Photo By Sgt. Jarel Chugg | Representatives from Hazardous Area Life-Support Organization (HALO) Trust speak about...... read more read more
Subscribe
PEJA, Kosovo — The United Nations declared the first International Mine Awareness Day on April 4, 2006, in order to spread awareness of the dangers still present in countries and regions recovering from conflict. Twelve years later to the day, demining experts in Kosovo came together in the city of Peja for a conference held by Mine Action Team-Kosovo in an effort to create awareness for the locals and share their experiences.
Warmer weather brings more than just flowers and spring showers. As the snow melts and farmers plow their fields, hidden Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) are sometimes uncovered.
Sgt. 1st Class William Schamber, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team leader with the 702nd Ordnance Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, spoke about how in the two weeks since his team arrived in Kosovo, they have responded to seven UXO incidents.
“We have had four in the Northern Kosovo area in support of Norwegian People's Aid and HALO (Hazardous Area Life-Support Organization) Trust,” Schamber said. “Then we have also run other calls that have been throughout the rest of Kosovo, with the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) in our advise-and-assist role.”
The EOD team is part of Kosovo Force (KFOR) Multi-National Battle Group - East, whose mission is to contribute to a safe-and-secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo. By clearing UXOs, the EOD team is a vital component of that mission.
Schamber also mentioned that his team received a call about an eighth incident while at the mine awareness conference.
The team has two roles to play in Kosovo demining efforts, said Sgt.1st Class Nicholas Carmon, an EOD team leader with the 702nd Ordnance Company.
“We respond to incidents within 1,000 meters of the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL),” said Carmon. The ABL is the boundary between Kosovo and Serbia. “We also respond to the Northern Kosovo area, Mitrovica—that’s where we find sub-munitions in Northern Kosovo. Our secondary role, we go out with KSF EOD and help advise and assist as needed to help them with their capabilities.”
Besart Alikqkaj, a driver and logistic manager from HALO Trust, and a local from Kosovo, spoke of the importance of the mission HALO supports and what it means for him.
“I feel good because I am part of an organization that is doing a good job in helping my country clear mines and battlefields,” Alikqkaj said. “It gives you a good feeling—being a part (of the organization) and giving your own contribution for your country.”
Many of the people supporting the demining mission spoke of their passion for the job.
“I do this job because I love it. I’ve been involved since I was a boy and joined the army at 16 in the engineers,” said Ben Remfrey, managing director of Praedium Consulting Malta (PCM), a risk management company, based in Malta. “It’s very close to my heart and also my staff here. We are all a passionate group of individuals, an EOD brotherhood. It’s what we do.”
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2018 11:30 |
| Story ID: | 272039 |
| Location: | PEJA, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 431 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 702nd EOD participate in International Mine Awareness Day, by SGT Jarel Chugg, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT