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CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait (August 13, 2009) - Capt.
Russell Destremps, commander, 86th Engineer Dive Team, was
presented with the 2008 Coastal America Partnership Award and a
letter from President Obama by Lt. Gen William Webster, commanding
general, Third Army, at Camp Patriot, Kuwait, Aug. 10.
Webster, also recognized the other members of the team by
presenting them with the Third Army commanding general's coin.
"Here in Third Army we are no strangers to teamwork, partnership
efforts, and cooperation among the joint services," said Webster.
"Coastal America's efforts in the Florida Artificial Tire Reef
Cleanup Team Project are similarly joint-and partner-based.
Teamwork and cooperation have always been behind our successes as a
nation. Working together, we know that nothing is impossible."
Destremps, and the 86th Engineer Dive Team, are currently
deployed to Kuwait, and were presented the award for removing tires
that were dumped into the waters off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.
The award included an engraved plaque and a letter of
congratulations from President Obama.
"I am particularly proud of the many Sailors and Soldiers who
have found a way to enhance their training on skills important to
our Nation's readiness for war while also making a significant
contribution to the health of our living ocean resources," said
Obama, in his letter to Destremps. "Just as you protect our Nation
when serving overseas, at home you have found another way to
protect our Nation's wellbeing."
The Coastal America Partnership Award recognizes outstanding
partnerships that make a significant contribution toward the
restoration and protection of our Nation's coastal and marine
environment; it is the only environment award of its kind given by
the White House.
"I'm lucky enough to be in command of one most professional and
tactically proficient units in the Army," said Destremps. "Any time
they get recognized really serves justice to the work they do every
day. The stateside mission that we did helped prepare us for what
we're doing over here. I couldn't be more proud of what my guys
have done."
Coastal America Partnership is a multi-agency collaboration
dedicated to preserving and restoring coastal regions and
addressing environmental concerns.
In the 1970s, when worn-out tires were becoming a serious
problem for environmentalists to deal with, they came up with an
idea to dump the tires into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of
Florida all the way up to New Jersey to help create an artificial
reef for fish to inhabit.
The Osborne Reef, off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, had the most
tires dumped in its location, with a total of more than two million
tires finding their resting place at the bottom of the ocean.
Environmentalists quickly realized that there were a few
problems with their initial idea of dumping the tires into the
ocean. The first problem was that fish didn't inhabit the tires,
instead stayed away from the new reef. In addition, the tires which
could weigh up to 26 pounds on land, would only weigh around two
pounds under water. With this vast difference in weight, it became
evident that it would be impossible for the tires to be secured to
one location as they continued to move each time a storm came
through the Osborne Reef.
In 2001, the original area created off the coast of Fort
Lauderdale had doubled to 35 acres with signs of continued growth.
As the tired shifted around at the bottom of the ocean, their
plastic straps and metal claps that had originally held them
together began to break and the tires began to move more rapidly
through the water soon damaging and destroying the local natural
reefs.
It was not until spring 2008 when the first full mission to
remove the displaced tires became operational. During the initial
month of the mission, Army, Navy and Coast Guard divers had
successfully removed around 44,000 tires from the Osborne Reef.
The 86th Engineer Dive Team were key members of the Coastal
American Partnership in continuing the removal of the dumped tires
and preserving the natural reefs surrounding Fort Lauderdale.
The 86th Engineer Dive Team, based at Camp Patriot, Kuwait,
currently provides support throughout the Central Command area of
responsibility. They hold the mission capability to perform
underwater construction and inspections, salvage, search and
recovery, hydrographic survey, and underwater and surface
demolition missions.
The dive team has been deployed to the AOR since March and is
expected to complete a 12 month tour in Kuwait.
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