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:

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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.

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An Outlook on the Busy Field Season Ahead

With the large number of UXO related contracts and projects slated to start over the next few months, this year may prove to be the busiest year ever for the UXO industry. Finding qualified and available staff to support the large number of UXO projects will certainly become a challenge. To meet the growing needs of the industry, UXOInfo.com is now offering a subscription service to the UXO Resume Response Line for companies looking to staff upcoming UXO projects. More information on this service can be found in this month's UXO E-Newsletter along with a variety of interesting UXO-related articles.

I would also like to take this time to thank all of the UXOInfo.com Corporate Sponsors and Advertisers for their support. To learn how UXOInfo.com can promote your UXO company or products to the UXO industry, please contact me at jenna@uxoinfo.com.

Thank you and please stay safe on the range.

Plans Announced For New Air Force EOD Range

Dayton, Ohio The Air Force announced plans to build a new EOD range at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to support increased training needs associated with IED response training. EOD currently trains in a small wooded area of the base with low amounts of explosives. The new EOD range would have a net explosive weight limit of 5 lbs and include a 6-foot tall concrete barrier with a 500 foot exclusion zone and a surrounding fence for security purposes. The range would also be used for disposal purposes for ordnance or explosive recovered within or near the installation. The 88th Air Base Wing, which operates the base, anticipates that the new EOD range once built would be used three days per week to support as many as eight detonations per day after EOD expands to 17 members from the current 12 person unit.

WWII Era Weapons Cache Found in Creek

Centreville, Alabama A road construction company working on a bridge noticed a cache of weapons in a shallow creek in Bibb County. The workers called the police who responded with ATF agents. Authorities removed the weapons collection, which included WWII era weapons from Japan, Italy and Germany. Included in the collection was a 50mm mortar, a 20mm cannon, two belt-fed machine guns and a Thompson machine gun. Nine weapons were found in all. Most were in great condition with no rust indicating that they were most likely recently deposited into the creek. No ammunition was recovered. Authorities suspect that the weapons collection was stolen and then subsequently thrown into the creek. No one has claimed the collection yet which is valued at over $20,000.

Unexploded Demo Charges Found at Demo Site

South Charleston, West Virginia A former headquarters building for Union Carbide was demolished under a controlled detonation operation as part of the development by plans for the University of Charleston. Demolition crews from O'Rourke Wrecking, the contractor in charge of the demolition project, set up explosive charges around various sections of the old building known as building 82 as part of the demolition project. The controlled detonation was successful in brining down the former building.

Local officials took advantage of the demolition operation for training purposes by scheduling a search and rescue practice exercise following the implosion. The exercise involved the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad, Police and Firefighters. During the training exercise, first responders found unexploded demolition charges scattered throughout the rubble. A total of 10 unexploded demolition charges were recovered in all. Authorities are unsure why the demolition charges failed to explode. Officials from the state Fire Marshal's Office announced that they did not expect that any charges would be filed against the demolition company because there was no indications that the mishap was intentional. All 10 chares were safely disposed of by the bomb squad.

Archival Research Leads to Potential Explosives Cache

Portsmouth, United Kingdom Researchers conducting archival research on Fort Blockhouse discovered a detailed set of defense plans for the fort from WWII. The fort sits on a peninsula on Gosport Point in the town of Portsmouth and has a rich military history that dates back to 14th Century. The WWII defensive plans uncovered in the archives called for 2,000 lbs of explosives to be buried under the roadway leading to the fort. In the event the fort was under attack from the Germans and was under the threat of being overrun, the plan called for the explosives to be detonated thereby separating the fort from the mainland. However, researchers were unable to find any evidence that the explosives were ever removed from under the roadway after the war.

Due to the potential that the explosives may never have been removed from the site, authorities decided to conduct a geophysical survey of the area. The results of the geophysical survey indicated a large anomaly in the area where the munitions and explosives were reportedly buried according to the WWII era plan. In order to determine if the large anomaly is indeed explosive charges or buried munitions, the 33rd Royal Engineer Regiment will be conducting intrusive operations in the area. The intrusive operation is expected to last five days and a 270-meter exclusion zone has been established around the worksite. A blast barrier has been built of steel cages and 400 tons of sand for use during the operation. Restrictions have been put in place to limit access to the surrounding area including the marina during the intrusive operations. The digging operations are scheduled to take place over the next several weeks after all the safety and work plans have been finalized.

UXO Found During Road Construction Project

Darwin, Australia Construction workers surveying an area near a busy road for an upcoming roadway expansion project discovered two artillery shells. The rounds were found near the ground surface just a few short meters from the heavily traveled roadway. The construction workers called the local police who responded with support from a Bomb Disposal Team. The items were identified as WWII era rounds (specific size and type not reported). The rounds were reportedly severely corroded and rusted. The Bomb Disposal Team performed an on-site open detonation procedure to dispose of the UXO. The area had been bombed during the war and UXO finds are not uncommon to the city.

On-Line HAZWOPER Training

UXO project staff are required to be trained in Hazardous Waste Operations (HAZWOPER) in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120 and 29 CFR 1926.65. The SCG Group now provides these HAZWOPER Training courses on-line including the initial 40-hour training, the 24-hour Supervisor Training and the 8-Hour Annual Refresher Training.

For more information on the on-line HAZWOPER Training please visit SGC's website.

With over 14 years of Environmental Remediation expertise, Enscicon Corporation has established an industry-leading approach to locating and attracting top-level talent for our clients. With a team dedicated to the UXO/MEC/EOD industries, we are able to assist in supporting clients with exceptional personnel including:

• Program Managers
• Project Managers
• Operations Managers
• Project Scientists (Geophysicists, Geologists, Physicists)
• UXO Techs
• Health & Safety Engineers
• Environmental Engineers
• Technical Writers/Illustrators

For more information, please see our website at www.enscicon.com, or contact Jack Hamlin at hamlinj@enscicon.com or 303-785-8028.

Established 35 years ago, EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. is a small business, which has done nearly $1 Billion in HTRW/MEC investigation, restoration, design, and remediation in the last 15 years. EA has supported USACE, AFCEE, ANG and the Navy at thousands of sites nationwide under multiple DOD programs--including MMRP, SRP, IRP, FUDS and BRAC.

With 19 offices nationwide, EA is considered a leader in both HTRW and MEC. EA received the 2008 Environmental Business Journal Achievement Award for their work in the MEC Market. EA's staff of more than 400 professionals integrates MEC/UXO specialists, geologists, engineers, regulatory specialists, risk assessors, data management and communication specialists to provide practical solutions that help their clients achieve their business goals.

EA's standard of excellence is to consistently provide their clients with the highest level of technical competence, strong project management, worksite safety, quality control, and financial accountability.

For more information on EA, please visit their website at www.eaest.com.

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

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.

Probable WWII Era Depth Charge Found on Beach

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida a civilian walking along the beach found a barnacle covered object that he thought looked suspicious. The man called the St. Johns County Sheriffs office who responded with support from a police Bomb Squad Unit. The Bomb Squad suspected that the item was a WII era depth charge therefore a Navy EOD team was called in for additional support.

EOD identified the item as a WWII era depth charge however due to its corroded state, they were unable to determine the exact type of depth charge or filler (i.e., high explosive, inert or practice). EOD decided to blow the item in place as a safety precaution. EOD setup a counter charge and waited for the tide to come in so the water could help mitigate the fragmentation. Nearby condominiums were evacuated during the response. EOD reported that a secondary explosion did not occur during the disposal operation indicating that the depth charge was most likely inert. No injuries were reported and the beach was reopened to the public shortly after the disposal shot was cleared.

WWII Era Bombs Discovered During Dredging Operations

Lincolnshire, United Kingdom a dredger working approximately four miles from the shore near Huttoft Beach dredged up two unexploded bombs from the seabed. The crew of the ship called the local police who dispatched a life boat crew for support. A Royal Navy EOD Team from Portsmouth was also dispatched to the scene to provide technical support.

EOD identified the bombs as WWII era munitions (size and type not reported). EOD determined that the bombs were safe to transport without the need to evacuate the 22 member crew on-board. EOD transported the bombs to the shore and safely disposed of them through an open detonation operation.

Lockheed Martin is currently has openings for EOD Technicians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Please respond to this exciting opportunity.

• Provide personnel to perform EOD duties in the UAE
• EOD personnel will respond to notification of in-flight emergencies on munitions laden aircraft and remain at the scene until munitions are deemed safe, the aircraft is safely removed and the team is released by the on-scene manager.
• EOD personnel will respond to notifications of aircraft landing with a jammed gun or hung munitions on external stores and assist in inspecting and clearing (deeming safe) weapons before aircraft is returned to the parking areas.
• EOD personnel will respond to notifications of accidental release of munitions or unexploded ordnance on the base, de-arm/safe the munitions and return the munitions to a safe storage area.
• Maintain special equipment/tools and personal protective equipment in serviceable condition.
• Accomplish periodic training to maintain certifications on user munitions in accordance with schedules established by Buyer.
• If required, develop or assist in developing local instructions for EOD operations
• If required, develop or assist in developing a training/certification plan for user personnel.
• If requested, train user personnel in the responsibilities of EOD and sign off training accomplishments.

To view the entire Help Wanted Ad including a link on where to find more information visit UXOInfo.com.

The focus of UXO Resume Referral Service is to match qualified and available UXO professionals with the personnel needs of the UXO industry. Whether your UXO project requires part-time temporary UXO Technicians or full-time permanent UXO professionals, the UXO Resume Response Service can help.

UXOInfo.com is now offering a special subscription based opportunity for companies that need to hire part-time UXO Technicians on a project-by-project basis to augment existing staff during busy field seasons. By subscribing to the UXO Resume Response Service, companies can access the largest on-line network of qualified and available UXO Technicians to staff any type of UXO project. Companies looking for qualified and available UXO Technicians email UXOInfo.com the specifications for project (e.g., location, scope, duration, levels and numbers of positions available). UXOInfo.com will then create a customized announcement that will be emailed to the hundreds of registered UXO Technicians in the network to find qualified and interested candidates that fits the needs of your project.

For more information on the UXO Resume Response Service including 6-month and 12-month subscription rates, please 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.

Staff Sergeant Philip Meyers, a member of the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron EOD Flight was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's Helmand province. His wife, a son and a daughter, his parents, and his brother survive the 10-year Air Force veteran. Philip was a dedicated Air Force EOD Airman who received numerous awards in his career including being recognized as the Air Force Civil Engineering Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year award last year. At a memorial ceremony held for the fallen hero at RAF Lakenheath, England, he was posthumously promoted to Technical Sergeant. Phillip will surely be missed by friends, family and the entire EOD community.

Bellevue, Texas A nervous homeowner called the Clay County Sheriff's office to report an artillery shell in his front yard. The munition item reportedly came from the homeowner's brother-in-law who found the item while "rummaging through house that had burned in a wildfire the week prior". The man who found the item apparently thought it was a replica munition and decided to show it to his brother-in-law. How the item ended up in the burnt out house in the first place is unknown.

The Sheriff responded to the call and the EOD unit from Fort Sill provided technical support. EOD identified that the artillery round (size and type not reported) had been fired and was safe to transport. EOD transported the munitions back to Fort Sill for proper disposal. Nearby homeowners along with a building owned by the railroad were evacuated during the response which took close to two hours to resolve. No injuries were reported.