Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Volume 6 Issue 2 The Journal of Mine Action Article 22
August 2002
The International Unexploded Ordnance Training Program (IUTP)
Tom Gersbeck IUTP
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Recommended Citation Gersbeck, Tom (2002) "The International Unexploded Ordnance Training Program (IUTP)," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 6 : Iss. 2 , Article 22. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol6/iss2/22
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]. Gersbeck: The International Unexploded Ordnance Training Program (IUTP) International Unexploded Ordinance Training Program
environment, rh is does nor mean rhey are ourse Details A student sets up a nor hazardous. Worse, many of these ring main with branch lines using The International items have gone through their arming T he UXO Technic ian Level I various knots and cycles and fa iled ro function or have been Course is a 200-hour course covering 25 other methods of modified by a rhird parry. All of these training days. The subject areas covered attachment. Unexploded Ordnance c i rcumsrances increase the threat ro first-re during the course are: c/o TEEX sponders as well as to rhe general public. • Course inrroduction and adminis Unfortunately, few civilian bomb rrarive requirements. Training Program (IUTP) technicians have had rhe opportunity to • UXO environmental remediation receive formal training on military overv1ew. ordnance and are woefull y unprepared ro • Mathematics, electricity and physics. Ongoing military conflicts, past wars and military trammg have management issues associated w ith a safely deal wirh these threats. The IUTP • Explosives and explosive effects. contaminated vast areas of the world with UXO. This course is designed to UXO cleanup. T hese sires are normally is designing two additional courses to • Fuze functioning and ordnance provide students with the skills they need to successfully function as a UXO located on closed military reservations or counter rhis menace ro public safety: one safety precautions. Technician's Assistant (Tech Level1). former milicary training areas. for first responders a nd another for • Surface, air, chemical and under The IUTP is not a demining program; civilian bomb technicians. These courses water ordnance identifica tion Station, parr of the TAMUS, is t he however, mines are categorized as ordnance by Tom Gersbeck, Program focus on rhe needs of civil ia n first (classroom and practical). location for this course. and are included in the training. The responders and bomb squad personnel. • Other various explosive hazards Coordinator, IUTP Rive rside Campus, on rhe site of the Initiated in 1997 and certified in course covers mines planted by individuals They are designed to prepare rhis fi rst line and pyrotechnics. former Bryan Air Force Base, encompasses 1999, the UXO Technic ian Level I or delivered by surface weapon systems or of defense with the information rhey will • Storage, handling and transporta 19,000 acres and contains ample classroom Introduction Course of the I UTP is t he only civilian aircraft, including shallow- and deep-water need ro p rotect rhe public wh il e tion of explosives. space and numerous practical exercise UXO training granted fu ll certification mines. Frequently in deminingoperations, increasing their chances of survival when • Demolition materials, firing sys areas. Located in rhe center of rhe former The I UTP is a component of the by the U.S. Department ofDefens e (DoD). numerous pieces ofUXO are encountered military ordnance, explosives or other tems & disposal procedures. runway complex, the demolition range National Emergency Response and Rescue The course is also approved by the Veterans before a mine is ever successfully located related hazards are encounrered. • Electric, non-electric and shock is spacious, well-prepared and profession Training Center (NERRTC), a division Administration, allowing U.S. military and neutralized, making ir extremely wbe firing systems (classroom and ally designed co accommodate 25 students of the Texas Engineering Extension veterans rhe opportunity to offset course important that perso nnel participating in The IUTP Staff practical). simultaneously. All of rhe practical Service (TEEX) and parr of rhe Texas A costs with their G I bill benefits. demining operations be well trained in • Four different pieces of geophysical demolition training is conducted on this & M University Sysrem (TAMUS). all aspects ofUXO. There are numerous The IUTP functions as a program equipment (classroom and practical). range. On rhe easr side of rhe former main Developed in 1948, TEEX is a world leader UTP Mission Focus programs in place to train human itarian within NERRTC and currently has one • Professional development seminar runway is the UXO range training area. in technical hands-on training and includes deminers; this course is designed ro educate permanent staff member and a large cadre (focusing on rhe UXO industry). Spread our over a six-acre area are four the largest fire-fighting training program T he IUTP sraff works closely with technicians on all groups, categories and ofadju nct instructors. We have attracted • lndusrry seminar (dependent upon "grids" containing over 400 p ieces of in the world, robust law enforcement industry, government and academia to types of ordnance, as well as other aspects rhe most qualified personnel available ro personnel availability). ordnance for students to locate, excavate t raining and an extensive domesric address the wide range of UXO-related of area remediation. fi ll our insrrucror positions. lnsrrucrors Study-halls are offered nightly on and identifY. Seeded throughout rhe grids preparedness training program. Wirh rhe issues. The IUTP's primary focus is on G raduates of the UXO Technician are drawn from the UXO industry as well weekdays and on weekends upon student are various other metal objects to provide largest engineering school in the Unired military ordnance in relation to area Level 1 Course are certified to work as as rhe military explosive ordnance disposal request. At least one instructor is present false readings on rhe equipment, present States, it is only fitti ng thar Bryan/College remediation, public safety a nd sire UXO technician assiscanrs. With three years (EOD) community. Iris anticipated rhar ar all study-halls; however, iris common ing rhe srudents wirh a realistic situation ofexperience, a technician can be promoted the number of permanent staff positions to fin d two or more in attendance. After excavation, and ch allenging rhei r knowledge. to Technician Level 2 and after another five will grow in rhe future as requests for this TEEX students T hroughout the grids, rhe locations of identify and discuss years to Technician Level 3. This ability training increase. xams the UXO irems vary from lying on rhe final disposition of to advance within the industry from en Employing a large number ofad junct UXO. c/o TEEX surface ro a depth of 10 feet. Four grids try level (UXO Techn ician Level I) instruc tors provides the IUTP rhe Students are required ro pass rwo are used, one for each of the four different rh rough middle management (Techn ician opportunity to bring rhe most updated practical and three written exams during pieces of geophysical equipment covered Level 3) ensures a long-rerm career path skills and experiences from rhe industry the course, including an overall comprehen during rhe course. During rhe last week for all graduates. inro rhe classroom. It also allows us ro sive exam. Minimum passing scores are of training, students "hit rhe grids" to In the United States, there are many apply new techniques, equipment and 80 percent and 85 percent for wri tten and clear rh is sim ulated UXO sire. Students instances in which military ordnance technology thar wi ll be returned to the practical exams respectively. The grading are required ro lay out their grid; proper!y items are encounrered in civil ian com industry through our students. For example, criteria are ser high to ensure rhar IUTP employ the search equipment; locate, munities. Police and fire department the one permanent staff member, four graduates can operate wi th minimal excavate and identifY all ordnance encoun personnel are called upon ro address the adjunct insrructors and one guest speaker supervision on a UXO sire. tered; and correctly plot rhe UXO locations hazards UXO pose to public safety. supported the UXO Technician Level 1 on a grid map. Evidence of this can be found with any class, which concluded on March 22, civilian bomb squad, as most have training Training Facilities 2002. The EOD technician, UXO History of UXO aid li braries fu ll of military ordnance technician, UXOsupervisor and munitions The l UTP offices and pnmary emediation items recovered within their communities. management experience of these six training areas are located at Texas A & Though many of these items were never individuals rota led 120 years. employed on a battlefield or in a training M University's Riverside Campus. The The UXO Technician Level 1 course
Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2002 • 102 • • 103 • 1 I Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 6, Iss. 2 [2002], Art. 22 is based on the U.S. Navy Explosive Ord NAVSCOLEOD were allowed ro work mcnt dcvelopmenr ro rhe UXO industry. nance Disposal School (NAVSCOLEOD) as UXO technicians within the borders Without military support of this kind, ir curriculum. However, unlike the EOD of the United States. Internationally, is impossible for a civilian UXO company curriculum, ours is specifically oriented personnel from many differenr nations ro operate in rhe same manner as a mili to rhc com mercia! clearance of UXO, not perform this work. The majority of this tary organization would, given the same rask. rhe military EOD mission, as the rwo arc workforce consists of people wirh rrain This program is the firsr wirhin a major not the same. With instructors from rhc ing in bomb disposal or engineering. university sysrcm ro provide compre military EOD and rhe civilian UXO However, personnel with backgrounds in hensive practical and classroom training communities, srudcnrs are raught rhe other military occupational fields from a specifically designed for UXO technicians knowledge and skills required to safely variety of nations can be found working and managers. perform in the UXO industry. on UXO or Jcmining sires. The training Hisrorically, only graduates of rhe received by these personnel while in their Conclusion respective country's ser vice was most often our The need for an in-depth UXO (Right) EOD technician working standing. However, this training program designed ro address rhc in a sub-mun1tion impact area. training focused on the shorrage of enrry-levcl UXO technicians c/o Tom Gersbeck (Below) IUTP students bomb disposal or engi is real. As long as there are pieces of UXO performing demolition neering missions at threatening human lives, the lUTP will procedures on the Riverside hand. A civilian UXO conrinue ro provide this rraining ro qualified Campus Range in Bryan, Texas. clearance mission dif- personnel. Currently, there is a shortage c/oTEEX fers greatly from the of Level I UXO Technicians industry military mission in wide. Wirh another round of military tools, equipment, base closures in the United Stares about procedures, manage ro begin, this shortage is bound to increase.• ment and technical as well as logistical Biography support. In essence, there arc more dis Mr. G~r,bc~k "1hc program coordinawr for similarities than ~imi 1hc UXO lr.tin111g Pro!'ram. A 10-year Marine Corp' la rities when consider vc1cran. he wrwd 111 I • A1t Naval Gunfire Liaimn ing the civilian and CompJny (ANCU( 0) before transferring to FOD. As an EOD olllccr .md technician, he served military mission re in .t variety of billet\ in both ,tir and ground units. quiremenrs of a UXO c leanup. Further more, rhe U.S. mili Contact Information tary does nor provide any technical support, Tom Gersbeck research, training, Tel: (979) 862-3410 https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol6/iss2/22 2 equipment or equip- E-mail: rhomas.gcrsbeck @tcexmail. tamu.edu