Air Force team aids Afghan police with UXO disposal

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James Law
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KAPISA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  Airmen from the explosive ordnance disposal, 755th Air Expeditionary Group, assisted Kohistan II district Afghanistan National Police with unexploded ordnance disposal Feb. 2.

"The police chief requested our assistance with removing the UXOs during our last visit," said Tech. Sgt. Francis Warren, Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team Police Technical Advisory Team noncommissioned officer in charge. Sergeant Warren took action and contacted EOD for assistance.

Tech. Sgt. Steven Nidzgorski, an EOD team leader, said UXO's and landmines pose a serious threat for locals and military personnel throughout Afghanistan. In the last six months, Sergeant Nidzgorski's team has responded to roughly 15 requests for similar assistance. 

Once on site, Sergeant Nidzgorski assessed the UXOs gathered by the Kohistan II ANP to determine the safest method of disposal.

"Preferable, we will destroy them where they are at if at all possible," Sergeant Nidzgorski said. "But today we couldn't do that because of the proximity of buildings and its occupants."

After close examination and deciding the UXO's were safe for transport, Sergeant Nidzgorski's team loaded the UXOs onto a joint EOD rapid response vehicle for transport to a safe place for destruction.

After arriving at what appeared to be a large open area free from people, structures and crops, Sergeant Nidzgorski stepped out of the JERRV to survey the terrain. He noticed an Afghan herding goats in the distance.

"We can either go out there and have him move his goats, or we can go to the range," Sergeant Nidzgorski said.

Not wanting to disturb the herder, the UXOs were taken to a range near Bagram Air Base for destruction.

"It's good to know we are getting them [UXOs] out of the way and making it safer for the Afghans," Sergeant Nidzgorski said.

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