Background

Since late 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has conducted extensive ammunition clearance operations of the former Iraqi regime’s ammunition stock-piles located at remote sites throughout the country. The USACE sub-contracts the different projects under the programme to a number of explosive ordinance (EOD) companies, including ECC and Tetra Tech.

ArmorGroup has provided Protective Security Services to those working on this programme since early 2004, initially providing PSD services to USACE personnel and later to ECC in the Tikrit region, where extensive clearance operations took place.

In February 2006 as a direct result of ArmorGroup’s succesful experience in operating at remote sites on EOD projects, Tetra Tech approached ArmorGroup requesting we provide security services for two of their allocated sites in Iraq.

ArmorGroup Actions

From the outset, ArmorGroup Iraq management liaised closely with the Tetra Tech security manager, analysing the scope of work and the threat in order to establish the foundation of an effective security and risk mitigation plan.

Armorgroup’s risk management evaluation identified:

• two robust mobile teams were required to provide the client with adequate protection to transit through Iraq and the ability to establish and occupy a temporary perimeter at short notice.
• Each team was to consist entirely of ArmorGroup operators with suitable experience in Iraq and, importantly, experience on USACE contracts. This combination would improve the understanding of the client’s mission and its continued needs within Iraq.

Within 7 days, the two teams were mobilised and deployed onto remote sites in Northern and Southern Iraq where the EOD clearance operations were to occur. Supplemented by a trained Gurkha guard force, ArmorGroup implemented the recommendations of its evaluation by:

• establishing a secure perimeter;
• organising and conducting 24 hour mobile patrols of the site;
• providing Close Protection to clients operating daily in exposed areas of the site;
• ArmorGroup liaising closely with the US military operating in the immediate vicinity of the sites to establish a lasting relationship, which enhanced the continued security of the client and enabled their mission to be carried out successfully and without incident.

Results

ArmorGroup has consistently ensured the security of its client when occupying remote sites and when conducting hazardous road moves in Iraq. When protecting the client’s movement between sites, the ArmorGroup team have ofetn come under insurgent attack but have ensured there has been no loss of life or damage to the client’s assets.

The contract has grown since its inception in February and has evolved into one of the most successful client / security provider relationships in Iraq. Additional ArmorGroup services used by CAPE have included the introduction of an inner-perimeter guard force to secure high-resolution surveillance equipment and an increase in manning levels in high threat areas based on ArmorGroup’s continued proactive risk assessment.