R3 was proud to be a corporate sponsor of the Mt. Soledad Veteran’s Memorial on Memorial Day. Marine Corps Major Megan McClung was honored as the first female Marine officer to be killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy to be killed in action since the school was founded in 1845.  Major McClung was serving as a Public Affairs Officer in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  The keynote speaker, Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, a retired three-star general who served in the United States Army and as the brigade combat team commander in Ramadi, Iraq.  was credited with fostering the Sunni Arab “Awakening” movement which was instrumental in turning the tide of the war.

As one of the most unique veterans memorials in the USA, Mt. Soledad is proud to honor veterans, living and deceased, from the Revolutionary War to the present day. Eleven curved walls contain more than 5,000 black granite plaques honoring our service men and women. Towering 822 feet above sea level, Mt. Soledad provides a stunning viewpoint of the entire San Diego region. On a clear day, one can see towns in Mexico to the south, to the mountains of Los Angeles in the north. As the highest point in the La Jolla area, Mt. Soledad gives a breathtaking view of Miramar Air Station, Torrey Pines Golf Course, UC San Diego, and more.

R3 Associate Tom Warren represented the company at the recent celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL. The event was held concurrently with the FBI-sponsored Bomb Squad Commanders Conference, attended by 320 selected commanders of public safety bomb squads from across the country. A lively auction of donated items at the anniversary dinner event raised over $25,000 for the Bomb Technician Memorial Fund and its scholarship program.

HDS was established in 1971 (the anniversary celebration was delayed by COVID) at Redstone Arsenal with the mission to train members of the public safety fire and police services to respond to the threat of improvised explosive devices. Originally operated by the U.S. Army with funding from the FBI, the FBI assumed complete responsibility for the school in 2017. HDS provides initial certification of all public safety bomb technicians through a combination of classroom and practical training. The school also recertifies currently service bomb technicians and offers advanced training courses. Since its inception, HDS has trained over 30,000 individuals serving in the 420 accredited public safety bomb squads across the country.

Prior to joining R3, Tom was an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician, having graduated from HDS in 1989. In that role, he responded to a number of major bombing incidents including the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the World Trade Center bombing, and the Centennial Park bombing during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Tom later served as the HDS Program Manager overseeing the operations of the school. As an R3 Associate, Tom currently supports the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s CBRN Office with policy, training, and operational plans development and execution.