Operation Kiribati Assist is the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) contribution to a request from the Government of Kiribati to assist in the disposal of World War II unexploded ordnance (UXO) from locations throughout Kiribati.
The Kiribati islands were occupied by the Japanese during World War II. Most of the UXO encountered in Kiribati are remnants from this conflict. They include military ordnance such as artillery projectiles, aerial bombs, rockets, mortars and mines.
An ADF Joint Task Force (JTF) was raised known as JTF 637, and was deployed to Kiribati over the period 7–26 August 2008. JTF 637 comprises approximately 22 personnel, including a Command Group, a Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diving Team to handle underwater UXO, Army and RAAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams who will handle land-based UXO, including air-delivered items and a Medical Team.
Read more about Operation Kiribati Assist: Role
Famous quotes containing the words operation and/or assist:
“Waiting for the race to become official, he began to feel as if he had as much effect on the final outcome of the operation as a single piece of a jumbo jigsaw puzzle has to its predetermined final design. Only the addition of the missing fragments of the puzzle would reveal if the picture was as he guessed it would be.”
—Stanley Kubrick (b. 1928)
“When Dad can’t get the diaper on straight, we laugh at him as though he were trying to walk around in high-heel shoes. Do we ever assist him by pointing out that all you have to do is lay out the diaper like a baseball diamond, put the kid’s butt on the pitcher’s mound, bring home plate up, then fasten the tapes at first and third base?”
—Michael K. Meyerhoff (20th century)