U.S. PM/WRA Quick Reaction Force

The end of an armed conflict, deterioration of stockpiled munitions, or discovery of abandoned munitions from old wars pose fresh dangers for civilians returning home after a ceasefire, who live near decrepit arms depots, or whose communities are threatened by munitions discovered decadesafter a conflict. The Quick Reaction Force (QRF), managed by the U.S. Department of State’s PM/WRA,can begin to tackle these threats worldwide in as little as 48 hours.

“Our programs for humanitarian demining, battle area clearance, and destruction of foreign government’s munitions are normally established after months of diplomacy and planning,” explains Stanley Brown, Director of PM/WRA. “But we need to respond within days when explosive threats create dire humanitarian need, pose imminent danger, and threaten the stability of a foreign country. That’s why we have the QRF.”

Paradoxically, war’s aftermath can increase risk in the short term for displaced persons and refugees who return to their communities only to find them contaminated by landmines and other ERW. In those situations, the QRF can deploy rapidly to expertly assess the threat and recommend protective measures to the host government and humanitarian organizations. Similarly, the QRF can assess the degree of danger to civilians posed by ammunition “kicked out” for miles around after an unplanned explosion at a military depot and lay out a course of action for thorough clean up. TheQRF’s deployment to the Republic of the Congo in 2012 after the horrific Brazzaville munitions depot disaster that killed over 250 and injured more than 2,300 is an example of its rapid response capability that helped prevent further casualties.http://www.state.gov/t/pm/wra

QRF

Since 2001 the QRF and its precursor the Quick Reaction Demining Force have deployed to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Federated States of Micronesia, Guatemala, Iraq, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

Golden West provides PSSM in Cambodia.

Photo courtesy of Golden West.