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Challenging Month for EOD in Afghanistan

July has been a very difficult and painful month for the EOD community in Afghanistan as three brave Technicians were killed while serving in combat including a young hero from the United Kingdom, a U.S. Marine, and a U.S. Navy Technician. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family members, friends, and loved ones left behind from these very unfortunate tragedies. To all the military EOD Technicians serving and civilian UXO Technicians working in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places throughout the world - Thank You for all you do and please do your best to stay as safe as possible.

This month we welcome a new Corporate Sponsor to UXOInfo.com, Garrett Electronics and the return of CH2M Hill. Corporate Sponsorships make it possible for us to bring you the UXOInfo.com website and monthly UXO E-Newsletter as a service to the UXO industry. For more information on Corporate Sponsorship opportunities with UXOInfo.com please email me, Jenna at jenna@uxoinfo.com.

Also, please keep in mind that UXOInfo.com accepts technical articles for posting as well as donations of information, documents, and images for the free on-line UXO Document Library and UXO Photo Gallery.

River Bed and River Bank UXO Clearance Project Planned

Belgrade, Serbia The European Commission and the Serbian Government are developing a plan and jointly funding an effort to clear UXO from the Sava and Danube rivers. The underwater UXO river clearance project is designed to address the UXO in the river beds and along the river banks to make the area safer for maritime transit. The source of the UXO was from bombing that occurred in 1999 when a 78-day bombing campaign was conducted by NATO forces to remove Serb troops from the then province of Kosovo. Due to history of the area, the potential exists for WWI and WWII era UXO to be in the area as well.

The project is slated to cost $3.8M EUR ($5.35M USD). Under the terms of the project, it was reported that the European Commission will allocate $1.8M EUR to the project with the remainder ($2M EUR) coming from the Serbian Government.

UXO Concerns Raised Again Over Underwater Pipeline Project

Helsinki, Finland The Environment Ministry is requesting more information and details on the potential environmental impacts of the planned Baltic Sea gas pipeline including impacts resulting from disturbances and potential explosions from underwater UXO before they will consider to allow the project to move forward in Finnish waters. They are also demanding that Russia make available its own environmental assessment of the pipeline.

The 750-mile pipeline planned between Russia and Germany will carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas from Russian fields to Western Europe once complete. Portions of the proposed pipeline path go through suspected munitions dump sites and also areas containing UXO from previous wars. Concerns have been raised over potential explosive safety hazards as well as hazards from munitions constituents including the potential for CWM.

CWM Mortar Round Found During Range Clearance

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii UXO clearance workers clearing an area for a Stryker battle area complex found a WWI era CWM filled 4 inch stokes mortar. The UXO clearance team alerted the Army once they discovered the mortar round was liquid filled. The Army notified Aberdeen Proving Grounds who dispatched an Army Tech Escort team to investigate the discovery.

Using a portable neutron spectroscopy device, Tech Escort identified the contents as phosgene. The mortar round was in the same area where 71 other CWM filled munitions were found during previous UXO clearance activities. The newly discovered round was transported to a secure ammunition storage facility pending destruction by the Army.

More Refined Tracking Requirements For MMRP Proposed

Washington, D.C. Lawmakers are debating the FY10 National Defense Authorization Act in Congress. Although the funding levels for FY10 UXO cleanup are still being debated, some lawmakers are asking for more refined cost tracking of MMRP budgets. This is evident in House Bill HR 2647 which includes a section on "Military Munitions Response Sites" (sec 318). Section 318 requires DoD to track MMRP funding requests annually by State and County. Previous Annual Reports to Congress only tracked MMRP funding by State.

Is That a Naval Projectile In Our Courtyard

Vladivostock, Russia A Russian warship taking part in rehearsals for the upcoming annual Navy Day holiday accidentally fired a projectile into the courtyard of an apartment building. Luckily for the residents of the apartment building, the projectile was inert and did not contain a high explosive main charge. The impact of the rocket-assisted projectile did cause several windows to shatter in the nine story apartment building.

Russia's Navy Day ceremony includes a showcase of Russian Naval vessels in mock Naval battles. The Russian ships were reportedly rehearsing one of those mock battles when the incident occurred. Authorities are unsure what caused the projectile to travel a much greater distance than expected.

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.

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.

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

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.

WWII British Aerial Bomb Uncovered at Construction Site

Hanover, Germany Construction workers excavating near the barracks of a German military installation uncovered a large aerial bomb. Workers called the police to report the find who in turn responded with technical support from a German military EOD team. EOD identified the bomb as a WWII era 250-kg British aerial bomb. The bomb was determined unsafe to move and render safe procedures could not be performed due to the corroded state of the bomb's fuze. The only option left to EOD was to blow the item in place.

Police evacuated some 6,000 residents within an 1,000-meter area including a retirement home and two school houses during the planned disposal operation. Preparation and planning of the incident took several hours but residents were allowed to return to their homes shortly after 1am after the disposal shot was executed and cleared. No buildings or structures were damaged during the disposal operation.

UXO Found Along River Banks

Millville, New Jersey A kayaker on the Maurice River discovered an ordnance item along the banks of the river. The man called the police to report the find. Police blocked off the area and took digital photos of the item and emailed them to the Atlantic City Bomb Squad. The Bomb Squad identified the item as a WWII era shell (specific type not reported). The Bomb Squad responded later in the day and transported the UXO off site for proper disposal. The Bomb Squad conducted a search of the immediate area but no other munition items were uncovered. Authorities are not sure how the munition ended up along the banks of the river.

The focus of UXO Resume Response Line 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 Line can help. Under the UXO Resume Response Line, UXOInfo.com will pre-screen candidates for you using a customized screening process. The UXO Resume Response Line is designed for companies looking to fill unique or specialized positions.

For companies seeking to hire general help including temporary UXO Technicians on a project-by-project basis to augment existing staff during busy field seasons, UXOInfo.com is now offering an expanded service under the UXO Resume Response Line - the UXO Technician Network. By subscribing to the UXO Technician Network, 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 project specifications (e.g., location, scope, duration, levels and numbers of positions available). UXOInfo.com then creates a customized announcement that will be emailed to the hundreds of registered UXO Technicians in the network. Interested and available candidates respond directly to the point of contact provided in the announcement.

For more information on the UXO Resume Response Line and the UXO Technician Network 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. By completing a profile, you automatically become part of the UXO Resume Response Line and UXO Technician Network. Sign up for free and start receiving UXO opportunities.

Northern Afghanistan Petty Officer Second Class Tony Randolph assigned to the Combined Security Transition Command, EOD Mobile Unit 8 died in an IED attack on his convoy. Tony was based out of Sigonella, Sicily but the 22-year-old called Henryetta, Oklahoma is hometown. Since joining the Navy in 2005, Tony has earned several awards including a Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Ribbon. Parents and two stepbrothers survive him.

Afghanistan Marine EOD Staff Sgt David S. Spicer, 33, of Zanesfield, Ohio lost his life while supporting combat operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. David was a Marine EOD Technician assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He was based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. David's awards include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and numerous campaign, unit and service decorations. Friends, family, fellow Marines and entire EOD community, will surely miss David. His wife and daughter (age 1) survive him.

Afghanistan United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced that one of their EOD Technicians died when an IED his team was responding to exploded. Captain Daniel Shepherd, 28, from the 11th EOD Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps, and assigned to the Joint Force EOD Group. A second EOD Technician (name not released) was injured during the explosion. Daniel was a highly decorated EOD hero who earned several awards during his military career including being selected by the Royal Logistic Corps as the "most outstanding young officer of the year" in 2006.

Solomon Islands The Royal Solomon Islands Police arrested two men at Alligator Creek after confiscating two bottles of explosives suspected of being "fish bombs". The men, ages 27 and 19, allegedly extracted the explosives from WWII UXO (type of UXO and explosives not reported) which are scattered throughout the islands. The explosives were placed into glass bottles and then a crude wick was place into each as a means to initiate the device. Fishermen have been known to use the devices to stun and kill fish in an area in order to harvest their catch.

Article continued on UXOInfo.com.

Nantucket, Massachusetts An annual carnival turned out to be more than just rides and cotton candy for one 14 year old teenage boy after he came across a UXO. The boy reportedly found the UXO after wondering away from the carnival area with a friend. The munition, reportedly as a rocket (type unknown) was found near the Tom Nevers Navy Base on Navy FUDS bombing range.

The boy thought that the two-foot long rocket would make a nice decoration for his stepfather's bar so he decided to bring it home. The boy was allegedly cleaning off the munition item when his mother walked in. Mom quickly called the police who responded with a bomb disposal unit to remove the item from the house for proper disposal.