Jackson reiterates UXO safety

Photo By Emily Hileman | Jackson reiterates UXO safety, Oct. 12.  

FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

10.12.2023

Story by Emily Hileman 

Fort Jackson Public Affairs Office

Encountering an undetonated bomb, grenade or other form of unexploded ordnance, or UXO, isn’t something most people experience, let alone think about. However uncommon, it does still occur from time to time, says Joe Colson, Fort Jackson Installation Safety Director.
“Fort Jackson has been a training base for well over 100 years,” Colson said. “So, as the ground gets cultivated, or erosion happens, you may start seeing rusted objects and because we’re curious, we might want to dig it up, but we tell people that if you didn’t put it there, don’t pick it up.”
Instead of investigating, stick to the 3Rs Explosives Safety Program – Recognize, Retreat and Report.
“Recognizing when you’ve encountered munitions could be a matter of life and death,” said Colson. “If someone suspects something they’ve encountered is munition, consider it extremely dangerous.”
But that rusted pipe you saw on the ground during your nature walk is clearly a rusted pipe and is safe to pick up, right? Not quite, says Colson. UXO can come in many forms that may look like everyday objects such as a soda can, a vehicle exhaust pipe, or even a baseball.
Recently a contracting crew moving dirt from Fort Jackson encountered a munition and called in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and the Richland County Sheriffs Department.
Another way people may encounter unexploded munitions are souvenirs that veterans from wars past may have kept, such as a grenade.
“It could be one of those items that veterans sit around and talk about, but 40 years later that item gets passed on to our spouse or children,” Colson said. “Now, they just have this stuff sitting around and they’re not sure how to get rid of it, so we’re hoping to reach them too and make sure it’s handled safely.”
Even if someone does know that an object is UXO, they still might want to handle it due to curiosity or intrigue, but that’s not safe.
“Don’t touch, move or disturb it, but immediately and carefully leave the area, following the same way you entered,” Colson said. “If you can, mark the general area, not the munition, in some manner so the proper authorities can detonate and dispose of it.”
Once you’ve safely left the area, immediately notify local law enforcement, and advise them of what you saw and where.
Although each of the training areas is clearly marked on Fort Jackson, many things have changed since the base’s inception in 1917, including the original perimeter of the base.
“Over time, the Department of Defense has turned over some lands on military bases back to public use,” Colson said. “Because of decades of training and testing, millions of acres in the United States are suspected to contain unexploded ordnance.”
Due to these realignments and modernization efforts, Fort Jackson and the surrounding community are encouraged to remember the 3Rs – Recognize, Retreat and Report to keep everyone safe.
For more information on munitions safety visit https://home.army.mil/jackson/fort-jackson-munition-safety

• Date Taken: 10.12.2023
• Date Posted: 10.12.2023 09:16
• Story ID: 455589
• Location: FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US