Posted on 03/16/2006 4:31:15 PM PST by SandRat
ARLINGTON DEPOT, Iraq (Army News Service, March 16, 2006) – After almost three years of hard and dangerous work, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers celebrated the last major demolition under the Coalition Munitions Clearance Program in Iraq.
Col. John Rivenburgh, commander of the Huntsville Engineering and Support Center, Dr. John Potter, chief of the Ordnance and Explosives Directorate and Bill Sargent, program manager of the Coalition Munitions Clearance Program recently traveled to Iraq to witness the last major demolition and initiate the next phase of the ordnance destruction work.
“The last demo consisted of over 248 tons of stockpiled ammunition,” Potter said. “Even though this was the last big one, there will still be some minor demolitions.”
The demolition of stockpiled munitions took place at the Arlington Depot Feb. 14, which was originally controlled by Saddam Hussein’s army before the war. The Arlington Depot is located 170 miles north of Baghdad.
“When the U.S. Army started taking over control of the Iraqi depots, they experienced many challenges,” Sargent added. “The Iraqis had no storage or compatibility procedures. High explosive items were stored with detonators, which could cause a big explosion. The Corps organized the depots and folded six depots into two.”
The destruction of ordnance items was taking place almost every day. This demolition contained items that either the new Iraqi Army did not need or the insurgents could use during attacks, such as rocket propelled grenades, hand grenades, landmines and other large ammunition.
The completion of the last demo signifies a change in mission. Instead of a clean-up mission, the Corps will now oversee a depot operation mission.
“One Corps employee per depot will handle quality assurance, contract surveillance and oversee the depot operations,” Sargent said.
The Corps hired a new contractor, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technologies, Inc., to operate the depots and train the Iraqis to take over running them.
“The Iraqis will learn how to maintain, pack and store ammunition, along with securing a depot,” Potter said. “When they’re ready, we will leave.”
(Editor’s note: Andrea Takash serves with U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center.)
Depot Destruction by Detonation Demolitions from EOD.
Cache cratering now that's going to go on for loooooong time.
But no WMDs!! Weapons and ordinance demolition has to be unreal!!
bttt
I always kind of regretted that I didn't go into EOD when I was in the USMC.
BTTT
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