Posted on September 15, 2025
GABORONE, Botswana—Subject-matter experts from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Europe District recently traveled to Gaborone, Botswana to conduct an Environmental Soil Screening Workshop with the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) at their shooting ranges.
In support of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the U.S. Embassy in Botswana, USACE experts from ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory (EL) Drs. Yoko Slowey, research soil scientist, and Mark Chappell, senior scientific technical manager, and Carine Awasum Booh, an environmental engineer with the Europe District’s Environmental Branch, provided hands-on training to military and BDF representatives June 23-July 3, on establishing survey grids and measuring soil lead (Pb) concentrations at six shooting ranges using portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (pXRF).
The workshop, which was also conducted at ranges in Selebi-Phikwe and Shoshong in Central Botswana, allowed a space for those involved to share their expertise and further develop a working relationship between USACE and the BDF.
“It was a pleasure to work with colleagues from the BDF,” said Slowey. “In addition to ensuring the health and safety of warfighters’ training on their ranges, they are committed to protecting the surrounding environment. We’re glad to have had the opportunity to share our knowledge in environmental chemistry and land management to support their efforts.”
The workshop is sponsored by the Defense Operational Resilience International Cooperation (DORIC), a U.S. Department of Defense program aimed at enhancing military readiness and resilience among partner nations by engaging on climate resilience, environmental security and operational energy issues. In this case, combining it with lethality and readiness to improve training range management, including sites where BDF, U.S. forces and other partners can train together.
“DORIC’s sponsorship of workshops, such as the lead screening of the shooting ranges in Botswana, promotes community safety, strengthens international defense partnerships and helps Botswana lead by example in responsible military training,” said Booh.
Discussions with the BDF and the Botswana International University of Science & Technology (BIUST) were productive, as progress was made towards building the BDF’s in-house capability to conduct Pb screening of soils at their shooting ranges using pXRF. Additionally, over 200 pXRF data points were collected across the shooting ranges, and select soil samples were sent to BIUST for confirmatory analysis to validate pXRF measurements collected during the field exercises.
Maj. Jared Massie, foreign area officer with the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Security Cooperation, commended the BDF for participating in the workshop and progressing their capabilities to perform home-based soil screenings.
“The BDF made great progress towards building in-house capability to conduct lead screening of soils, which significantly contributes to their ability to safely, effectively, and efficiently train forces to contribute to domestic and regional security efforts,” said Massie.
Massie believes the BDF’s partnership with ERDC shows its commitment to providing safety for the country’s military and community.
“The partnership between ERDC and the BDF highlighted the BDF’s desire and capability towards operational independence in this realm,” Massie said. “Their forces are now equipped with a way to test for high levels of Pb and are now networked with U.S. scientists and local researchers from the Botswana International University for Science and Technology. Simply put, this training paved the way forward for an improved firing and training range portfolio.”
Dr. Yoko Slowey, research soil scientist with ERDC’s Environmental Lab, demonstrates X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (pXRF) technology with the Botswana Defense Force.
Drs. Yoko Slowey and Mark Chappell, with ERDC’s Environmental Lab, collect data at one of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) shooting ranges.
