Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization: Anomaly or Future Roadmap

Abstract

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Department of Defense, Executive Services and Communications Directorate (0704-0188). Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ORGANIZATION. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY)2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From -To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER The specific goals of this project were: 1) to evaluate biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane in environmental samples under different redox and chemical/physical conditions and different treatment regimes; 2) identify and isolate new 1,4-dioxane degrading microbes from environmental microcosms; 3) identify the products of 1,4-dioxane biodegradation by studying degradation pathways in pure bacterial cultures; 4) confirm that the same biodegradation pathways occur in active environmental samples; and 5) identify and evaluate genes involved in 1,4-dioxane biodegradation Biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane in environmental samples was performed by utilizing microcosms constructed with samples from two hydrogeochemically different 1,4-dioxane-contaminated aquifers. The 1,4-dioxane biodegradation pathways were determined by elucidating 1,4-dioxane degradation products produced by bacterial strains ENV425, ENV473, and ENV478. AUTHOR(S) PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S)12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIntroduction. 1,4-dioxane has been used extensively as a stabilizing agent in chlorinated solvents such as 1,1,1-TCA, and it has recently emerged as an important groundwater contaminant throughout the United States and elsewhere. Because of its miscibility in water, its low Henry's Law constant (4.9 x 10 -6 atm m 3 /mol), and low octanol/water partitioning coefficient (K oc 1.23), it is poorly retarded in aquifers. As a result, this compound has the potential to create large contaminant plumes and to threaten drinking water supplies distant from the original release sites (Jackson and Dwarakanath, 1999;Priddle and Jackson, 1991). It has only recently been added to the list of pollutants that must be regularly monitored in several states. Advisory action levels for 1,4 dioxane have been set at very low levels in many states, including, California, 3 ppb; Fl...

Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq, 2003-09: A Case of Operational Surprise and Institutional Response

“…31 The comparison with the Manhattan Project is signifi cant: the U.S. project to develop a useful nuclear weapon in World War II is a benchmark for scale, cost, complexity, and urgency in a military undertaking, one that needed to harness the full depth of the U.S. scientifi c and industrial capacity. 32 Clearly, Abizaid saw in the IED problem a surprise of strategic proportions.…”