News and Updates

Reuters photo: Iraqi police scan for land mines near the Rumaila oil field in Basrah province. (Schonstedt GA-72Cd Magnetic Locator used by soldier at left)

Excerpt from Radio Free Europe Report:July 21, 2010
BAGHDAD -- Foreign oil companies that have signed contracts to develop Iraq's oil reserves may be unable to meet contractual deadlines due to the danger of land mines, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq reports. Muzahim Jihad, the head of an Iraqi NGO that clears minefields, described the land mine problem as catastrophic.

He said it could severely impact the Iraqi economy and he called on the Iraqi government and international organizations to help with the problem.

Muzahim Jihad also said the government did not pay much attention to the problem of land mines until after it signed contracts with foreign oil companies. He said these companies were now facing a huge challenge that could affect their efforts to develop oil fields in Iraq.

He estimated the number of mines in Iraq at 25 million, in addition to a vast quantity of unexploded bombs scattered over much of the country but especially in areas near oil fields.

Schonstedt is now a GSA Contract Holder, making it easier than ever for the government and military to purchase the military version of the rugged GA-72Cd magnetic locator. At the request of the US Army, the GA-72Cd-ML has been adapted for use in military theaters of operation. Featuring a digital display as well as audio output, it is quickly becoming the standard for military munitions response and humanitarian demining.

Government buyers can purchase the GA-72Cd-ML at GSA Advantage

“I recently received the Schonstedt Scholarship through the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping and wanted to formally thank you for donating the funds for this scholarship. Scholarships like this are of great help when paying for tuition and expenses. I fund my own education so scholarships make it possible for me to attend school, and are greatly appreciated. I will continue to work hard as I have in the past to accomplish my goals of obtaining a degree in Surveying and Engineering from Michigan Tech, and enhancing the perception of the surveying profession and the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping.”

-- letter received from Brian Bellmore, student

Jim as Santa

Jim Hunt is an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) technician from Summerville, SC. He works for Environment Remediation companies around the country, doing clearance reclamation of former military installations and bombing ranges.
He calls his Schonstedt locators his "work horses". That's not too unusual, but what IS unusual is the video clip he made of himself “playing” his GA-52Cx. Click here to see the video clip: Schonstedt Newsletter

Frank Lenik at the spring ACSM meeting in Salt Lake City

Schonstedt Instrument Company congratulates Frank Lenik, Professional Land Surveyor, on receiving the Key Governor Award from the Board of Governors, National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

According to Curt Sumner, Executive Director, "the Key Governor Award was developed specifically to recognize extraordinary effort by a Governor, which is clearly an honor, especially considering that it is bestowed by one's peers."

Patrick Smith, Chair of the Board of Governors, adds that “Frank Lenik's involvement in the Schonstedt Humanitarian Demining Initiative made it readily apparent that surveyors can play an effective role in society that reaches far beyond the everyday practice of the profession and the professional licensing requirement that surveyors protect the health, safety and welfare of the public in their professional endeavors. It is through an extension of his efforts that the NSPS Governors realized they could promote this very worthwhile initiative in all 50 of their respective states and, as such, recognized Frank's humanitarian dedication by awarding him the honor of the Key Governor Award."

Schonstedt notes that Frank’s efforts have contributed to the deployment, at no cost, of over 300 magnetic locators to United Nations humanitarian demining teams in 19 of the world’s most mine-infested countries.

For more on Frank's efforts visit www.woodstownfriends.org

Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of of the OAS, Washington, DC recently presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Schonstedt Instrument Company. The certificate, which reads "In recognition of the Schonstedt Humanitarian Demining Initiative and its contribution to the OAS Mine Action Program", was in response to a donation of equipment for OAS humanitarian demining field tests in Columbia, South America.

A still from the NBC News piece featuring the Schonstedt GA-72Cd-ML

The NBC Nightly News, in a piece titled "Iraqi troops prepare to stand alone" features troops using the new GA-72Cd-ML. Look for the Schonstedt locator in use in the first 40 seconds of the clip.

Click here to view the full clip.

The late Sgt Maj Mark Read, USMC (ret) and co-founder of EOD Technology, Inc. with Schonstedt instrument on the day Huntsville agreed that Schonstedt could be used for detection of subsurface UXO.

Schonstedt Instrument Company announces the formation of the Munitions Response Group.

The Group's function is two-fold:

• To encourage and focus communication with users of Schonstedt demining tools
• To foster collaboration with industry partners to advance UXO/IED detection capabilities

Visit the group's website at www.findUXO.com or email us at mrgroup@schonstedt.com

The Schonstedt GA-72Cd on display in the Visitors Lobby, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

(From the United Nation's wall placard) "The Schonstedt Instrument Company of West Virginia approached DPKO in 2007 with the concept for a Humanitarian Demining Initiative linking the donation of a Schonstedt magnetic locator (such as the one here) for use in locating UXO to the sale of other Schonstedt products. That concept was expanded to individual donations with the direct purchase of locators for donation by a meeting of Quakers from southern New Jersey. Since its inception in 2007, the Initiative has donated over 250 locators in coordination with UNMAS on behalf of the UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) to under-funded mine action programmes including Somalia, Nepal, Mauritania, Chad, Viet Nam, Laos, Tajikistan and Egypt."

Donated Mine Detectors Bound for Darfur
A shipment of thirty mine detectors will soon be in the hands of United Nations humanitarian deminers in the Darfur region of Sudan.

The instruments have been donated by church groups, trade associations, individuals and customers of Schonstedt Instrument Company, which manufactures the demining tools and coordinates distribution to the world's most mine-infested countries.

Schonstedt matches each donated unit and ships them, according to UN priorities, to countries where humanitarian demining is most needed and where it would not otherwise be possible. There, demining teams find and clear explosive remnants of war such as cluster bombs, grenades, mortars, shells, landmines and other unexploded ordnance.

The shipment brings to over 250 the number of units, valued at $1041 each, currently at work in seventeen countries; among them Laos, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Nepal, Egypt, Croatia, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Chad and now Sudan.