page_title: Osborne Reef
section_title: US military involvement
hierarchical_section_title: Osborne Reef / Cleanup / US military involvement
caption_attribution_description: English: CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait (August 13, 2009) - The 86th Engineer Dive Team stands together and answers questions about receiving the Coastal America Partnership Award and their mission in the Middle East, Aug. 10. 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.
context_page_description: Osborne Reef is an artificial reef off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, constructed of concrete jacks in a 50-foot -diameter circle.
  In the 1970s, the reef was the subject of an ambitious expansion project utilizing over two million old and discarded tires. The project ultimately failed, and the "reef" has come to be considered an environmental disaster—ultimately doing more harm than good in the coastal Florida waters.
  In 2007, after several false starts, cleanup efforts began when the United States military took on the project. This cleanup exercise provides the military with a real-world training environment for their diving and recovery personnel, coupled with the benefit of helping the Florida coast without incurring significant costs to the state.
context_section_description: In 2007, Broward County contacted the United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs about their Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program, which looks for civil-military projects that improve military readiness and address the needs of the American public.  CWO Donovan Motley said that the cleanup of Osborne Reef easily met those requirements: "This project allows these military divers and Army LCU crew members' real-world training in 'wartime' salvage ops.  And perhaps, more importantly, it exercises interoperability with federal, state and county agencies and these skill sets could have the most significance in the aftermath of a Katrina-type natural disaster."  Beginning in June 2007, the United States military and Coast Guard began "DiveExEast 07" to ascertain the best and most efficient processes for the cleanup effort.  Barring unforeseen operational commitments and engagements, military divers hope to use this project as a training platform for several years and "recover the maximum number of tires possible from day one."  Coastal America, an office of the United States federal government was tasked with coordinating the cleanup of the reef; they were instrumental in finalizing the deal wherein the Florida government would allocate $2,000,000 (equivalent to about $2,500,000 in 2019) to cover transport and recycling of the tires.  Ken Banks with the Florida DEP estimated the project to take three to five years, and while that timeline won't allow for the removal of all two million tires, it should mitigate the majority of the damage they're causing to the corals and coastline, though Banks predicted it could take decades for the reefs to rebuild.
  Summer 2007 saw US Navy, Army, and Coast Guard divers based out of a Coast Guard base in Dania Beach, Florida working to clean the reef.  The joint team first worked to remove the tires from where they were doing the most damage, abutting against natural reefs in the area.  In 2007, the recovery effort brought approximately 10,000 tires ashore.
  In 2008, recovery stopped after 26 days on May 24 after retrieving 43,900 tires.  That year, Florida spent approximately $140,000 (equivalent to about $166,000 in 2019) on the cleanup, some of which constituted transport for the tires to a shredding facility in neighboring Georgia whereafter they were burnt as fuel at a paper mill.
  Key members of the 2008 cleanup effort were US Army Captain Russell Destremps and his 86th Engineer Dive Team; on August 10, 2009, they were presented with the 2008 Coastal America Partnership Award and a letter from President Obama for their participation in the reef cleanup effort.  The award recognizes "outstanding partnerships that make a significant contribution toward the restoration and protection of our Nation's coastal and marine environment" and is the only environmental award of its kind given by the White House.  Two days later in Hollywood, California, Coastal America and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs David L. McGinnis awarded the partner cleanup team from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the same award. The 86th Engineer Dive Team deployed to the AOR in March 2009 for a one-year stint, and was unable to participate in that year's cleanup term.
  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, ... Just as you protect our Nation when serving overseas, at home you have found another way to protect our Nation's wellbeing.
  — President Barack Obama in his letter to Captain Destremps
  In 2009, recovery began on July 24 with thirty Army and Navy divers at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, where it was thought about 300,000 tires were caught against a natural reef.  Loading the caught tires onto the Army craft Brandy Station, the first day's haul brought approximately 1,400 tires ashore. Wrapping up for the year in mid-August, Coastal 
caption: The 86th Engineer Dive Team stands together and answers questions about receiving the Coastal America Partnership Award and their mission in the Middle East
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