LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

April 2024

Spring has begun in earnest and Golden West’s year is off to an exciting start. We began the month by recognizing International Mine Awareness Day, rededicating the Foundation to the goal of supporting the Humanitarian Mine Action community with the very best training and technology available anywhere.

Congratulations are also in order for Golden West’s QRF team for retaining management of the Quick Reaction Force for the U.S. Department of State for another year.

We are seeing an increase in interest by various news outlets resulting in some great exposure for Golden West. An article in the Guardian International Edition, focused on the challenges of World War Two munitions in the Pacific. Adan and his team’s efforts in the Marshall Islands, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, were featured and received a fair amount of on-line attention.

I recently had a good conversation with producers from UK-based Fearless TV about WWII Pacific ERW clearance and the potential for a future TV special.

Successes follow successes with a recent MOU for future cooperation between The Regional Centre on Small Arms in Nairobi, Kenya and Golden West in Africa. Our projects supporting the DOD’s State Partnership Program and USEUCOM resulted in successful mentoring events in Moldova, Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia. Combined with gains in programs from Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, and Marshall Islands, the projects in Europe are helping to build real skills and capacity.

In Thailand, Golden West continues to support the Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) HMA program and the Thailand Mine Action Center program with training support and mentoring.

Our team conducting the Marshall Islands program returned from a successful planning deployment to Majuro, meeting with USEMB and Marshallese officials to prepare for a June deployment to Wotje.

Golden West will attend the Army HDR&D Regional Workshop in Phnom Penh May and host a joint service tour of KCTC and the EHP.

We plan to have representation at the UN National Directors Meeting in Geneva and the upcoming EOD Day on the Hill event in Washington DC.

We will also be represented at the EOD Memorial at Eglin AFB in Florida.

The Board will meet in Washington DC in early June.

Thanks to all for the continued hard work and I look forward to seeing some of you soon.

Cheers,

EXPLOSIVE HARVESTING TEAM GROWS

MS. CHHUM AND LIM JOIN OUR TEAM IN CAMBODIA

Our Explosive Harvesting Program (EHP) recently expanded with the addition of two new team members, CMAC LV2 EOD technicians, Chhum Nimol and Lim Srey Sa. Both are currently in intensive training designed to familiarize them with our EHP’s rigorous SOPs, a comprehensive understanding of our demolition, cutting, and harvesting techniques, alongside stringent safety procedures.

Both Nimol and Srey Sa are as excited to join the team and further develop their knowledge as we are to have them on board.

The Explosive Harvesting Program continues to have a profound and positive impact in Cambodia. To date:

290,897 ordnance destroyed
45,196 UXO processed.
83,132 kg explosives harvested
611,661 demolition charges created

As we continue to evolve and expand our operations, we remain dedicated to the principles of innovation, safety, and community engagement.
Join us in welcoming Chhum and Lim to the GWHF family and in celebrating the achievements of our Explosive Harvesting Program.

In the news …

OUR HARD WORK IS GETTING NOTICED, AND GETTING SPOKEN ABOUT