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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 site, we encourage you to do so at www.uxoinfo.com. In addition to bringing you the latest UXO news and information, the site also provides the following:
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The Defense Science Board (DSB) released their second report on UXO in five years. Their first report (also available on UXOInfo.com) was released in April of 1998. Each DSB Task Force that was assembled to address UXO had its specific tasker or mission but both focused around similar issues and both reports shared overlapping conclusions in some areas.
The latest report (dated December 2003) focused on two principal issues: "(1) can technology help reduce today's high cost of UXO cleanup, and (2) can technology help reduce the environmental impact of future live-fire training?" The DSB Task Force concluded that technology can help in both situations, but changes are needed in the current cleanup process and in future live-fire practices.
There are a few notable issues and downfalls associated with their report and recommendations. First, the report mixes UXO clean up sites (FUDS, BRAC and Military Munitions Response Program sites) with operational ranges. DoD does not typically perform UXO removal actions or conduct UXO clean up on operational ranges. Instead, DoD performs range maintenance and periodic range sweeps (usually surface only) to clear UXO so that operational ranges can be safely used. Next, the idea that DoD can reduce the footprint of the UXO problem by as much as 8 million acres (or 80%) using wide area screening is very far fetched. Current wide area screening technologies are more suitable for relatively flat, barren sites with little to no background geologic noise. These sites represent only a small part of the total number of sites. The public and regulators will also have a difficult time accepting that these sites do not contain UXO or that it can be eliminated from the list as an area of concern given the fact that no technology is 100% effective. DoD has been struggling for years to reach consensus and agreement on clean up levels and gaining acceptance even at some seemingly benign UXO sites. Even if technology were 100% effective at all sites, the fact that DoD has to deal with regulators from 50 different states, numerous EPA regions, tribes and other interested parties, it is hard to imagine that consensus could ever be reached on a national wide area screening program.
Finally, going with their suggested "wholesale" approach using only a select few large businesses to perform UXO clearance work, would have tremendous adverse impacts to the UXO industry and could potentially stifle productivity and cost savings. Much of the UXO industry is made up of small businesses and it has been proven that small businesses are leaders in advancing technology. History has proven that monopolies rarely work; competition and competitiveness are the keys to lowering cost and advancing technology. Perhaps the DoD should consider setting up a technology clearinghouse to make high capital cost technologies available to all companies through Government Furnished Equipment (GFE).
Several highlights and upsides of the report are that the DSB recognized the need for increased funding for UXO and for increasing the knowledge base associated with munitions constituents.
View the DSB Final Report on UXO Click Here.
American Recruiting, Inc. is looking to fill a number of contract positions for UXO personnel in CONUS and OCONUS locations. Contract positions are typically for 1 year with option years. Senior technician full time permanent positions are also available.
Check out UXOInfo.com's Help Wanted Section for more details on how to apply.
Three Australian soldiers were recognized by the United States Army for exceptional achievements in Iraq. Sergeant Steven Attlier, Corporal Carl Connell and Corporal Damien Woolfe were awarded U.S. Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement Medals for their roles in clearing UXO and discarded ammunition found near the Australian Representative Office in Baghdad and all areas where Australian diplomats and security personnel operated. They also worked within the US Second Brigade Combat Team in Baghdad to help find and dispose of UXO throughout the city.
Cambodia - Four young brothers, including an eight-month-old infant, died instantly when a Vietnam War-era mortar shell exploded in a remote village in Banteay Mean Chey province. It was not clear where the boys found the mortar, but local police officers believe that one of the boys was trying to break open the UXO while his brother's watched. The family's thatched hut was destroyed in the process. The area around the village is littered with UXO and landmines from decades of war.
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UXOInfo.com is now accepting on-line resumes for UXO technicians and UXO professionals seeking employment within the UXO industry. Starting next month, UXO remediation and consulting companies looking to hire UXO professionals will be able to search the database for matches. From temporary part-time positions to full time permanent placements, let the UXOInfo.com resume response line find a job for you.
To fill out a UXO profile and to submit your resume on-line visit the EOD Tech Corner of UXOInfo.com:
http://uxoinfo.com/uxoinfo/eodprofile_EntryForm.cfm
Companies interested in finding out more about the referral service please email
uxojobs@uxoinfo.com
The General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report on DoD's progress in the newly established Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP). The report concluded, "DOD has made limited progress in its program to identify, assess, and clean up sites that may be contaminated with military munitions." The GAO identified that the Services inventories of sites was not likely to be firm for several years. As of September 2002, DOD had identified 2,307 potential UXO, but according to the GAO, more than half (1,387 sites) were awaiting completion of initial evaluation.
In the report, the GAO comments on the amount of time DoD has estimated for completing key components of DoD's MMRP Plan. Assessments for sites using the relative risk (a component of the MMRP prioritization protocol) are not expected to be completed until 2012 (after Services complete Preliminary Assessment / Site Inspection (PA/SI) phases at the sites. The GAO also notes the uncertainties of the cost estimates developed for the program and the lack of goals or measurements for site assessment and cleanup.
The GAO recommends that DOD revise its plan to (1) establish deadlines for completing its site inventory and initial evaluations; (2) reassess the timetable proposed for completing its reevaluation of sites (using the new risk assessment procedures); (3) establish interim goals based on criteria, such as relative risk levels or cleanup phases, for the services and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to target; and 4) to improve program the cost estimates.
DoD concurred on the need to work with Congress to develop better program cost estimates. DoD partially concurred with the reassessing the timetable proposed for completing site prioritizations and establishing interim goals. DoD stated that the current goals for the program are to have PAs completed by 2007 and SIs completed by 2010 on all identified MMRP sites. After the SI phase, DoD intends to have sufficient data to run the relative risk analysis to be able to complete the prioritization protocol for each site.
One key item to note is that DoD has still not released their formal policy Directive on Munitions Response. The policy seems to have hit an unknown road block in the Pentagon. The Services continue to develop and implement their MMRP clean ups despite the lack of DoD policy.
View the GAO Report on Military Munitions Click Here.
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Munition of the Month- February 2004: 81mm M43A1B1 |
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New Feature - Munition of the Month |
| Introducing a new feature in the monthly UXO e-newsletter - the Munition of the Month. This month's munition is the 81mm M43 A1B1 Mortar. Each month we will showcase a new munition (suggestions welcome). | Filler Type and Weight |
| Composition B - High Explosive 1.29 lbs. | Body Type and Weight |
| The mortar body is forged steel, and is threaded internally at the nose to accept the fuze and at the base to accept the fin assembly. The body is painted olive drab with yellow markings (not visible in photo). Total weight is 7.5 lbs with a length of 13.3 inches. | Source |
| Photo donated to UXOInfo.com by Mr. Clif Youmans. Technical information listed in TM 43-0001-28 | |
| Description | |
| Description: The complete round consists of the body, a point-detonating (PD) fuze, a fin assembly, a propellant charge, and an ignition charge with a percussion primer. When the cartridge is loaded, it slides down the mortar tube until the percussion primer in the ignition cartridge strikes the firing pin in the base cap of the mortar tube. The primer ignites the ignition cartridge, and the cartridge ignites the propellant charge thus sending the round to the target. The mortar is fin-stabilized in flight. The PD fuze functions on impact detonating the booster charge and, in turn, the HE charge. The bursting charge shatters the projectile body, producing frag and blast effects. | |
The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) (the Department of Defense demonstration and validation program for environmental technologies) released a broad agency announcement (BAA) for DoD, Non-Federal, and private proposals. Each year ESTCP funds many UXO related projects and is a great sponsor of UXO related technology. Check out the ESTCP website http://www.estcp.org/opportunities/solicitations/ for details on how to submit a proposal.
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A New Jersey News Station (News 12) recently covered a story on a UXO find in Sandy Hook Park, NJ. The entire story is a clear example of "what not to do with UXO". In the news clip, the local men (obviously not EOD or UXO technicians) are shown brushing snow away from the item in addition to the news reporter more or less standing on the UXO as she compares the size of the item to her size 7 woman's shoe. The video clip can be viewed from the News 12 website (http://www.news12.com/NJ/topstories/article?id=99350) |
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Below are a few memorable quotes from the news clip (a must see).
"…we were undecided if we wanted to bring the item home with us or not, but then we were like no…"
"...yeah,it would be nice if we got some money out of it, something for finding it"
What were these individuals thinking?
What was the news station thinking when the decision was made to film the story.
Afghanistan -- Seven U.S. soldiers were killed in an open detonation disposal operation in southeastern Ghazni province. Apparently, the UXO was found by locals and reported to a U.S. patrol convoy. A team from the U.S. convoy was sent in to survey the UXO and move the items to a disposal area away from the village. Something went terribly wrong in the process and the items exploded. The military has begun an investigation into the explosion but has not yet established whether it was accidental or caused by an attack. Three other U.S. soldiers and an Afghan interpreter were also wounded in the blast. The seven deaths brings the number of US soldiers killed during Operation Enduring Freedom, launched in October 2001, to 107 total.
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For more information on advertising please contact UXOInfo.com at advertising@uxoinfo.comTechnical data on ordnance including filler information, explosive weights, photos and schematics. The developers of UXOInfo.com have completed the design of the technical ordnance information database. Data from ordnance technical manuals and publications (unclassified - publically available) will be uploaded into the database for easy access. For now check out the Grenade category for a good sample. Look for more ordnance to be added in the future. Also, UXOInfo.com is looking for more photos and images to populate the database, so please consider donating images and pictures to UXOInfo.com.
When it comes to UXO we consider ourselves as the consultant's consultant. Let the developers and researchers from UXOInfo.com assist your team in completing your UXO related projects. We specialize in providing independent quality reviews of UXO related documents and deliverables including marketing proposals and business development plans. We maintain an extensive library of UXO related studies and documents that can meet your research needs. Our services include: