The Kwajalein Hourglass
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TTimesimes ggoneone bbyy oonn KKwajwaj — PPageage 4 ((DarylDaryl SSatko,atko, EEODOD ttechnicianechnician IIII,II, hhelpselps JJackieackie NNast,ast, 115,5, iintonto a bbombomb ssuituit aass ppartart ooff aann aassemblyssembly eexplainingxplaining tthehe hhazardsazards ooff uunexplodednexploded oordnancesrdnances TThursdayhursday iinn tthehe DDavyeavye DDavisavis MMulti-Purposeulti-Purpose RRoom.oom. FForor mmore,ore, sseeee PPageage 33)) ((PhotoPhoto bbyy EElizabethlizabeth DDavie)avie) Saturday, May 14, 2005 www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html The Kwajalein Hourglass Letter to the editor More Continental fl ights scheduled 4 percent; Kwajalein-to-Hono heading out in a B-boat – per- Ticket prices come from high fares have increased only 1.44 haps less so when you’re at the fuel costs, minimal population percent on an annual basis in Continental office trying to make this period! He added that Con- reservations. Patience is impor- Several Hourglass articles and tinental has been very sensitive tant when planning a departure recent letters discussed fl ight and moderate in their pricing of from Kwajalein or when sched- schedules to and from Kwajalein Micronesia over the years, even uling to have guests visit, and (both Continental and military) in in times such as these with fuel advance planning is crucial. the wake of Aloha’s departure. costs skyrocketing. Increases in Everyone should demonstrate Walter B. Dias, staff vice presi- fuel costs in 2004 alone resulted common “Kwajalein courtesy” dent for Continental Airlines in $14 million additional costs when making your flight ar- Sales and Marketing, got wind for Continental. Our remote loca- rangements with the staff of of Kwaj townhall comments and tion also requires Continental to Continental Travel, recognize the sent me a letter. In his letter he fl y with mechanics on board to special challenges that they face said he was disappointed to hear increase reliability as well as with in trying to meet each passen- generalizations made concerning an additional fl ight attendant and ger’s needs, and remember that Continental’s fare schedule. He pilot due to the long duty day. our small and unique popula- wanted to set the record straight. As with many aspects of life tion places unusual demands on I agree with him, and thought here on Kwaj, there is tremen- an airline which is trying hard this a good forum to get his very dous overhead involved in sup- to provide service to our com- positive message out. Dias said porting our community lifestyle munity. Clearly, we do not have a fourth Island Hopper fl ight (to that many of us don’t see (and the flight options of a large city operate on Saturdays from July 2 rarely do our personal costs in the United States such as Los to Sept. 3) should alleviate diffi - reflect the real costs involved). I Angeles or New Yor; therefore, culties experienced by some Kwaj know inflation and a host of oth- we must plan early and be flex- residents anxious for time off the er problems affecting stateside ible in making our travel plans. rock. I am still getting inputs, life can be quickly forgotten here Meanwhile, we will continue to though, from folks frustrated in our little paradise. Living on work closely with Continental with Kwajalein fl ight options, Kwajalein has many advantages, Micronesia and the military to costs or both. but a limited airline schedule. improve service, offer competitive He said that in the past 15 We are a small community and prices, and increase flight op- years Continental Micronesia our population alone warrants tions during peak travel periods. has raised fares in Microne- only a few flights a week. And sia less than six times, with an let’s face it; we are in the middle Kevin P. Finn average annual fare increases of nowhere. This is great when Deputy Program manager, Community Services amounting to no more than you’re staring at a sunset or Kwajalein Range Services The Kwajalein Jest For Fun Ron Tsubamoto Hourglass Commanding Offi cer..........COL Beverly Stipe Acting Public Affairs Offi cer.........Polli Keller Editor.......................................Nell Drumheller Assistant Editor...............................Mig Owens Graphics Designer.............................Dan Adler Reporter.....................................Elizabeth Davie Intern......................................Brandon Stevison Circulation..................................Will O’Connell The Hourglass is named for the insignia of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which liberated the island from the forces of Imperial Japan on Feb 4, 1944. The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized publication for military personnel, federal employees, contractor workers and their families assigned to USAKA. Contents of the Hourglass are not necessarily offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or USAKA. It is published Wednesdays and Saturdays in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1 and using a network printer by Kwajalein Range Services editorial staff, P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555. Phone: Autovon 254-3539; local 53539. Printed circulation: 2,000 The Kwajalein Hourglass 2 Saturday, May 14, 2005 Don’t know what it is? Leave it be! Former war zone home to hazards By Elizabeth Davie or call EOD,” Moore said. Safety Offi ce can direct EOD to do Reporter Many people in USAKA spend a so,” he said. lot of their free time beach comb- If the item is found underwater Last weekend, while underwater, ing, golfing and in the water. If there’s a different strategy. Under- a diver noticed an item that was ce- someone comes upon an item they water UXO stays in place. Kwajalein ramic looking and thinking it neither can’t identify, they should report it. EOD only responds to surface UXO an unexploded explosive ordnance “For kids, tell an adult; others con- and items found on the reef during nor was dangerous - placed this item tact KPD at 911 or 54000 or EOD low tides. “The only authorized EOD in his buoyancy compensator fl oata- directly at 51433,” Moore advised. folks who can destroy underwater tion vest pocket. Upon surfacing and “If they [the unidentifi ed object] UXO around Kwajalein are Navy entering the dive boat, the diver no- are determined by EOD to be move- EOD folks from the Explosives ticed smoke and fi re coming from the able and after inspection - don’t Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5 BC pocket. The item that was picked pose an immediate hazard, they out of Guam. If underwater UXO up was probably a Japanese grenade are then transported to our explo- poses an immediate threat to peo- containing white phosphorus. Some sives bunker area for temporary ple, property or the environment, of the Japanese WWII grenades were storage. At predetermined times; then again, the USAKA Commander made out of pottery and contained stored UXO is taken to the island could authorize EODMU-5 to come white phosphorus. White phospho- of Illegini where we have a demoli- and destroy it,” Moore said. rus is pyrophoric which means it tion range. The UXO is placed at Known underwater UXO and in- immediately reacts and ignites when the demo site, explosive charges are formation on where it is located is exposed to air. put on top of the UXO, and EOD marked on maps, Global Position- Fortunately the diver was not se- blows the UXO up,” Moore said. He ing System coordinates are taken, riously injured and Explosive Ord- added that in the event that UXO and information is given to mari- nance Disposal responded. is too dangerous to move, by EOD ners and divers. Some of the local Continuing education and cau- determination, and if it can be done wrecks and ships around Kwajalein tiousness are the keys to UXO ac- safely - the UXO might be destroyed Atoll contain UXO and dangerous cident prevention according to Mike by blowing in place. “This is not cargoes. Moore, U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll an ideal situation but if it is deter- “On Kwajalein, UXO informa- Installation Health/Safety officer. mined it is more dangerous to try tion for children is provided on an “Our UXO is surface, subsurface to move the UXO, then the USAKA annual basis. A part of the Army and underwater. Within the last Commander through the USAKA Safety Program is informing Sol- two weeks, EOD responded to diers, civilians and families who two grenades, two mortars, and live or work on military installa- more than 1,500 small arms tions about UXO awareness and rounds,” he said. He added education. Kwajalien Range Ser- that an indeterminate number vices, USAKA and Host Nations of UXO have been found on and provided UXO awareness train- near Kwajalein. ing to the school children on En- He added that some of the nubirr on April 12, to Kwajalein items were found and report- children grades K-6 on April 28 ed by Kwajalein citizens, some and to the High School students were detected by EOD using a on Thursday,” Moore said. magnetometer, and one was UXO safety information is also the incident with the diver. provided during the Island Ori- Increasing beach erosion due entation; all divers must view a to heavy westerly winds and UXO safety video, UXO informa- greater wave action are expos- tion is on Page 5-28 in the 2005 ing some UXO. Kwajalein Telephone and Island Learning to identify a UXO Directory, is located on the last can be tricky. “On Kwaja- page of the tan, tri-fold, Kwa- lein our challenge is an item jalein Atoll Community Safety could look like a pipe encrust- Guide brochure and is men- ed with some coral growth - tioned in other employee safety yet that “pipe” could be a rifle briefs. The KRS EOD at 51433 or grenade or bazooka, etc.