Zealand Auto recycling and dismantling is a large and growing business in most modern countries. In New Zealand alone, it is estimated that 30,000 vehicles are scrapped or crushed each year for recycling purposes. Approximately 20 percent of those vehicles contain air bags with live energetic loaded cartridge actuated devices (CADs). Although safe guards such as removing batteries from vehicles prior to dismantling are effective in stopping electronic initiated CADS from functioning during the dismantling process, there are no standard regulations regarding how to safely dispose of airbags once they are out of the vehicles.

Article continued on the UXOInfo.com website - Airbag Disposal.

Cabrera Services, Inc. seeks a Project Manager for environmental investigation and remediation activities involving Munitions & Explosives of Concern (MEC)and Radiological contamination on training ranges.

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Description: The Project Manager is responsible for effective project planning that provides technical quality, maintains personnel productivity, and culminates in punctual delivery of project deliverables within established budgetary constraints.

Cabrera help wanted ad continued on UXOInfo.com.

UXOInfo.com is helping to fill UXO teams for several UXO sites. All technician levels are needed. Pay and per diem based upon location and level. Interested candidates should email their resume to the UXOInfo.com Marketing Coordinator, Jenna Coven at jenna@uxoinfo.com for consideration.

UXOInfo.com understands how difficult it can be to find UXO Technicians for your projects. The very busy field season coupled with the on-going UXO related work to support the war on terror make it harder than ever to find qualified UXO professionals to staff your projects. UXOInfo.com's UXO Resume Referral Service can help.

Through the UXO Resume Referral Service, UXOInfo.com locates qualified UXO professionals based upon the specific needs of your project. Whether your project requires part-time temporary UXO professionals or full-time permanent placements, the UXO Resume Referral Service can help. UXOInfo.com searchers the hundreds of resumes in our database and finds qualified candidates that fit your needs and requirements. We then contact the candidates directly and confirm their interest and availability. All qualified, available, and interested candidates are then forwarded to you for consideration. Rates vary by position and the number of personnel needed. For more information on the UXO Resume Referral Service, contact the UXOInfo.com Marketing Coordinator, Jenna Coven at jenna@uxoinfo.com.

Enter your resume into the UXOInfo.com UXO Resume Database and start receiving offers and opportunities in the UXO industry. Use the UXO Profile Entry Form and complete your free profile today.

Huntsville, Alabama The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued the draft solicitation for the Worldwide Environmental Remediation Services (WERS) under RFP W912DY-08-R-0017. WERS will support the Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP) and the clean up of FUDS and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) sites. WERS will also support overseas operations where munitions have been used or stored including but not limited to Ammunition depot operations and management; Booby trap clearances; Demining operations; Disablement of unconventional warfare explosive devices; Post-Battlefield munitions clearance; Range and debris clearance; and Recovered Chemical Warfare Materiel (RCWM) Munitions Responses services. The contract will include projects in combat zones such as Iraq and other potentially hostile environments.

Multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) type contracts will be awarded to both small and large businesses. The small business set aside awards will share a programmatic capacity of $1.5 Billion and the unrestricted large business awarded contracts will share a programmatic capacity of $1.29 Billion. The period of performance for the contracts (both small and large business) will be two years with 3 one-year renewal options.

The USACE is seeking comments on the draft solicitation by 14 November 2008.