Australian Army engineers are providing explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to help them safely manage unexploded ordnance.
The Solomon Islands, a key battleground during the Pacific campaign of World War 2, remains littered with unexploded ordnance (UXO), including bombs, artillery shells, ammunition and old torpedoes.
The International Mine Action Standards Course is delivered under the Defence Cooperation Program at Hells Point, Solomon Islands, by Australian Army and Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) instructors, teaching identification, safe transport and disposal of UXO.
Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Adam Keys, explosive ordnance disposal adviser for the South Pacific region, oversees the training program.
"In the past 10 years, 13 people have been killed by explosions from UXO, and a further nine people have been injured," WO1 Keys said.
"Throughout the Solomon Islands, UXO is being uncovered on almost a daily basis. Every time UXO is discovered on a construction site, or during clearing for a road, the site needs to be shut down until an appropriately trained person can come in and safely take it away.
"The International Mine Action Standards Course includes three levels, each level advancing in difficulty and qualification, and since 2024 the course has been expanded to include students from Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
"It's been fantastic working with the RSIPF Explosive Ordnance Disposal Department training team to increase the capability of not only other members of the RSIPF, but also representatives from nations across the region."
The training includes theoretical and practical components, covering risk assessment and hands-on exercises.
'Now they are learning the skills that will allow them to make a difference and help keep their own communities safe.'
Army EOD engineers ensure the training is tailored to the unique conditions and challenges faced in the Solomon Islands.
Corporal Samuel Banham, of 6th Engineer Support Regiment, one of the instructors on the recent course, praised the enthusiasm of the students.
"The students on the course are very keen to learn more about UXO and how to safely handle it because they've been exposed to it their entire lives," Corporal Banham said.
"Now they are learning the skills that will allow them to make a difference and help keep their own communities safe.
"But the learning isn't a one-way street. The RSIPF EOD team are getting calls every day, so they have so much hands-on experience that we find we learn a lot from them during the course as well.
"The experience I've been able to gain overcoming language barriers and training people from different backgrounds will hold me in good stead as I continue my career."
Police Constable (PC) Armstrong Rogosi, an RSIPF EOD instructor, expressed his gratitude for the partnership.
"We have been working with the Australian Defence Force instructors for over five years now," PC Rogosi said.
"They are very good at teaching. They respect us and our work, which makes us great friends."
PC John Bosa, one of the officers participating in the training, said while the course was challenging, it was worth it.
"The training is difficult at first in all areas, but the repetition of tasks is what starts to make it all come together and easier," PC Bosa said.
"We can now have more people to respond to local communities where we can assess and remove UXOs so they aren't harming anyone."
