Uniting RABs

["Theodore J. Henry" <thenry@umabnet.ab.umd.edu>]

To those who have participated in the RAB process:

I believe there clearly are successful and unsuccessful RABs in
existence. I also believe that there are many more that still have not
proven their value yet, one way or the other. From my experience on
APG's RAB, and from various discussions with people from other RABs at the
Federal Facilities Clean-up Workshop in Mass, I am not sure that the
current level of function of RABs as a whole is very good. 

I think RABs could certainly learn more from each other's
experiences than what is currently being done, and I think when RABs run
into a chronic hurdle there are few avenues for really getting the problem
solved. For instance, at APG a mustard round was wrongly identified as
being a high-explosive round and it was open detonated. This released 11
pounds of mustard into the open environment in 1994, and although requests
for an appropriate RAB presentation on changes made as a result were
directed to everyone from the Chief of the Installation Restoration
Program at APG, to the Commanding General of APG, and all the way up to
the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, this issue remains unresolved.
Chronic problems for local communities need an avenue to be addressed, and
local RABs need a "big brother" or "sister to be politically correct"

Therefore, I propose a National Association of RABs.

I think such a body could be an excellent way to specifically
address chronic, local RAB problems through a united RAB front.
Though a national board, local citizens could request assistance from this
association in hopes of applying enough pressure to the correct leaders in
the Pentagon and Federal Government to improve problems at a given site.
While DC is not far from APG, many other sites are less fortunate (or more
fortunate depending on your view). Anyway, I also think that it could
assist Career/Pro in its efforts to improve communication, particularly 
between various RABs.

I have various ideas on its structure, but there is no need to
carry it farther if the active community contingency does not consider it
viable. So, respond with your opinions (and suggestions if you have any)
and I will assess if there is justification to devote additional time to
this concept.

Sincerely

Ted Henry