The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is committed to the safe management of all unexploded ordnance (UXO) found at the Borrego Maneuver Area. The information provided below is critical to assuring your safety. Please read this information and follow all of the guidelines and recommendations. An essential part of our program is ensuring public safety through education and awareness programs.

The Borrego Maneuver Area was used as a military training site for many years. Both practice and live munitions were used in this training. During this time period, the following munitions were used for training purposes:

• Bomb, 3 to 4.5-lb Practice, Zinc Cast Iron, AN-MK5, MK23, with Signal, AN-MK4
• Bomb, 100-lb Photoflash, AN-M46
• Bomb, 100-lb Practice, MK15 MOD3, with Spotting Charge, MK1
• Bomb, 100-lb Practice, MK15 MOD4, with Signal, AN-MK4
• Bomb, 100-lb Practice M38A2 Sand Filled with Spotting CHarge, M1 Black Powder
• Projectile, 40mm High Explosive TNT, Tracer (Shell Destroying)
• Projectile, 90mm High Explosive
• Rocket, 5-Inch High Explosive Warhead
• Rocket, 3.25-Inch Practice
• Rocket, 2.25-Inch Practice
• Small Arms Ammunition

With age, some items become more sensitive to movement. Military explosives are designed to withstand long periods of storage under varied and often unfavorable conditions. Depending on climatic and soil conditions, the munition may appear to be brand new or rusty and deteriorated. In either situation, these munition items can detonate if handled.

Historically, a 10% dud ratio was anticipated for military munitions, which accounts for much of the unexploded ordnance (UXO) at defense sites where training was conducted. A dud is a munition that did not function as designed and is potentially very unsafe. Sites, such as the Borrego Maneuver Area, that were used as practice ranges for artillery are especially dangerous.

Training and practice munitions, like those used at the Borrego Manevuer Area, may also be hazardous. These munitions can contain a type of spotting charge that simulates explosive impact. The spotting charge can vary from a few grains of black powder to several pounds of high explosive. NEVER assume that “training” or “practice” means a munition item is safe to touch. Even the least sensitive items may explode if exposed to careless and improper handling.

3 "Rs" of Munitions Safety:  Recognize, Retreat, Report

1. Recognize it
   Munitions come in many shapes and sizes:
   • Some will look new while others will look old and rusty
   • Some will look like bullets or bombs and can be small or large in size
   • Some will look like pointed metal pipes, soda cans, small balls, or even an old car muffler
   
   
2. Retreat from it
   If you find something that could be a munition, leave it alone and leave the area. It does not matter how old, rusty, new, or shiny the item may look, munitions are dangerous and could injure or kill you. Don’t take any chances – leave it alone.
   
   
3. Report it
   If you find something that could be a munition, report what you saw and where you saw it to the San Diego County Sheriff Department (760-767-5656) or call 9-1-1. Reporting it can save another person from injury or death. Report anything you think could be a munition.
   
   

Leave the handling of munitions to the trained experts who can assess the item and make the area safe.

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