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Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Volume 10 Issue 1 The Journal of Mine Action Article 32
August 2006
RONCO's Response to Explosive Remnants of War in Post-conflict RONCO's Response to Explosive Remnants of War in Post-conflict
Environments Environments
Stacy L. Smith RONCO Consulting Corporation
Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal
Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons,
Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict
Studies Commons
Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Smith, Stacy L. (2006) "RONCO's Response to Explosive Remnants of War in Post-conflict Environments," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 , Article 32. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol10/iss1/32
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected].
�6| feature |journalofmineaction|2006|august|10.1 10.1|august|2006|journalofmineaction| feature | �7
knowledgeofthelocationandtypeofordnancefound,butbecauseofitsdesire, likethatofRONCO’sownfieldstaff, tobenefitthecom-munitiesinwhichitworks.ThefollowingaccountsofRONCO’sap-proach tobuildinghighly specializeddisposal teams inAfghanistanandIraqillustratethecompany’ssuccessinintegratingthesecapacitiesintomine-actionprogramswhileoperatinginunstableenvironments.
Creating a Specialized EOD Capacity in AfghanistanIn2001,CoalitionbombingthroughoutAfghanistanleftformer
TalibanandAfghanArmybasesdestroyed.Leftunguarded,thesebases and ammunition supply points attracted insurgents gather-ingmunitionsforimprovisedexplosivedevicesandlocalscollectingscrapmetal.
With an increasingnumberof attacksonCoalitionForces andaccidentsattheASPs,theirclearancequicklybecameapriorityforlocalauthorities.FollowingdiscussionswiththeU.N.MineActionCentre for Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of State agreed toformspecializedEODteamsoperatingoutsideofthenormalU.N.structure toaddress theproblem.Under theDepartmentofState’sIntegratedMineActionSupportcontract,RONCOtrainedfive12-man,specializedEODteamscomprisedoflocalAfghanstooperateinKandahar,Herat,KhostandMazar-i-Sharif,aswellasothersensi-tiveregionsofAfghanistan.Inaddition,RONCOtrainedfourotherEODteamsoperatingundertheDeminingAgencyforAfghanistan,anindigenousnongovernmentalorganizationwhosecreationintheearly1990sRONCOsupported,tofocusonclearanceofvillagesintheheavilyfought-oversouthernregionofAfghanistan.
RONCOcoordinatedwithlocalgovernorsandothergovernmentofficialstoidentifymunitionsstockpilescreatingthreatstothepopu-lationandalsotodetermineland-userequirementsandnationalpri-orities.Theteamsthenassessedthetypeofordnance,levelandtypeofdamage,andsecuritythreatposedbytheordnance.RONCOalsoliaisedwithProvisionalRehabilitationTeamsandCoalitionunitsinthearea,whooftenrequestedassistanceindestroyingcachesofmu-nitions,deeplyburiedbombsandotherunexplodedordnance,andotherweaponshinderingtheiroperations.
RONCO’sEODteamsfirstconductedinitialsurfaceclearancetorecoveranddestroyordnancearoundtheperimeterofthebunkersorcaches.Theteamsthenbreachedthedamagedbunkersmanuallyorwiththeaidofmechanicalequipment,clearingcollapsedwallsandde-brissothecontentsofthebunkercouldbeinspectedandsorted.ItemsidentifiedbyCoalitionForcesasathreatorclassifiedtoodangeroustotransportwereimmediatelydestroyed.AftertheRONCOEODteams
emptied each bunker, mechanical equipment was again used to siftthroughanyrubbletolocateandremoveanyremainingUXO.
Due to the security situation inAfghanistan,RONCOtrainedandemployedstaticguards1atitsworksitestosafeguardpersonneland equipment. On duty around the clock, the guards preventedinsurgentgroupsorscrap-metalcollectorsfromstealingmunitions.Thesesecurityelementsprotectedthelocalpopulationbyreducingthethreatofimprovisedexplosivedevicesintheircommunitiesanddecreasingordnance-relatedincidentsamongscrapcollectors,manyofwhomarechildren,gatheringandsellingthemetal.
The creation of this specialized EOD capacity in Afghanistanproduced impressive results in three years of operations. Duringthefirstfewweeksofoperationsin2003,theteamsdestroyedover��,000107-mmrocketsinKandaharattherequestofcommandersatKandaharAirBase,whichwasunderweeklyattack.Afterremov-ingtheseweapons, thenumberofattacksonthebasewasreducedtojustsixintheentirefollowingyear.Intotal,theEODteamsde-stroyedovertwomillionitemsofexplosiveordnance,includinginpart22,000mines,��,000rockets,91�,000projectiles,100missilesand,ofparticularinterest,30man-portableair-defensesystemspos-ingasignificantthreatifobtainedbyterrorists.Thistotaldoesnotincludethedisposalofhundredsoftonsofsmall-armsammunitionalsofoundinbunkersorcaches.
Additionally, Demining Agency for Afghanistan teams ad-visedandmentoredbyRONCOclearedSoviet-eramunitions fromover �00 villages in southernAfghanistanduring this timeperiod.Theseteams,whichpreviouslydidnotknowhowtodisposeoflargebombs,weretrainedbyRONCO,developinganationalcapacity,solandcouldberenderedsafeforlocalpopulations.
Establishing a Bomb-Disposal Training School in IraqIn March 200�, RONCO was tasked by the Multi-National
Security Transition Command–Iraq, through the Department ofState’sIMAScontract,toprovideexplosive-ordnance-disposaltrain-ingandsupportservicestodevelopuptofourIraqiNationalGuardEODcompanies.Forthisproject,RONCOtappeditsinstructionalcadrefromtheIraqiMine/UXOClearanceOrganization,whichwascreatedandtrainedbyRONCObetween2003and200�.
After the initialmobilizationofRONCOand IMCOperson-nel,alongwiththerenovationoflivingandclassroomfacilitiesata compound in southern Iraq,planningandcoordination for thefirst course commenced. The RONCO/IMCO staff developedand implemented training programs, programs of instruction,
Afghanistan’s landscape is littered with stacks of abandoned and unsecured ordnance.
T heireyeswidenandasmileappearsatthefirstsightofapre-cariouslystackedpileofmunitions,newlyuncoveredbunkerofminesorslylymatchedpairofexplosivedevices.Theypose
forpicturesbesiderocketsinIraqandcachesinAfghanistan.BackatRONCOheadquarters inWashington,D.C., it’s prettyobviousthat these guys—our highly trained technical experts in explosiveordnancedisposal—canhardlywaittoblowsomethingup.
Onsecondglance,though,somethingmoreisapparent:It’snotjust about loading thepit,unraveling thedetonation cord,placingthechargesandwatchingthebigexplosion.Itisabouttheprideandsatisfaction thatRONCO’sEODAdvisors take in eliminating thethreatscreatedbyminesandotherexplosiveremnantsofwarandintransferring their skills tohost-nationpersonnel so futuredisposaloperations can continueunabatedonce they’vedeparted.Throughformalclassroominstruction,on-the-jobtrainingandmentoringinthe disposal of varied and numerous munitions, RONCO has en-suredaswiftandsaferesponsetotheERWthreat,mostrecentlyasanaddedcomponent to itshumanitarianmine-actionprograms inAfghanistanandIraq.
RONCO’s
by Stacy L. Smith [ RONCO Consulting Corporation ]
RONCO’s technical experts are dedicated to
eliminating threats created by landmines and
explosive remnants of war. Part of RONCO’s
disposal process is creating local demining
capacities in their host countries. As part of
a quick response, RONCO has most recently
added mine-action programs in Iraq and
Afghanistan, creating a specialized explosive-
ordnance-disposal capacity in Afghanistan
and establishing a bomb-disposal training
school in Iraq.
ResponsetoExplosiveRemnantsofWarinPost-conflictEnvironments
BackgroundInbothAfghanistanandIraq,RONCOwasonthegroundwithin
weeksofthecessationoftheinitialconflict.In2001,RONCOsent1�TechnicalAdvisors toAfghanistan to aid theU.N.MineActionProgrammeforAfghanistaninupgradingitsclearanceefforts,andin2003,theU.S.DepartmentofState’sQuickReactionDeminingForcewasdeployedtoBaghdadtorespondtoemergencyclearancetasks.Thisledtofollow-onrequeststodevelopanationalmine-actioncapacityinIraq.Inbothofthesesituations,RONCOwasaskedtodeployquick-ly,fosteranationalcapacityforhumanitariandeminingandcreateacapacityforindependentEODoperations,withallactivitiesinitiallyfundedundertheU.S.DOS’sIntegratedMineActionSupportcon-tract.Historically,RONCOhasalwaysdisposedofERWencounteredduringhumanitarian-deminingoperations.Inrecentyears,however,theimportanceofdevelopingalocalcapacitytoconductthisworkhasbecomemorecriticalasRONCOhasincreasinglyundertakenprojectsinhostileandfragilepost-conflictenvironments.
RONCO’s approach always involves the training of a local na-tionalcapacitytoperformthiswork,notonlybecauseofitsextensive
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Abandoned ammunition supply points are prevalent across Afghanistan.
1
Smith: RONCO's Response to Explosive Remnants of War in Post-conflict Environments
Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2006
��| feature |journalofmineaction|2006|august|10.1 10.1|august|2006|journalofmineaction| making it personal | �9
ma
ki
ng
i
t
pe
rs
on
al
n the fall of 2001, Silvija B
ogdany answered a Norwegian P
eople’s Aid advert
isement for m
ine-clearance personnel of both sexes. A
ft
er six weeks of int
ense training, B
ogdany became t
he youngest deminer in C
roatia and began work
ing in the fi
eld
alongside highly experienced male dem
iners. In t
he spring of 2003, she was promot
ed to team
leader. Though she only has about four years of experience, her former project m
anager, Dam
ir Jak
šić, places her in t
he category of “highly experienced dem
iners.” B
ogdany is now both t
he Technical advisor and supervisor to the D
CA
Mine Act
ion Program
Sudan, where she trains dem
ining staff. C
apacity buil
ding is one objective of t
he team
, and the m
ain goal is to help Sudanese deminers becom
e less reliant on int
ernational supervision.
Unsung Hero:
Inthefallof2001,SilvijaBogdanyansweredaNorwegianPeople’sAidadvertisementformine-clearancepersonnelofbothsexes.Aftersixweeksof intense training,Bogdanybecame the youngestdeminer inCroatia
andbeganworkinginthefieldalongsidehighlyexperiencedmaledeminers.Inthespringof2003,shewaspromotedtoTeamLeader.Thoughsheonlyhasaboutfouryearsofexperience,herformerProjectManager,DamirJakši,placesherinthecategoryof“highlyexperienceddeminers.”BogdanyisnowboththeTechnicalAdvisortoandSupervisoroftheDCAMineActionProgramSudan,whereshetrainsdeminingstaff.Capacitybuildingisoneobjectiveoftheteam,andthemaingoalistohelpSudanesedeminersbecomelessreliantoninterna-tionalsupervision.
Nevertheless,Bogdanylikestothinkofherselfas“anordinarygirl.”Shelikestoridehermotorcycleinhersparetime;herfavoritemovieisForrest Gump;andherdreamistohavetwodogs,twohorsesandalargefishaquarium.
The DeminerPoisonoussnakesaresomeofthelessominousdangersBogdanyencounters
inthefield.Belowthesurfaceofthegroundliesamoredeadlythreat: land-mines.“ThereweresituationswhenIwasademinerthatIcanthankonlyGod forbeingaliveand inonepiece,” she says.Suchan inci-dent occurredwhile shewasworking inSlavonia. “Iwas in afightwithmyboyfriend,veryunbalancedandstupid.Iknowthatnow.Ithoughtthatmypersonalproblemswouldn’tinterferewithmywork.Iwaswrong.”
Attheendoftheworkperiod,Bogdany’sTeamLeadertoldherthatshehadtofinishhersectionbeforetheywenthome.FrustratedwithherboyfriendandangrywithherTeamLeader,shefinishedclearinghersec-tionoftheminefield.“ThenextdayIwentovertheareaIclearedwithametaldetectorandfoundmyfootprintinthedirtthatcoveredanAP[anti-personnel]mine.”
“Thatdaychangedmylife,”saysBogdany.“Ihavethoughtaboutthateventmanytimesandeverytimethesameconclusioncomestomymind:‘Yes,IbelievethatGodwatchesoverme.’”
Not many deminers who have had a similar experience have goneback towork thenextday.Bogdany returned towork. “Idon’tknowwhereIgotthestrengthtodothat!”sheexclaims.
Shereturnedtoworkasifnothinghappened,butBogdanybrokeupwithherboyfriend.“Icouldn’tallowmyselftomakethesamemis-takeagain.”HerrelationshipwithherTeamLeaderchanged.“Iusedtoadmirehim,butnowIrealizedthathedidn’tcareforhisteam.Hecared forhowmany squaremeterswecleared.”Bogdany says thatas a result of the experience, she promised herself that if she ever
Silvija Bogdany
by Jennette Townsend [ Mine Action Information Center ]
lesson plans, multimedia presentations,and trainingaids toprovidepractical andtechnicaltrainingtoupto200studentsatany one time in leadership, basic traumalifesupport,andEODLevelsI,IIandIIItraining.2AswasthecaseinAfghanistan,RONCOtrainedandemployedasecurityforceatitstrainingfacilityinIraqtopro-tectpersonnelandequipment.
In 200�, the program graduated over3�0students,including��Iraqiofficersandstaff noncommissioned officers in leader-shippositionsand301Iraqisoldierstrainedinbombdisposalwithbasictraumalifesup-port.Ofthe301Iraqisoldierstrained,2�2weretrainedtoEODLevelIIIand�9weretrained toEODLevels I and II.RONCOalso developed a database of the students’qualifications for use in maintaining re-cordsof studentdevelopment and to assistinidentifyingstudentsforsubsequent,moreadvancedtrainingrequirements.
RONCOaugmenteditsexistingtrainingfacilitiesandstaffinDecember200�follow-ingwinninganewcontracttoprovideEOD,improvised-explosive-devicedisposalandin-structortrainingtotheIraqiArmyandPolicetofurtherrespondtothreatsposedbybombsandIEDsthroughoutIraq.
With technical advice from RONCOpersonnel,theIMCOinstructorcadrecon-tinues to conduct these training courses.In 2006, RONCO expects to train ap-proximately 1�� IED Disposal Specialiststolocate,identify,disposeofandreportonUXO and IEDs, vehicle-borne IEDs and
other explosive threats persisting in Iraq;another 6�0 EOD Level II Operators and30advancedmedicalpersonnelwillalsobetrained. Additionally, RONCO will trainand mentor a �0-person Iraqi instructorcadre inEODandIEDDtoestablishavi-ablehost-nationtrainingcapability.
The Expanding Role ofMine Action
RONCO’sguysareneverhesitantorill-equipped for a mission, whether it’s a taskto destroy mines, empty a bunker filled tothebrimwithrocketsorrespondtoanIEDthreat. In their careers, they have defused,disarmed and destroyed it all and effec-tivelytransferredtheseskills tohost-nationpersonnel. Oftentimes, RONCO Advisorsworkalongsidethesepeopletomentorthemevery step of the way, assisting in stackingordnance foron-sitedetonationorhoistingmunitions onto a truck for transport to acentraldisposalsite.
As evidenced in the company’s recentpost-conflictexperiencesinAfghanistanandIraq,RONCOhascreatedspecializedEODcapacities to address specifically the ERWthreatasanextensionofmineaction.Theex-tremelydangerousnatureofworkinginthesefragileenvironmentshasrequiredthedeploy-mentanduseofsecurity inmineaction,anadded component to safeguard RONCO’speoplewhilefulfillingitscommitmenttothehost nation and a testament to its commit-menttothisexpandingmine-actionrole.
See Endnotes, page 112
Stacy L. Smith is the Communications and Proposal Manager for RONCO Consulting Corporation, where she has worked for the past four years. She held the Frasure-Kreuzel-Drew Fellowship in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs from 2001 to 2002, following graduation with a bachelor’s degree in media arts and design from James Madison University. During her studies at JMU, she worked as an Editorial Assistant for the Journal of Mine Action.
Stacy L. SmithCommunications and Proposal ManagerRONCO Consulting Corporation2301 M Street, NW Suite 400Washington, DC 20037 / USATel: +1 202 785 2791E-mail: [email protected] site: www.roncoconsulting.com
Patent Sought for Explosive-eating Fungus
Robert Riggs of Texas has filed a patent for pellets of dormant fungal spores that could
be mixed with explosives before being loaded into an explosive package. The dry spores
remain dormant until moisture in the air travels down the wick of an unexploded package
and germinates the spores.
The fungus, a white-rot variety of Phlebia radiate, then devours the explosive material inside
the bomb, rendering it harmless. Should the explosive detonate, the fungus disintegrates
with the material.
By allowing manufacturers to control the content of the explosive-pellet mixture, they will
be able to determine how long an unexploded package will be left dangerous.
2
Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 10, Iss. 1 [2006], Art. 32
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol10/iss1/32